The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-01-16
place as public as a hotel reception

NO, Mr.. Swoetwater. / saw hei
once and 1t made me want to be
quiet and kind and beautiful like her
] never shall think she did a1ythias
SO horrible. Nor will Mr.. Brctherssr
ever believe it. He could not and live
You see, am talking to you as if yeu
knew him-the kind of man he is ard
! just how he feels towards Miss Chal
Toner. He is" Her voice traile6
off and a~Iock, uncormcn and almost
elevated. iliu,nined her face. II will
not tell you what he is; you will
know, If you ever see hira.''
Sweetwater watched her for a mo
ment, and then remarked: Pm gcins
to take one thing for granted; that
you are as anxious as we are to clea,
Miss Challoner's memory"
20 yes, o yes"
Mere than that. that you are ready
and eager to help us. Your very looks
show that"
"You are right; would do anything
to help you. But what can a girl
like me do? Nothing; nothing. ]
know too little. Mr.. Chalioner must
see that when you tell him I'm only
the daughter Of foreman"
And friend Of Mr.. 2rotherson,>
supplemented Sweetwater.
"Yes," she smiled, "he would want
me to say Sc. But that's his good
ness. l don't deserve the hoacr."
"His friend and therefore his conf
dante" Sweetwater continued. "He
has talked to you about Miss Chal
| loner?"
"He had to. There was nobody else
to when he could talk; and then, |
had seen her and could understand. .
Where Gid you see herr"
''IE New York. I was there once
with father, who took me t. see her
think she had asked Mr.. Brothersou
to send his little friend to her hotel
IL ever we came to New York"
THAT was some time ago."
I'VE were there in June"
"And you have corresponded ever
since with Miss Challoner?
"She has been good enough to write
and have ventured at times to an.
swer her.
Smiling little, but in very ear
| nest fashion, he pointed to the letter
she still held and quietly said:
Remember that I'm not speaking
for myself, Miss Scott, when seem
a little too persistent and inquiring
You have corresponded with Miss
Chailoner; you have been told the
fact of her secret engagement to Mr.
Brotherson and you have been wit
ness to his conduct and manner for
the whole time he has been separated
from her. Do you, when you think OF
1t carefully, recall anything in the
| whole story CT this romance which
would throw light upon the cruel trag
edy which has SO unexpectedly ended
It? Anything, Miss Scott? Straws
show which way the stream flows"
She was Vehement. instantly vehe
| ment. in her disclaimer.
p can answer at once,' said she
'because / have thought of nothing
else for all these weeks Here all
was well. Mr. Brotherson was hope.
full and happy and believed in her hap
piness and willingness to wait for his
success. And this success was com.
ing so fast! Oh, how can We ever tell
him: How can we ever answer his
questions even, or keep him satisfied
and calm until he Is strong enough to
hear the truth. I've had to acknowl.
edge already that have had no letter
from her for weeks. She never wrote
to him directly. you know, and she
| never sent him messages, but he knew
that letter to me was also letter
to him and can see that he is
i troubled by this Tong silence, though
he says / was quite right not to let
her know of his illness and that /
must continue to keep her in igno-
rance of it till he is quite well again
and can write to her himself. 1t is
hard to hear him talk like this and not
look sad or frightened"
Sweetwater remembered Miss Chal.
toner's last letter. and wished he had
it here to give her. In default Of this.
he said:
Perhaps this not hearing may act
In the way of a preparation for the
shock which must come to him sooner
or later. Let us hope SO. Miss Scott"
Her eyes filled.
Nothing can prepare him." said
she. Then added. with yearning ac-
cent, II wish were older or had more
experience. ! should not feel so help
less. But the gratitude owe him Will
give me strength when need it most
Only / wish the suffering might be
mine rather than his"
Unconscious OF any self-betrayal,
she lifted her eyes, startling Sweet.
water by the beauty of her look.
II don't think I'm so sorry for Os-.
valid Brotherson." he murmured to
himself as he left her. Hes more
fortunate man than he knows, how
| ever deeply he may feel the loss OF
his first sweetheart"
That evening the disappointed
Sweetwater took the train for New
York He had failed to advance the
case in hand one whit, yet the colnte-
nance he showed Mr.. Gryce at their
first interview was not wholly
gloomy one.
Fifty dollars to the bad!" was his
J ~