The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1913-02-06

sponslbii!ty. Recalling his dignity, he
essayed TO close the door in Brad
docks face
i am her husband" announced the
caller his hands still in his pockets
The servants hand was stayed.
Wont YOU call AGAIN." he TEN
porized. Il don't quite understand. II
ooh go down very easy. I'll say that
Al any rate. you can't see her now, no
matter who you are. She was up all
night with Miss Braddock. who took
SICK suddenly. Mrs. Braddock has just
laid down for a.
christine sick?" demanded Brad
dock The new note in his voice COM
mended attention. Tit can't be &C.
raoos. She was all right when she
came In last night What's the mat
ter with her. Speak up, What does
the doctor say?"
They didn't call doctor"
He was surprised to see the ominous
sisfe iade from Braddock's eyes. They
vavered and then fell An uneasy.
mirthless laugh cracked in his throat;
tnen his lip quivered ever 80 slightly
BROOKS could have sworn to it. For q
moment Thomas Braddock stood there
rejecting. swayed by an emotion so
unexpected that he was a long time
In accounting for 1t. Indecision sue
eeeded the arrogant assurance that
had marked his advances. He knew
Why Mary Braddock sat up with her
daughter, A doctor? As II a doctor
could prescribe for the affiiction that
beset her Too we'll he now under
stood what had transpired in that up
stairs room. A thing OF horror had
come to rack the soul of that happy,
beautiful girl-had come suddenly be,
cause the time was ripe. She was suf-
fertng because he was near!
A tense bitter oath struggled
through his lips.
Then he turned away.
Brooks was not long in apprising
Mrs. Braddock OF the strangers visit.
She was with Christine when he made
the unhappy announcement.
Il will see Mr.. Braddock when he
returns" Brooks blinked two or three
times, his only tribute to the stupen-
dous shock he had experienced.
Thomas Braddock walked to the
Battery There he sat down on one
Of the benches and glowered out upon
the blue waters Of the bay for an
hour or more No muscle moved In his
face. He waited with a patience that
was three years old.
When David drove up to the Port
man place, Mrs Braddock arose from
one OF the chairs in the narrow stone
porch at the top Of the steps. She,
too, had been waiting. but not for the
young man who dashed up the steps.
"He has been here" she said. as she
gave him her hand. The tenseness Of
the clasp revealed the strain that was
upon her He noted the pallor In her
cheek the dread in her eyes.
"Yes?" he cried anxiously. Where
10 he? ! tried to get there in time
Did he
"Sit down. David-here. please, be
hind the balustrade. ! am waiting out
here for him. He is coming back"
"You-you sent him away"
"I did not see him. You must not
think. David. that am afraid to see
him. am nervous, upset. but 1t
really isn't fear. Christine-Christine
knows everything. told her last
night She is-well, you can imagine
she is very unhappy. Everything looks
black to her. I did not hide anything
She is crushed"
Where is she? I must see her.
can comfort her. Mrs. Braddock. Let
me see her before he comes back. y
He was standing over her. his face
working.
She will not see you, David" she
said in dull tones.
He started. What do you mean
She must see me-"
Her father was in the penitentiary.
That was ALL but it told all there was
to tell
He cried out reproachfully, Does
she think that will make any differ,
ence in my"
She knows 1t won't. That's what
distresses her. l am afraid, David, aft
er all, you have brought your honor to
a wretched market. We are what we
are, we Braddocks. We can't look be-
yond our environment. You cannot
marry a convicts daughter"
Mrs. Braddock," he said. his voice
ouivering with decision. II am not 60
ing to be put off like this. You may as
well understand that, first and last
lore her. I want her. She loves me.
thank God. It won't be SO hard to
make her understand how impossible
it is for anything to come between us.
She is going to marry me. Mary Brad
dock"
A great light leaped into her eyes.
even as she shook her head. She reach
ed out as II to clasp his hand. move
ment as involuntary as 1t was instinc-
tive. He had turned and was facing
the closed portals behind which his
hearts desire was beating all Joy and
hope out OF her poor, tormented soul.