The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-04-06
CHAPTER xI.-continued.

Presently he spoke thickly. II sup.
pose you have heard that he was q
sQuaw mal."
THAT'S ridiculous. Don't be absurd
Gordon
tits the truth. I've seen the woman
She was pointed out to me-"
"By old Gideon Holt. likely" she
flashed.
zone could get evidence and show II
to Miss O'Neill," he said aloud, to him
self rather than to her.
Diane put her point of view before
him with heated candor. "You couldn't.
Nobody but a cad would rake up old
scandals about the man who has beat
en- him fairly for woman's love-"
"You beg the question. Has he won
fairly?"
"Of course he has. Be good sport,
Gordon. Don't kick on the umpire's
decision. Play the game"
"That's all very well. But what
about her? Am I to sit quiet while
she is sacrificed to a code Of honor
that seems to me rooted in dishonorf"
--a7 ''Sh1 is not being sacrificed. I'm
her cousin. I'm very fond Of her. And
I'd trust her with Colby Macdonald"
"Play fair, Diane. Tell her the truth
about this Indian woman and let your
cousin decide for herself. You can't
do less, can your"
Mrs. Paget was distinctly annoyed.
~You ought to be ashamed Of yourself,
Gordon Elliot. You take all the gos-
sip Of q crack-brained old idiot for
gospel truth just because you want
to believe the worst about Mr.. Mac
donald. Colby Macdonald is too big
and too aggressive not to have made
hundreds of enemies. His life has been
threatened dozens Of times. But he
pays no attention to it--goes right on
building up this country. Yet you'd
think he had a cloven hoof to hear
some people talk. I've no patience
with them"
"The woman's name Is Meteetse,"
Gordon said in an even voice, just as
IL he were answering question. "She
ts young and good-looking for an In
dian. Her boy is four or five years old.
Colmac, they call him, and he looks
sust like Macdonald"
people are always tracing resem-
biances. There's nothing to that. But
suppose his life was irregular-years
ago. This isn't Boston. 1t used to be
Ahe fringe of civilization. Men did as
they pleased in the early days"
'"This wasn't in the early days. It
was five years ago, when Macdonald
was examining the Kamatlah coal field.
I'm told he sends a check down the
river once a month for the woman"
"All the more credit TO him If he
does" Diane rose and looked storm
lily down at her friend. you're about
IS broad as q clam, Gordon. Can't you
see that even if it's true, all that is
done with? 1t is a part of his past
and It's fnished-trodden underfoot.
It hasn't thing to do with Sheba."
II don't agree with you. A man
can't cut loose entirely from his past.
1t is part of him-and Macdonald's
past isn't good enough for Sheba
O'Neill."
Diane tapped her little foot impa-
dently on the floor. "Do you know
saany men whose pasts are good
enough for their wives? Colby Mac
donald is good enough for any woman
alive If he loves her enough"
"You don't know him."
Il know him far better than you do.
He is the biggest man know, and now
that he is in love with a good woman
hell rise TO his chance"
"She ought to be told the truth
about Meteetse and her boy" he In
sisted doggedly.
Mrs. Paget lost her temper complete
~. 'Does the government pay you
80 mind other peoples business, Cor
donf" she snapped.
'T wouldn't be working for the gov
eminent then, but for Sheba O'Neill."
"And for Gordon Elliot. You'd be
doing underhand work for him too.
Don't forget that. You can't do 1t.
You're not that kind Of man. 1t
isn't In you to go undertaking in the
past Of the man Sbeba is going to
marry"