The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-05-13
IIll I'M NH
iii lIIi MI
CHAPTER YII-(Continued).

Eric" he said at last, abject wear
mess in his voice, II am about to ask
a great favor of you. Will you let
this matter rest for awhile? Il don't
know what came over me. 1t was
not like anything that ever has hap
pened to me before, not in all my life.
seem to have gone utterly out Of my
nead. Wait! Please do not speak. Lis
ten to me. I am about to confess
something to you. When you first came
INTO this room and said that-that
ChetWynd had taken your drawing, /
felt that o spoke the truth. l do
not know why I should believe this
of my own son, but-but I vas no more
able to help it than 1t was in my pow
sr to check the working Of my mind.
me horrible fit Of anger-the dread
tul language, I n mi explain. I do
not understand it myself. Wait. Yes, I
do understand. It was because I knew
that you knew. It was because there
was no n else on whom l could vent
ny rage and shame. I hated you. Eric,
In those few moments, those awful mo-
ments. You will never know o I
mated you. Perhaps you can under
stand why. | wanted to be proud of
Chetwynd. You struck that pride a
deadly blow. You were responsible for
my awakening. I cried out Is the
sleeper does when he Is rudely dis
turbed from serenity of peaceful slum-
ber-1 cried out in anger against the
awakening. I wanted to kill you. 1t
was In my heart to do so. 1 love Chef
wynd. He is all that life holds for me.
Do you follow me?"
Yes, sir" said Eric still in a maze.
IT is not too late FOR me to save
him. He shall not go down. By God,
ne shall be a man l will lift him up,
| will force him up. He shall not falter
again. I have never failed in any un-
NarfoIino r will ~o+ foS1 -. tlj- TIo
must be absolved. There is no al
Tentative. He must stand right with
the world, with me, and with him
self. Now, listen to me. Don't let a
word escape you 1 thought it all out
as l lay there on the couch. You can
ruin him, perhaps-or at least cast dis
vent that very thing happening. You
have got to let this matter rest"
"But, uncle" began Eric.
Mr.. Blagden came a few steps
nearer. Even in the dim light Eric
could see the exalted light in his eyes.
There is no alternative. He must
while my hand is strong, while my
love is great and capable of generos-
ity. I shall a to ask you to say
nothing about this until I have talked
it owe with him. There may be some
mistake. I may be wrong in my con-
CluSiOllS. 1Ou hllO"S Ilidl 1 llOpS L dlll.
I would give all that I possess If 1
could be sure that you have lied to
me, IL I could drive out of my mind
that first revolving doubt. But it has
taken root, the seed of distrust is well
sown. I doubt my son / can only
hope that his side Of the story may
not be so dark as I fear it. There may
be extenuating circumstances" A
great hope took root in his soul and
he voiced it. TT is not improbable
that you tried to profit by his ideas.
You may be as culpable as he is, in an
indirect way. Stop! Do not defend
yourself. 1t isn't necessary. I am
two designs, as presented, are along
the same general lines. the same
thought is expressed. / noted a sim
ilarity. He may have been justified
in keeping you from realizing on his
ideas and his experience. II he discov-
ter draughtsman than he, concluded to
benefit by his ideas after coming into
possession Of them, either tnnocently
or maliciously-"
Eric's indignation burst its bounds.
You know that isn't true, Uncle
design, I never talked with him about
it."
What are you going to say if he
declares that you did take" began
Mr.. Blagden harshly.
But he could not deceive himself. He
bit his lip and turned his face away for
an instant.
mo, Eric" he went on, In an altered
tone, Il Won't put it that way. 1 am
about to bare myself to you, and it is
best that We should understand each
other"
He paced back and forth across the
room several times. his brow knitted,
h{o hands clo Sno5 tiphflv hahinI hiS
back.
Eric felt a sudden, keen sense Of
utilization. Are you going to ave Mr..
Presbrey talk it over with him 2" he
asked.
Mr. Blagden stopped in his tracks,
and starred at the questioner.
NO" he said. bringing his lips to-
| gether in thin line. This is not a
! matter for Presbrey-at least, not at
| present. My boy, 1 am desperate, quite
| desperate. 1 don't know why I should
| believe this thing you have told me, as
I said before, but I do believe it. I
| am convinced that your drawing has
won the prize that goes to Chetwynd.
| don't know how it all came about. He
| may not nave been wholly responsible,
| but the fact remains that the drawing
is yours. I am a fair a l grant
hat it is your design. But, above all
| things, l am a Blagden. The name has
! been dragged in the dust by one mem
| Der of the family-your mother. That,
| of course, is something you could not
have helped. But you can help me now
in the effort to keep it from being fur
| Their ~dishonored. 1 shall expect you to
! do so. 1t Is hard, 1 appreciate, for you
to sit calmly and see the prize go to an
| other under the conditions. But that my
| boy, is just what you will nave to do"
He spoke slowly, emphasizing each
| word with a sort Of swapping of his
tongue as the breath escaped from the
| confinement of his throat.
What do you mean?" asked Eric,
perplexed.
Just this: the situation must remain
as it is. You IA nothing to lose,
while I, your aunt, even Chetwynd-ah,
| we have so much to lose. But three
people know OF this. l fancy-we three.
| Unless-ah, but l am sure you could
not have been sue a fool as to say
| anything to Mr.. Porter before consult
ing me. 1 can see by your face that
| you did go so far as that"
You mean said Eric, In low, I'M
| even tones, that l am to let Chetwynd
have the prize without a word for my
self?"
Yes That. and nothing else"