Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-02-21
CHAPTER XXX.-continued.

NF1HT Eh NNN--CCnttnued
This. | make no apologies and ex
bect in answer nothing more than an
unoquivOcal yes or no. You tell me
that you have never met my brother
Can that be said Of the other mem
bers of your famiIy-or your deceased
daughter. I'm fact?"
No"
she was acquainted with Oswald
Brotherson"
she was?"
without your knowledge?"
Entirely So"
"Corresponded with himg'
Not exactly"
How, not eXaCtIy7"
He wrote TO hcr-ocCasionaIIv She
wrote to him frequently-but she new.
er sent her letters"
All"
The exclamation was sRarp short
and conveyed little. Yet with its es-
cape, the whole scaffolding of this
mans hold upon life and his own fate
went down in indistinguishable chaos.
Mr.. Challoner realized a sense of
havoc. though the eyes bent upon his
countenance had not wavered. nor the
stalwart figure moved.
i have read some Of those letters 4"
the inventor finally acknowledged
The police took great pains to place
them under my eye. supposing them
TO have been meant for me because of
the Initials written on the wrapper.
But they were meant for Oswald. You
believe that now?"
Il know It,"
And that is why I found you In
the same house with him"
1t is. Providence has robbed me
OF my daughter; II this brother OF
yours should prove to be the man 7
am led to expect, shall ask him TO
take that place In my heart and life
which was once hers"
A quick recoil, a smothered excla.
nation on the part of the man he ad-
dressed. A barb had been hidden in
this simple statement which had
reached some deeply hidden but vul.
nerable spot in Brotherson's breast
which had never been pierced before.
II was sight no man could see nm.
moved. Mr. Chalioner turned sbarp-
ly away. IN dread of the abyss which
the next word he uttered might open
between them.
But Orlando Brotherson possessed
resources of strength of which. DOS
sibly, he was not aware himself. When
Mr. Challoner. still more affected by
the silence than by the dread I have
mentioned, turned to confront him
again, 1t was to find his features COM
posed and his glance clear. He had
conquered all outward manifestation
OF the mysterious emotion which for
an instant had laid his proud spirit
low.
You are considerate OF my broth
err" were the words with which he re-
opened this painful conversation. lyon
will not find your confidence mis-
placed. Oswald is a straightforward
fellow, OF few faults"
Il believe It, No man can be SO uni.
versally beloved without some very
substantial claims to regard. am
glad to see that your opinion, though
given somewhat coidiy, comedies with
that OF his friends"
Il am not given to exaxReration.
was the even reply.
Nothing which had yet passed
showed that this man realized the fact
that Oswald had been kept In igno-
rance OF Miss Challoner's death. II
these brothers were to meet on the
morrow, IT must be with the full un-
that this especial topic
was TO be completely avoided. But In
what words could he urge such a re-
guest upon this man7 None suggest.
ed themselves. yet he had promised
Miss Scott that he would insure his
silence In this regard, and IL was with
this difficulty and no other he had
been struggling when Mr.. Brotherson
came upon him In the other room.
You have still something to say"
suggested the latter. as an oppressive
silence swallowed up that icy sentence
have already recorded.