The Dermott news., 1917-09-06

Rodney pointed out when she repeated
them to him, they nevertheless added
something to the cumulative force of
the argument so laboriously built up
by the friend and woman. And they
were decidedly indicative OF growing
mental condition on the part of Shurt-
lift from which much might be hoped
and expected
But Shurtlif could not bring him
self to come out boldly and confess,
and his failure to do that made him
more and more miserable. At first his
conscience had been entirely clear. He
had viewed his conduct In the light of
a noble sacrifice for the great man.
! Now he began to question: Was 1t
right to blast the future of the living
for the sake of the fame of the dead?
! Probably he would have questioned
that eventually without regard to
! Helen Illngworth, but when he began
to grow fond of the woman and when
| he realized. as she Enthusiastically dis
closed 1t to him. that her own happi-
ness was engaged and that he was not
only running the career of man but
wreCking the life and crushing the
| heart of an entirely innocent woman,
/ he had constant battle royal with
/ himself to pursue his course and 10
keep silent.
Yet such is the character of tenn
| permanent like that of ShurtliG. mar
rowed and contracted by single pas
/ sion of life and lacking the breadth
which comes from intercourse with
men and women, that his computations
of conscience only made him the more
resolved The lonely, heart-hroken old
man swore that he would never tell
The young man could go his own gait
aud work out his own salvation or be
! damned, II he must. The woman's
heart might break, pitiful as that
would be, but he would never tell. He
was as unhappy In that determination
as any other man fighting against his
| conscience must inevitably be-
Sometimes looking at the misery In
the old mans face (for on his Counte-
nance his heart wrote his secret,
Helen lllingworth experienced COM
/
which she told TO Rodney In default
of other confessor. That fine young
man appreciated fully the womans
feelings and understood her keen SEN
sibilltles. and his comprehension was
great comfort TO her He encouraged
her To persevere. Since IL was only
through Shurtlif that the truth could
! h.a ll lob OBJ. o.
nor reject any fair and reasonable
means to gain his whole confidence
and make him speak. Ii was. after
all, simply question of whether the
game WAS worth the candle. How best
could they expose or fight deceit?
And that the deception was for noble
purpose and 10 serve laudable end In
the minds OF the deeeivers did not
alter that fact.
~ on are doing nothing In the least
degree diShonorable, Miss Illingworth."
said Rodney, reussuringly. "Woman's
wiles have been her weapons since
the Stone Age"
but do feel comrunctions of con-
science occasionally"
"PerSonally | think you are abunt- |
antly justified" urged Rodney.
Yes 20 establish the truth, to give
the man I love his good name would |
Justify more than this" she replied |
"and yet''-she smiled faintly-"my
conscience does hurt me little. The
old man Is beginning TO love me"
That's the reason II hurts you" said
r..
he viii do anything you want. as |
would"
The young man stopped. looked long
ut her, and then turned away with IA lit
tie gesture of-was II appeal or re-
nunciatlon? He was too loyal to his
friend to speak. but he could not con-
troll everything. The tone of his voice,
the look In his eyes. his quick avoid
ance OF her. told the woman little
story. They had been very closely as
ISOLATED, these two. Rodney also had
not had much advantage OF woman's
society, certainly not of woman like
Helen Illingworth. She had given him
her full confidence In the intimacy.
lie was man. He loved like others.
She was too fond OF him, too great,
too true woman 10 pretend.
"Mr. Rodney" said the girl. laying |
her hand on his arm as though TO re-
strain him. that way madness lies"
"Mlss Tlingworth," said Rodney,
turning and facing her. his lips firm
ly compressed. his eyes shining. I'm
devoted TO Bert Meade and to YOU
he lifted her hand from his arm and |
kissed it-"and I'm going TO do every
thing for your happiness"
Brave words and he said them more
hravely.
81 understand" said the woman,
land I honor you for your loyalty to
your friend and your devotion TO me.
Loyalty Is not always the easiest
thing on earth, know"
you make It easy for me because
you understand
So the fall and winter were filled
xxyifh Inf 80 o,,I