The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1914-12-17
CHAPTER XVI.
Vivian Airs Her Opinions.

Vivian Airs Her Opinions.
Chief among Booths virtues was his
undertaking loyalty to a set purpose.
He went back to America with the
firm intention to clear up the mystery
surrounding Hetty Castleton, no mat
ter how irksome the delay in achiev-
ing his aim or how vigorous the meth
DDS he would have to employ. Sara
Wrandall, to all purposes, held the
key; his object In life now was to in
duce her to turn it in the lock and
throw open the door so that he might
enter in and become a sharer in the
secrets beyond.
A certain amount OF optimistic our
age attended him in his campaign
against what had been described to
him as the impossible. He could see
no clear reason why she should with
hold the secret under the new condi-
tons, when so much in the shape of
happiness was at stake. 1t was In
this spirit Of confidence that he pre-
pared to confront her on his arrival in
New York, and 1t was the same I'M
bounded faith In the belief that moth
ing evil could result from a perfectly
just and honorable motive that gave
him the needed courage.
He stayed over night in New York,
and the next morning saw him on his
way to Southlook. There was some
thing truly ingenious in his desire to
get to the bottom of the matter with
out fear or apprehension. At the very
worst, he maintained there could be
nothing more reprehensible than a
passing infatuation, long since dis.
PEELED, or perhaps a mildly sinister
episode in which virtue had been tri-
umphant and vice defeated with I'M
pleasant results to at least one per-
son, and that person the husband of
Sara Wrandall.
Pat met him at the station and drove
him to the little cottage on the upper
road.
"Ye didn't stay long," said he reflect
lively, after he had put the bag up in
front. He took up the reins.
mot very" replied his master.
After a dozen rods or more, Pat
tried again.
"Just seventeen days, I make it."
Seems longer"
Perhaps you'll be after going back
soon"
"Why should you think that, Pat
rick?"
Because you don't seem to be takin'
much interest in your surroundin's
here" said Pat loftily. He delivered
a smart smack on the crupper with
his stubby whip, and pursed his lips
for the companionship to be derived
from whistling.
II suppose you know why l went to
Europe" said Booth, laying his hand
affectionately on the mans arm.
Sure do" said Pat, forgetting to
whistle. And was 1t bad luck you
had, sor?"
"A temporary case Of 1t, I'm afraid"
WELL" said the Irishman, looking
up at his employer with the most pro-
found encouragement in his wink, If
it's amy help to you, sor, I'll say that
I've never found bad luck to be any
thing but temporary. And, believe me,
I've had plinty Of it. Mary was dom
near three years maxim up her mind
to say yis to me-"
"And since then you've had no bad
luck?" said Booth, with a smile.
"Plinty OF it, begob, but I've had
some n besides meself to blame for
1t. There's a lot In that, Mr.. Bran
don. Whin a man mafries, he simply
divides his luck into two parts, good
and bad, and il he's like most men he
puts the bulk av the bad luck on his
wife and kapes to himself all he can
av the good for a rainy day. That's
what makes him a strong man and
able to meet trouble when It comes.
The beauty av the arrangement Is that
bad luck is only temporary and a wom-
an enjoys talking about it, while good
luck is wild us nine-tenths of the time,
whether we know 1t or not, and We
don't have to talk about it."
This was fine philosophy, but Booth
discerned the underlying motive.
Have you been quarreling?"
Il have not" said Pat wrathfully.
But l won't say as much for Mary.
The point av me argument Is that |
have all the good luck in havin' mar
ried her, and she claims to have had
all the bad luck in marryin' me. Still.
as l said before, it's but temporary.
The good luck lasts and the bad don't.
She'll be after tellin' me so before
shutdown. That's like all women.
You'll find 1t out for yourself a O.
these days, Mr.. Brandon, and yeIl be
dom proud ye're q mar and can enjoy
your good luck when we get it. The
bad luck's always fallin' behind We,
and ye can always look forward to the
good luck. So don't be downhearted.
She'll take you. or me names not
what 1t ought to be-"
Booth was inclined to accept this
unique discourse as a fair-weather
sign.
Take these bags upstairs. Pat"
said he on their arrival at the cottage,
and then come down and drive me
owe to Mrs. Wrandali's."
"Will We be after stayin' for lunch
with her. Mr.. Brandon? 2" inquired Pat.
climbing over the wheel.
II can't answer that question nov"
"Hivsa hAl1 bs0 av us II NauS