Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-04-01
CHAPTER ~.
THE ENTRANCE OF ADAM CARR

THE ENTRANCE OF ADAM CARR
Mr.. Presbrey came the next day and
for many days thereafter with q reg
ularity that deserved something more
q was about to say better) than the
mere salvation of two small souls.
Sometimes he got 1t, and sometimes
he didn't 1t all depended on what
Mrs. Blagden had in the house.
In any event, he was sincere in the
task unto which he had set himself. I
am not trying to make Mr.. Presbrey
out a ~hyprocrite. He was not that. He
honestly, firmly believed that he was
following the dictates of a Christian
spirit in ~bedevilling the heart sick boy
with his words OF advice, Inc caution,
n consolation. At least, there was
attached to his prerogative all the vir-
tues to be found in good wool--it wore
well and did not shine.
Eric, after the effects OF thai cruel
night had washed themselves away in
tears, rose manfully to the e%xigencies
forgetting his own troubles in the re-
solve to lessen hers. She could not
fail to respond to the strength and
earnestness of his devotion. Young as
she was, she recognized the spirit Of
u~nselflshness, h real heroism that
moved him to think first Of her, then
OF himself. She was never to forget
the first few days following that
wretched awakening. Somehow, it
came to her that Eric was a grown
man and a strong one. with the will
n the power to stand between her
n all adversely. all things cruel and
unkind.
Together, they submitted to the Inn
portunities of the good pastor. endur-
Ing with a grace that had all the
marks of a patient ssullenness. They
were temporarily broken; they had no
power of Initiative; they could not
even nourish the resentment that
ploughed. narrowed hearts. They lis
tened numbly to the %unceasing repeti-
ton OF such sentences as these. COM
Ing not only from the Presbreys, but
their uncle and aunt as we'll:
1T is all for the best. my dears."
You will thank us some day"
God Is good. He will show you the
"a contrite heart, etc"
You must not be allowed to follow
IN he footsteps OF your unhappy faith
er, Eric?
tan duty If we failed to warn you
against The impulses that wrecked your
misguided mother"
Your uncle knows best, Eric?s
Your aunt knows best. Mary"
Mr.. Presbrey knows best, children"
IEeSe, anu oIlaeT coucCIIltaNIS OF
woe.
Chetwynd's ~oft-repeated fling was
this, with appropriate variations:
You're a nice one to talk, you are"
The older boy never missed the OPP
portunity to grill his wretched victim
with scornful illusions to the Mid
thorne courage the Midthorne hon
or. .'the Midthorne virtue the Mid
thorne prospects,"
Eric,s half hour with that unfor-
tunate. though kindly prevaricator,
Jabex Carr. was that h old man
was not likely to forget, ever in his
years OF failing memory. The boy
burst IN upon him while the ignoble
wounds In his heart were still tester
Ing, and his pathetic arrangement Of
the old seaman a h very essence Of
gall. He did n blame, but rather
thanked the old man for his deliberate
deception, and yet there was that in
his words which compelled Jabez to
look upon himself az the yerfest black
guard nnhung, the most misguided fool
alive. For days thereafter, the bluff
old fellow noped: and when he was not
mOping.s he was cursing himself: and
when he was not doing that he was
scursing Horace Blagden. I will not
attempt to enumeratea the countless
and varied devices practlced by the
old ma IS win back the confidence Of
his young friend. no will ] try 70 de-
scribe HIS Alternating 9 as these
dev1ces ~pr0spered or This