The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-16
By this time Griswold was eripnin.

, By this time Griswold was gripping
! The arms OF his chair savagely and
otherwise trying to hold himself
I down; but this Raymer could not
know.
, You have reason to believe that il
/ rests wholly with you, / suppose?"
came from the fitting chair after a
little pause. Miss Grierson is only
waiting for you to speak?"
That's horrible question to ask a
man. Kenneth-even in the dark II
! say yes to it, it can't sound any other
way than boastful and-and caddish.
Yet | honestly believe that Oh.
hang it all! can't you see how impos.
sible you're making it, old man?"
mot impossible; only q trifle diff.
cult" was the qualifying rejoinder. 1T
is easier from this on That is the
peaceful way out of the shop trouble
for you. Raymer. When you can 20 to
Jasper Grierson and tell him you are
going to marry his daughter, the trou.
Die will be as good as cured. This
labor trouble that is threaten
ing to smash you is Jasper Grierson's
reply to the move you made when
you let me in and choked him of He
Is reaching for you"
Raymer held his peace and the at.
mosphere of the room grew pungent
with tobacco smoke.
I'm feeling a good bit like a yellow
dog. Kenneth" he said, at length.
AFTER what I've admitted and what
you've said. I'm left in the position of
the poor devil who would be damned
II he did and be damned If he didn't.
You have succeeded in fixing 1t 80 that
| can't ask Margery Grierson to be my
wife, however much I'd like to-"
THAT isn't the point" insisted Girls.
void half savagely. How you may
feel about it, or what your people may
say is purely secondary The thing to
be considered is. what will happen to
Miss Grierson?"
why, see here, old man; If you
were Madge's brother, you couldn't be
putting the screws on any harder!
What's got into you tonight"
Griswold was inexorable.
miss Grierson hasn't any brother.
and she might as well not have any
father-better, perhaps As God hears
me. Raymer, I'm going to see to it
that she gets square deal"
by George! believe you are in
love with her, YOURSELF"
II am" was the cool reply.
well, of all the Say, Griswold,
you're three-cornered puzzle to me
yet. don't know what the other
Of the town is saying, but
my fourth of it has it put up that
you've everlastingly cooked my goose
at Doctor Berties; that you and
Charlotte are just about as good as en-.
gagged. Perhaps youM tell me that it
Isn't true"
at isn't-yet."
"But it may be. later on? Now YOU
are getting over into my little garden
patch. Kenneth. II You think I'm 60 |
ing to stand still and see you put a |
wedding ring on Charlotte Farnham's |
fnger when I know you'd like to be |
putting 1t on Madge Grierson's-"
Griswold's low laugh came as an
easing Of stresses.
"You can't very wen marry both Of |
hem, yourself, you know" he sug.
yested mildly And then: "If you were
lot so badly torn up over this shop
rouble, you'd see that I'm trying to
1--WE you the entire field. I shah prob
IDLY leave town tomorrow, and I mere
y wanted to do Won, or Miss Grierson,
" both of you. a small kindness by
way of Ieave-taking."
"Do you mean to tell me that you
ire going away, leaving me bucked
md gagged by this labor outfit to live
n die as may? Great Scott, man!
my moneys gone. yours goes with
t."
You are freely welcome to the mon.
". Edward-if you can manage to
lang on to It; and have pointed out
he easy way to salvage the industrial
hip. Can't you give me your blessing
nd let me go in peace?"
The blessing was not withheld, but
either was it given
81 came here with my own back-load
f trouble, but it seems that I'm not
he only camel in the caravan" said
he young ironmaster thoughtfully.
What is it, Kenneth? anything you
an unload on me?"
"You wouldn't understand" was
he gentle evasion.
Once again Raymer took refuge in
Hence. After time he said: you've
cen brother to me, Griswold, and
shall never forget that. But If I
eeded your help in the money pinch,
m needing it worse now. I'll do the
light thing by Margery; think I've
cen meaning to, all along; If I
aven't. it's only because this whole
own has been fixing up a match be-
ween Charlotte and me ever since we,
ere school kids together-you know
ow a fellow gets into the way of tax.
lg a thing like that for granted mere
, because everybody else does?"
"Yes: l know"
well, guess it isn't a heart.break.
r on either side. II Charlotte cares.
he> doesn't take the trouble to show
!. Just the same, on the other hand.
We got shred or two of decency left,
I'm not going to marry my.
off out of this fight with Jasper Grier.
in million years. Stay over
nd help me see it through; and when
e win out, I promise you I'll do the
luare thing"