The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-09-15

lAIFlnN hoi@t w aAt ttt%t' tNsF
sense Of disaster gripping him.
-of course. Roderick. you can stay
on here for some time To come yet
II with take months TO settle every
thlnr-and one can never ten what
may happen"
Young Briton stared at him: the
words conveyed very little 10 his
mind--he thought they were merely
silly.
One can never ten what may hap
pen, He knew quite well what would
happen: Lillian Fame would marry
somebody else very likely old
Qucrne. who was bald and q million.
airc. He rose 10 his feet with a feel
ing OF suffocation.
Tho silent row OF servants eyed
him intcrcstcdly.
He was q fine young feilow--iong
OF limb and broad OF shoulder. The
cook. who could remember his dead
mother. burst into noisy sobbing.
tits a shamc--thats what II is--a
wicked shamer' she said. indignantly.
when we all thought as Mr.. Rod
erick 'ud be master"
She was led weeping from the
room by the pompous butler. who
had been gratified 10 find himself
remembered to the tune Of one hun
drcd guincas; the other servants fol-
lowed In q melancholy file: Rodertck
and old reryerson were left alone.
Young Briton walked over 20 the
window. and looked out over the
drcary garden. where yellow leaves
scampcrcd about the iawn like elves.
suddenly he laughed harshiy.
The guv'nor's got his own back
All right. chr" he asked. mirthiessiy
Il suppose I might have expected
something Inc H. He always hated
ma. ought 10 have bern half
prepared. but ! want ] nsver
dreamed Of NJ
Mr.. Fers.r-on fosdsd some pspen
carefully.
Tour fAthsr was Q hard uan.. he
said siowiy. He nsver forxave.
though. God knows. - IN need for.
gfveness."
Young Hrifeu ffuzAeA
You refer 10 my mothsrf Ton
mean that he never forgavs me far
bang her sonr-
The old man sprsad hh hands
deprecafingiy.
'@You were too young AZ the time
to remember how n broke your
father up. Rodcrick- He was never
the same man after she left him.
Rodcrick answered hotiy.
He drove her TO 70: he treated her
A. n she were . prisoner and he her
jailcr. n she broke her marriage
vows. % did he. he neglected her and
drove her to what she DID,
Old Fergersou shook his head
~You don't understand.. be snid.
'You don't understand.
zone need not - 90 10 under.
stand how TO trcrf . woman Rod.
erick answered. with q show OF
temper. And hope 60 Heaven
that when I marry I shan treat my
wife better than my father treated
his
Old Ferserssn shut his BAG WIN .
click
Il hope you wfn. Rodericl.- he
aid. graveiy. He held q hand 20 the
young man. -Coodby: I have = train
10 catch. You know where to write
n you want me-"
-Yes- Roderick followed him 70
the han door. He wanted to speak
OF Lillian. but somehow he could not
bring himself 10 DO r.
He walked with the old man Dawn
the windSwcpt drive
At the gate no jerked up sud
denly.
"Just now I spcke Of what I SHAH
do when marry IT'S 80 likely. Isn't
1T What woman would wish to
marry a beggarr~
Money Is not everything. Roder.
lex said the elder man. gravely.
And there are plenty Of women who
still believe In love Don't take II
too hard. my boy. there are other
things IN the world besides money"
For n man with brains. perhaps:
What have ever been taught 20 do
besides use my fists7 I dare say It's
partly my own fault, but TIA con-
foundedly hard. an the same"
He set his teeth--his eyes WERE
fierce: In that moment he reminded
the lawyer forcibly Of his father.
Old Fergerson was glad 10 see the
likeness. Ralph Briton had been
hard. but he had been a fighter:
there had been good blood In him.
and an iron will. and II this DO, took
after him In that respect he told
himself that It would be a good
thing: he did not want to see Rod
erick go 20 the wall. as his father
had predicted he would DO.
Roderick went back 20 the silent
house feeling M II he had aged years
in a single hour--it seemed impos-
sfble that only three days ago he
had sat In a shilling scat In a travel
ing circus and laughed at q red.
nosed harlequin.
In his Ignorance he had thought
himself badly used then--tn reality
he had not had a care In the world.
Now his broad shoulders were
weighted with them--despair staIked
beside him.
lie went back into The Yong am
ing-room. and sat down Mt his
fathers desk: he took pen and paper.
but he could find no words to write.
What could he say7 How could he
tell her. this woman he loved. all the
agony and dread that was In his
heart?
He grtpped the pen suddenly with
fingers. and began 10 write:
he could not trust himself 10 write
her name
my father is dead. BY his win 7
am left two hundred pounds-ali the
rest goes 10 charity. You know he
always hated me. What can 7 say
10 you? How can ask anything Of