The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1914-02-27

he observed, he ought not to have
written the letter. But he was young,
and anxiety for his friends may be
pleaded as an excuse.
1T is all over. l fear he wrote,
with Mon Desir. The poor old captain
has got a most awful bad crop. The
estate won't pay working expenses
this year, and l know that we can't
advance any more money upon it.
What he will do l cannot tell. but he
will, unless he can raise IN more mon
ey, have to become bankrupt. Then
the estate will be sold. 1t seems hard
after all these years. Can you go and
tell Miss T'errier? Her mother and
Nine. Kemyss do not know, l should
think, anything about it. And even
the squire himself knows very little.
She might be able to raise some mon
ey. She will be of age in Il year or
two. Meanwhile the money is wanted
at once. 1t is hard that her thou
sands should be lying idle, SO to speak,
without being useful to the man who
has been sc good n trustee for her.
Go and see her at once, n tell her
$1,000 or so would pull the old man
through this year, and next year one
may hope for a better crop. 1t is very
unlucky that the little touch Of a cy-
clone which passed over US in March
seems to have picked out Mon Dcsir,
above all others, for damage. Tom
looks rather haggard over something,
but even he doesn't know the whole
danger. Perhaps he is haggard about
Nirginie. I'm a good deal Worn my
self-you wouldn't know Inc again-and
the padre isn't the same man since she
went away. l suppose l mustn't sen
my love, and perhaps if l did you
would not be the mar to take it. Don't
be mean and try and cut out Tom.
But we hear that she is always with
her great cousins. If she hould go
and marry that beast of a man
Thus for the pink boy.
Percival lost no time in taking the
letter to Nirginie. He went that very
morning.
"Why,' she asked, do you never
come to see me-
LCtttuSc IL ISL L Sdlc. Ill tHtS tOuI
try we know our level. | belong to
Grub street. you to Mayfair. Because
you are a young lady Of fashion and
am only an obscure person whose for
tune for the moment is out at elbows
But we are old friends" said Nir-
ginic. "lou ought to have come here
long 6 Sit down and let us talk
VJ,o,, D,,,;-,l ,,r,11,I h;, fn1n
ooh" cried Nirginie. 1T is dreadful.
Something must be done. What car
be done: Can't he use my money"
You can ask some lawyer here tc
lend you money, which you must pay
to the bank to his account. cal
think of no other way. And I am sc
ignorant of money matters that l dc
not ever know how to advise you
But, then, any lawyer will KNOW"
], II will ask Guy" said Nirginie.
l "Your cousin, Captain Ferrier? Yes
, he would know
II did not tell you. MI. rercival,'
she said. blashing. II am engaged t.
be married to my cousin.' D..
Poor Tom" The intelligence fel
!. upon him so suddenly that he was faiI
to put his thoughts into words.
She bcnt her head and did not rcpl
for Il moment. Then she said softly:
tom was always my brother"
r Percival rose.
o You will, them he said cOldl,
e Consult Captain l'crrier how best
u save this good %man-your Suardia
!. and your fathers fricnd-from ruin.
- knew that | had only to lay the matte
before you. Thank you for your after
ton"
~ Hc touched her fingers and left he
Why had her old friend treated III
L in such Il manner? Alas. she unde
IN stood too we'll. Poor Tom.