Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-05-12
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ing me. l can see 10y your face hat
you did go SO far az that"
You mean" said Eric, in low. UNI
even tones, that l am to let Chetwynd
nave the prize without a word for my
self"
Yes. That, and nothing else"
But i will not submit to"
You will do just as l say. sir said
his uncle calmly. AS / HAY said be-
fore. it is for the good of the family.
We must think of that, you and 1, as
We"
Why should ! think of your family"
though of mine. You and Mr.. Pres
brey have read my mother INC father
into hell fire. You haven't left me any
thing to be grateful for. l won't"
Stop. sir. Not another word. The
cases are not parallel. We have Il
chance to save a boys soul. as we'll as
his honor. 1t was not | who damned
Mary and Philip Midthorne. They saw
to that we'll enough for themselves. But
L did not mean to hurt you. Forgive
me-"
Il can't forgive everything," groancd
the boy.
You w me a great deal more than
you can ever realize. 1t WAS l. Eric, who
took you and Mary by the hand and
lifted you up from the dirt, into which
you We're cast. 1t is I who have given
you an honored, a noble place in The
world. And how BY means of a
name that. of itself. stands unsullied.
of Bladgen. With tina name to sup
port you, you a become a credit and
"a yes, a blessing to Corinth. That
name will carry you to fields of greater
honor and distinction. So long as it is
behind you in the-er-you might say
N1,e CJ-cI ,,,-l >1<-I ,,~,, 1r-. ~ l. :,1-
to fear. l represent the name. l am
the name. If cast you off. the world
will never pick you up. There you
have it. DO l make myself clear"
1t did not occur to Eric to resent the
sublime egotism in this speech. AT
any other time he would have snick-
cred. perhaps. for he had a rare sense of
humor. but now he. could not fail to be
impressed by the seriousness of his UNI
cle's words.
Am l to understand. Uncle Horace.
that if l say anything about Chetwynd
stealing my"
Don't use that word snapped Mr..
Blagden.
IF / mention it, modified the boy.
you will kick me out?"
II will not w anyone about me
who wilfully, deliberately seeks to de-
stroy the credit of the name ! bear"
said the other. succinctly.
IIOM tDOuO w
DO you mean to argue all night with
me?"
II should have some rights. sir"
You are too young to talk about
rights. You will have them when the
proper time l will see to that.
This little disappointment you've eN-
perienced today is but a trifle in the
harvest of pleasures you ma reap
with my help and my friendship. Lis
ten. Eric. l am very serious. must
insist that you look at this from my
point of view. 1t means so much to
me. 1t can mean very little to YOU. In
a week. you will ave forgotten the
pangs of disappointment, while i could
never hold up my head again in Cor
NTH if you were to tell this story to the
world. People would believe enough
of it to make life a hell for nae. !
could not beat it down. 1t would never
die. And Chetwynd's only chance
would be gone. He can be saved. He
must be saved. He is not a bad boy at
heart. He-he has been sopiled."
The mans lip trembled, and his voice
show ever so slightly in the utterance
of this humiliating confession.
1t was on the point of k,ric's tongue
to blurt out the ugly tale of Chetwynd's
treatment of Mary, but he held back his
words. This was an affair between hin
and Chetwynd.
Its hard. mighty hard, Uncle Hor-
ace" he said. dropping into a chair and
putting his face in his hands.
w all have hard duties to perform.
We all have harsh debts to pay. my
lad"
"what are you going to say to Chef
wynd, il l dc keep still? He will know
that l know. lit will be awkward.
II shall demand of him the truth. ]
shall compel him to go to you n adj
init his-er-his error. You may"
I'D rather you'd not ask him to do
that" objected Eric. in stifled tones.
Its best not to do it. Let it go as
it is. Say what you like to him. Uncle,
but don't let him come to me about it.
Tll-Ill let it stand as it is. but l won't
have anything more added to it. That's
what it would mean if he tried to apollo
gise. We couldn't get through with it
gracefully, that's ALL"
Mr.. Blagden placed his hand on the
bent shoulder Of the defeated boy.
should see it. Eric. You have taken the
proper course, believe me. l shall not
forget it. 1t is understood. then, that
er, ahem!-that it goes no farther"
Yves, sir. I'll stand for it, in muf-
fled tones.
The telephone bell tinkled once more
Eric waited until his uncle motioned
for him to talk the message.
His aunt was on the wire. asking
what kept them at the bank. He in
formed her they were starting for
home at once. Then she said some
thing that brought a bitter, scornful
smile to his lips. He waited until she
was through. n then said:
mo. it isn't hat. Don't be worried
Aunt Rena."
will you get my hat and stick. now
We will be late for dinner. Punctual.
ity is a virtue. Eric. that is only sur.
!, passed by u~nselfishness. All. thanl