Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-07-28
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calm stolidity on the part of his
friend. Jack Payson will meet you
at my father's cottage in the morning.
after you have read Mary's letter. 1t
is his place to put the matter square,
~ before you, as a man should. We
talked 1t over this morning. He says
that you may demand satisfaction
from him, and he's square enough to
meet o a c to face before you go
to Mary with re%proaches."
Nothing would move him.
Eric, in a fever of Impotence. took
the evening train for Corinth, accom-
panied by Adam Carr.
If any harm has come to Mary. I'll
kill. Yes, Mr.. Adam, I'll kill" he re-
peated over and over again.
Pm not saying Mary did a wise
thing in running away like this adj
mitted Adam. 1T has caused a lot of
talk-you know the kind of women
there are In Corinth. They're bound
to say nasty things. But h would
do it. The only decent thing Jack Pay
son could do was to see her through
with it. He loves her. He couldn't
do anything else"
Eric shut his paws with a snap.
She's got me to reckon with" he
grated. She'll come back to Corinth,
or I'll know h reason why"
She'll come back If you insist, but
1 wouldn't insist too vigorously, If 1
SONs WIN AAA OS
advice.
The mex morning. after having lis
tened for an hour or more to h bit
ter declarations of his uncle and
aunt, Eric left the breakfast table to
redeem his promise to loan. He had
promised to call her up on the tele-
phone the instant he arrived in CO.
rinth. Other distracting events had
put this tender obligation out of his
thoughts. A servant in the Bright
home informed him that Miss Joan
was out of town and would not etu
until the end Of the following week.
He was annoyed n puzzled by this
extraordinary piece of news. Joan, in
her last letter, had said she would
be fairly hanging over the phone, wait
ing to hear his dear voice.
His appointment with John Payson
arranged it. apparently without con-
sulting the New Yorker.
Eric had been at once struck by the
changes in his uncle and aunt They
were white of hair, grey of face, and
more than ordinarily smileless. Signs
of deep suffering lay in their eyes.
Heavy lines marked the gaunt, ascetic
face of his uncle: his shoulders dropped
far more han his rigid. upright figure
might have suggested He looked q
man OF Is. instead of 63 or ga. Mrs.
Blagden's hair was perfectly white. A
SSIdHSe, SdO SWeelneSS-tHe reIectlOn
of far off %girlhood's gentleness-had
come into her ACE. Her voice was soft
and charged with a curiously vibrant
note, altogether unfamiliar to Eric,
whose strongest recollection was Of
sharp, incisive tones that bore no re-
latiOn to love.
She moved with a certain listness-
ness. and yet there was ever he I'M
DERIVING suggestion of alertness. Of
eagerness. He observed that h v
passed the grim old hall clock with
out glancing at its face; for an in
slant her manner suggested the attt-
tude of one listening-just a fitting
catch a sound not di%stinguishable to
other ears. Her somber black dress
bore no touch of color ave the ivory
cross that hung suspended from her
neck at the end of a string of heavy
jet beads.
He had told them that he did not
hold them responsible for the step
Mary had taken. and they seemed
grateful. Something in the of
these un-compromising natures gave
him to understand that they had soft
lened. at least toward him; that the
steel edge had worn away; that visit
full. hungry hearts were being laid bare
that he might see them plainly and
forget not to touch them gently.
Il shall bring her back, Aunt Rena."
he had said.
"She will be welcome. Eric" said his
aunt, and he was surprised by the sim-
pie appeal that went with the words.
we acted IS we thought best. II We
were wrong-well. we cannot always
be right. try az we may"
They tell me that Joan Is. away
from home" he said, on his return
from the telephone.
His uncle was standing at the WIN
Il SSA~p vu~1SAN- ~ssA ~S1~ - 49,
q gaunt, frail figure. poignant with re-
EServe.
Horace turned. shes on on . cruise
with young Sallonsby and his party"
'~Sallonsby? You don't mean the Sal
l0nsbys. Of Boston r,
him at Cambridge. He. has come into
9 fortune. His father died agar and
2 half ago leaving $2.0OV.0O0 and over
to each Of his children. Paul has been
seeing g great deal Of Joan. ] hear. He
has taken g party to b West Indies
Blagden. .His yacht was In the har-
Dor here for two days"
Eric was dased.s He could hardly
believe his ears. Joan had nc men,
toned young 9allonsby In any Of her
letters, 9 had she spoken Of q con-
strange thai she should 70 away at
the very time he wa expected home.
Ia dull pain assailed him. What did
4 mean? Was II posstble-but NO!
She could not be anything but constant.
her eyes. And yet she had rome away.
Vaguely dlsMlayed-in addition to the
depression that wa already upon him,
I-he wandered s0p and down the hail,
through The dim parlor and sitting
rom. torn q Msssy slnotion: Ths
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