The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1914-08-06
CHAPTER XVI.
Vivian Airs Her Opinions.

vivian ATS Ter opiHiOHS.
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 H.
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 cour-
age attended him in his campaign
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 it 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
| fo+ tho GU lie
PEELED, or perhaps a mildly sinister
episode in which virtue had been tri-
umphant and vice defeated with un-
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.
I've 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 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
smart smack on the crupper with
his stubby whip, and pursed his lips
for the companionship to be derived
: from whistling.
) 81 suppose you know why l went tt
Europe" said Booth, laying his hant
, affectionately on the mans arm.
| Sure l do" said Pat, forgetting t.
! whistle. "And was it bad luck vol
l had, sor?"
"a temporary case of it, I'm afraid.
} WELL" said the Irishman, lookin,
, up at his employer with the most pro
found encoura cement in his wink, Il
, it's amy help to you, sor, I'll say tina
: I've never found bad luck to be any
thing but temporary. And, believe me
f I've had plinty Of it. Mary was don
! near three years maxim up her min
1 to say yis to me-
"And since then you've had no ba
e luck?" said Booth. with a smile.
"Plinty of it, begob, but I've ha
some one besides meself to blame TO
it. There's a lot in that, Mr.. Bran
I don. Whin a man marries, he sfmpl
q divides his luck into two parts, goo
a and bad, and if he's like most men b
9 puts the bulk av the bad luck on hi
wife and kapes to himself all he ca
4 av the good for a rainy day. That
r what makes him a strong man an
@ able to meet trouble when it come:
n The beauty av the arrangement is tha
q bad luck is only temporary and won
h an enjoys talking about it, while goo
n luck is wild us nine-tenths of the tim'
=. whether we know it or not, and W
"a don't have to talk about it,
z. This was fine philosophy, but Boot
discerned the underlying motive