Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1913-01-15
CHAPTER I-IcentInusd.l

! turned TO Louise Tor explanation
Though there were many callers at the
Parrish home. / never had met Mr..
Crandall. nor had even heard the
name mentioned.
1T must have been Hugh Crandaii.~
said Louise II was afraid that 1t was
he"
Her remark puzzled me. The only
Hugh Crandall knew anything about
was . prosperous young broker whom
! never had met personally, though |
had seen his name occasionally In con
nsction with exchange and club AFFAIRS.
do you mean Hugh Crandall. the
brokerf" ] asked.
Louise nodded. and leaning against
my shoulder. told me Of a chapter OF
Ahs family history with which | was
wholly unfamiliar. This man, It
seemed, had mot her sister two years
before on a steamer on which they
were returning from Europe. After
that he had been a frequent visitor at
the Parrish home katharine was very
fond OF him, and he had been in high
favor both with the general and Lou
ise Though no formal announcement
OF an engagement had been made,
Crandal was looked on by every one
80 Miss Farrishs most favored suitOr
About three months ago, Just prior to
i the time when | first met Louise, his
visits to the house had suddenly
ceased.
I'm sure" Louise explained. that
Katharine cared for him very much.
She and father had a bitter quarrel
about him, though why. never could
understand, for father had always
seemed to like him. There was some
thing strange about the way his visits
ended. Father came home one day at
noon looking worried. He called Kath.
arine into the library and. shut the
door. could hear Katharine pleading
with him and once or twice | heard
both their voices raised as If in anger.
When my sister came out her eyes
were red as II she had been weeping
She went at once to her room and did
not come down to dinner. When Mr.
Crandall called that night she came
down to see him, but he stayed only
about ten minutes He demanded an
Interview with father, and father re-
fused to see him. He left the house In
heat an, never has been here since.
For several days Katharine seemed
much depressed but she volunteered
no condolences and l hesitated to ask
her any questions. She seemed after
a while wholly to have recovered her
spirits, and was convinced that she
had made up her mind to let Mr.. Gran
dali go out of her life"
"lghat effect did this have on the re-
IAtions between your father and sis
teri" / asked, seeking in vain for mo-
tive that would have caused Katharine
10 attempt her life.
"None whatever that / could see.
Through 1t all, except for that one att.
ernoon, Katharines attitude toward "a
Their has been most lovable. If any.
thing, 1t seemed 10 me that she was
tenderer toward him afterward than
before"
;'Oo you suppose she has been meet.
Ing Crandall surreptitiously?"
b~l'se quickly and Indignantly drew
fself away from me.
'You don't know Katharine as I do"
she said reprovingly, cor you never
W. uld have said that. She is the soul
OF honor. If she was going to see Hugh
she would have done so openly"
'eiut he teIephoned her today" per
slstcd.
"Thats So" admitted Louise. And
think he must have done so day be
fore yesterday, too Some one called
her, and she went out just as she did
today. Generally we tell each Other
where we are going, and l thought II
peculiar at the time that she said moth
Ing to me"
In deep perplexity we both sat, 81
lently bordering the mystery of Katha
rine's action. What could have made
her do it? Was 1t, wondered, because
her father had learned something dis
rreditable about her sutton and haC
forbidden aim the house? Had Gran
Sail been trying to persuade her t.
continue to see him despite her ia
Tiers wishes? Was the conflict in hel
heart between love and duty too much
tor herr Louise turned to me and LAID
her hand gently on my arm.
Harding" she said, there is som,
deep mystery behind all this that ha,
been creeping like a black shadow
across the lives of both Katharine anC
my father. In some way Hugh Gran
dali is concerned in, It, know IT
feel 1t. 1t Is something more than mere
ly the refusal of my father to permi
her to marry Crandall. have watche,
them both and I know. have seeI
this mysterious specter lowering owe
my father, gradually crushing the yer,
soul out of him. / have seen KRth
arine's life. too, blighted by its con
slant presence. Whether Katharin
lives or whether she dies, I must fin
out what 1t Is. must before It kill
my father, too. Yoln help me, won
your
There have been strange wooing
and strange betrothals in loves his
tory, but never before has any ma
been brought to a fuller realization G
the depth Of woms as affection 70
him or her condolences and trust in hiI
thsn / was at this moment when LOT
iss put this question - me. My arm
seot about her aad my lips mstFllsr