The evening world., 1914-11-17

crisis. Last Wednesday evening I
called, a. I had been In the habit Of
doing whenever I found an opportu-
nifty; and just as was departing Mr..
Fluetts sent word to me to como to
his study before I left. For q bit We
thought he had relented. but on re-
Election couldn't entertain the idea;
30. much dispirited. went At once
to see him.
why do you continue coming
here7' said he.
well, I laid my claims before him.
pointing out that was neither q pau
per nor a criminal: I told him that
Belle and sincerely loved each other.
and concluded by asking him whether
he utterly disregarded his daughters
preferences In her choice Of friends.
"'Far from IT, he replied. But !
certainly interfere when I think she
Is exercising bad Judgment In such .
choice
"All at once he leaned forward and
raped sharply with his knuckles
upon the table-desk. before which I
was sitting.
""You are Felix Pages nephew.
would rather see my daughter In her
cofin-yes, n thousand times rather
than allied with Q man who has q
drop Of that hounds hlead In his
veins. That. Mr.. Manfor. 10 my anal
word
"'Mr. Fluette, said I at last. since
your objections are not worthy OF a
man Of your intelligence and ideals.
I choose to think. therefore. that you
don't sincerely entertain them; they
are grossly unjust to Belle and me
alike But ne wouldn't let me go on.
"'Young man. said he, In another
wrathful outburst, ! certainly ad-
mire your cheek-advising me-in my
own house, too-as to my treatment
of my own family!'
For q second or two I returned
his Infatuated look; and then. re-
solved not to stand there bandying
words nor to be led into q quarrel
with him. ! said:
"I1n sorry. Mr.. Fluette-more than
I can express-that you feel toward
me 40 you do. Nobody could be more
Ignorant than l am concerning the
nature Of your feud with Felix Page
unless Il 10 that you arc Wishing
upon me the consequences OF his op.
position to you In the Board OF TRADE:
"He spurned this superstition with
q scornful gesture. So l continueo'
"I am glad to know 1t Is not that;
j COul0nt COuCclNo VI you uoh"o ."s
thing 80 outrageously unjust. Could
anything be moro unfair. ] asked
him, than to mako me share all the
animosities that Felix Page has en-
gendered? Why. he Is scarcely better
than a stranger to me; my profound
ignorance OF his affairs Is the best
testimony that ] can offer In my be-
halt
"If you are so bent upon having
Belle no said, there's just one way
you may 20 about getting her
"Considering what he had already
said. II is no wonder ! didn't know
what to say to this. l waited. and his
next words betrayed the real cause
at least, took II to be the real cause
of his bitterness and III will. There
was q sneer In every word.
"'Bring me the Paternoster ruby
he said, and II, In the meantime. she
hasn't acquired some OF tho intelli-
gence with which l have always cred
tied her, why. you may take Belle
After | got over being stupefied
at the amazing effrontery of the thing
III accepted seriOusly-I began to do
some pretty tall thinking, and
thought rapidly, too.
els that q bargainf' said at
length.
II spoke quite calmly and serious
w.. and he favored me with q sur
prised stare. But no snapped out
curt reply.