The Chanute times., 1913-02-28

| Ou lldT. bndiiSu SdpldiH GDCl
"You low.lived liar BY the Almighty
Elkanah Daniels! I'll You take tina
back or I'll choke the everlastiI
soul out of you. will"
LET go, you lunatic! You'll xii
yourself. Listen! I'm not lying. It
the truth. She's met man, tel
you. Been meeting him for months
guess. There! now will you listen
"His names Nohn Ellery, and he
minister of the Regular church In thi
town; that's who he is! Here! hol,
up! Good Lord! are you dying? Hol,
up!"
The girl on the stairs sprang to he
feet. Her head was reeling and sh.
could scarcely stand, but she blindl!
began the descent. She must go t.
her uncle. She must. But Captain
Daniels's voice caused her to hal
once more.
There! there!" It said in a ton,
Of relief. That's better. Set still
now. Be quiet. that's 1t. Shall / ge
some water?"
mo, no! let me be. Just let me be
amt what used to be and this
I'm all right. tell you. Grace! Anc
and What was 1t you just said
IL don't blieve heard It right"
81 said that daughter of yours. OF
niece, or whatever she Is, this Grace
Van Horne, has been meeting young
Ellery, our minister, in Peters's grove
Been meeting him and walking with
him, and kissing him. She's met him
in those pir~5 every Sunday afternoon
for long time. She was seen there
with him this afternoon"
"Who-who saw her?"
Never mind. The one that did1l
never tell-unless it's necessary. They
'are fixing to be married, and"
Married! She marry a Regular
minister! OH"
Hush! Listen! They amt married
yet. We can stop 'em, you and /. II
we get right to work. 1t isn't too late.
Will you help?"
will II Go on! tell me more!"
1--WE can stop 'em. know 1t would
be good catch for her, the sneaking,
designing Well, never mind. But it
can't be. 1t shan't be. You've got to
tell her so, Hammond. We folks Of
the Regular church have pride in our
society; we won't have It disgraced
And we have been proud of our minis
ter, the young, rattle-headed fool!
Well save him if we can. If we
can't"-the speakers teeth grated
then we'll send him to eternal
smash or die trying"
But can't believe It's true. It's a
mistake; some other girl and not
Oracle. Why, she don't even know
him. She wouldn't But she has
been out every Sunday afternoon for
weeks. If 1t should bel"
The chair creaked. Evidently, Cap
tain Eben was rising slowly to his
feet.
"Well?" repeated Elkanah.
''Elkanah Daniels" said Eben slow
ly. his voice shaking from nervous ex-
haustion and weakness, but with fine
ring Of determination in every word,
"Elkanah Daniels, you listen to
me. I've heard you through. II
your yarn is true, then my heart Is
broke, and l wish might have died
afore l heard 1t. But didn't die and
/ have heard It, Now listen to me.
love that girl of mine better'n the
whole wide world and yet I'd ruther
see her dead afore me than married
to a Reg'lar minister. Disgrace to
him! Disgrace to your miserable
What about the disgrace to
mine? And the disgrace to her? Ruin
to your minister! Ruin to my girl
here and hereafter is what I'm think
In of; that and my people who wor-
ship God with me. I'll talk to Grace.
III talk to her. But not of whatH
happen to him or you-or any Of your
cantin'. lip-servin' crew. I'll tell her
to choose between him and me. And
If she chooses him, I'll send her out
Of that door. I'll do my duty and read
her out Of my congregation. And I'll
know she's gone to everlastin' hell,
and that's worse'n the poorhouse.
That's all tonight, Elkanah. Now you
better CO."
The lock turned; the door opened
and closed. Grace, clinging to the bal
listers, heard Captain Hammond cross
he room, slowly and feebly. She
heard him enter the sitting room. BY
md by, pale, but more composed, and
With her mind made up, she came
lown into the hall. Drawing a long
breath, she turned into the sitting
Dom to face her uncle. By the light
shining through the dining-room door
The saw him on his knees by the hair
10th sofa. She spoke his name. He |
lid not answer nor look up. At her
ouch his arm slid from the couch and |
le fell gently over upon his side on
he carpet.