The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-05-13

chance TO save q boys soul, as Wen as
ms honor. 1t was not | who damned
Mary and Philip Midthorne. They saw
to thai well enough for themselves. But
1 die not mean to hurt you. Forgive
me-"
II can't forgive everything" groaned
the boy.
You owe me a great deal more h
you IA ever realize. 1t was I, 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 mean Of a
name that, of itself. stands %unsullied.
No man has ever questioned the name
of Bladgen. With that name to sup
port you. Q have 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 1t is
behind YOU in the-er-you might say
the flesh and blood. you ave nothing
to fear. l represent the name. I am
the name. If I cast you off. the world
will never pick you UP. There o
have 1t. Dc I 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 IN
cle's words.
Am I to understand, Uncle Horace,
that If l say anything about Chetwynd
stealing my"
Don't use that word" snapped Mr..
Blagden.
IF I mention it, modified the boy,
you will kick me out?"
Il will not have anyone about me
who wilfully, deliberately seeks to de-
stroy the credit Of the name l bear"
said the other, s~uccinctly.
How about Chetwynd?"
me?"
Il should nave some rights, SIR
You are too young to talk about
rights. You will nave them when the
proper time I will see to that.
h little disappointment you've ex-
perienced today is but a trifle in the
harvest of pleasures you may reap
with my help and my friendship. Lis
ten, Eric. I am very serious. I must
insist that you look at this from my
point of view. 1t means SO much to
me. It can mean very little to you. In
a week, you will have 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 me. I
could not beat it down. 1t would never
die. And Chetwynd's only chance
WoulQ pe gone. he can pe saved. lie
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 Eric's tongue
to blurt out the ugly tale of C~hetwynd's
treatment Of Mary, but he held back his
words. This was an affair between him
and Chetwynd.
It's 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. if 1 do keep still? He will know
that 1 know. lit will be awkward"
II shall demand of him the truth. l
shall compel him to go to O n adj
NIT his-er-his error. You may"
that" objected Eric, in sttfled 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.
Ill-Tll let it stand as it is, but I 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"
MI. Blagden placed his hand on the
bent shoulder Of the defeated boy.
Il am glad that you see it as you
should see it, Eric. You have taken the
proper course, believe ms. I shall not
forget It. 1t is understood, then, that
er, ahem!-that it goes no farther"
YES, 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 take the message.
His aunt was on the wire, asking
what lo,t tharn of tho horly r -
formed her they were starting for
home at once. Then she said m
thing that brought a bitter, s~cornful
smile to his lips. He waited until she
was through, and then said:
mo, it isn't that. Don't be worried,
Aunt Rena."
VIII 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 un~selfishness. All, thank
you"
He accepted his hat and cane from
the hands Of his nephew, carefully
| placing the one on his grey head and
grasping the other firmly.
Smith will ~straighten up the room.
He must be wondering what keeps me
here SO late. 1t is quite dark. Dear
me, Smith must be puzzled. BY the
by, Eric. l may go to Boston this week.
1t has occurred to me that l can, after
dlt, dlIdLSe W lake the IOOIu you want
L might say covet-in Cambridge for
next fall. You remember I told you q
few weeks g 1t wouldn't be possible
on account Of the expense. Well, l
think it a be arranged"
Thank you, uncle" said Eric, rather
lifelessly.
They passed out Of the building and
descended the broad stone steps lead
ing to the sidewalk. Street lamps were
being lighted by men who made a
pretense Of hyrrying up and down the
quiet thoroughfare. Corinth was still
using the primitive gas lamp on its
streets, although the world at large
had been illuminated by electricity for
years. 1t seems that Blagden, ct al,
owned the lighting franchise FOR the
town, and they believed in letting we'll
enough alone. At least, until they
could get their price from the outside
capitalists who were ready to put in
a big electric plant. The Corintll
Electric Light company supplied the
homes and the business houses with
light. but the municipality was con-
tent, ,perforce. to cling to Its ancient
friend. the lamp post-staid and trust
| ed te~etOtaler that never uapf ont