THE OMAI1A DAILY BEE: SUNDAY FEBRUARY 23, 1002;
19
I
'U
i
i
or mm
. ay
(Copyright, 19m, by 8. R. Crockett)
CHAPTER I.
Grim, gray, dour, fell th early Decern
wer twilight upon the seaboard pariah of
Oower. the outward and visible sign,
stranger might well suppose, of a elmllar
grim humor among Its Inhabitants. But up
on the aide of Bennangour Anton MacMIUan,
the herd, drew hie checked plaid more
cloeely about him and hummed a cheerful
pealm.
Now Israel
May say, and that truly,
If that the Lord
Had not our cause maintained;
If that the Lord
Had not our right sustained
At this point Anton stopped abruptly and,
hading his eyes as If the summer sun had
been shining In them, rn.ide an Impromptu
night-glass of hie palms and exclaimed,
"Davert!"
Now, when a weit-country herd, born In
the purple of the Klrk of the Covenants,
valiant In defense of Headship and joyously
confident of total depravity and the eternity
-of punishment, stops on his hillside and
says "Davert," It may be taken for granted
that ha sees more than a ewe fallen "aval
An a hollow or a slap In the dyke through
which his flock hath streamed away to the
promUed land of another man's pastures
But again the same "minced oath" broke
from Anton's Hps, so vigorously that Tyke
and Tod, his mlnlstrant collies, slunk aside
In fear, casting anxiously back In their ca
nine consciences for wbat of transgression
undiscovered or duty undone might be about
to bring their master's hasel "cllcklo"
whirling about their ears.
j But It was to a spot far down the slope
I of Bennangour that the keen gray eyes of
1 their lord were directed. Beyond the vll
I lege, beyond the klrk and manse, Anton
MacMIUan saw the dark and solemn towers
- of Castle Oower, and strung across them,
like a fairy necklace, certain bright points
which told of lighted chambers and festal
t cheer. -
That might well be, for It was Christmas
Bight, but Anton MacMIUan had never heard
' of the festival save as on of the whims of?
that Scarlet Woman who, on her Seven
Hills, continued to observe times and sea
sons and so delude the unwary and encore
Banted. -
"There maun be great doings doon by,"
muttered the ' herd, as he resumed his
locg, twinging, heather stride, the dogs cow
ering at his heel In uncertainty as to his
mood. "Forty year bae I herded Ben
nangour, clear day and mirk nlcht, but
never ha I seen the great noose of Castle
Oower shining as If auld Gregory Glen-
drnwyn had herded the stars o' heaven Into
his windows, as Tyke and Tod there mlcht
herd a wheen silly sheep Into a bucbt!"
And, Indeed, It was something far out of
the common which had set the great, gaunt
house of Castle Oower alight from turret
to porter lodge, brought out Gregory Glen
donwyn's laced coat, with the gold stiff on
the collar and sleeve, the earn In which he
had bowed the knee to the king In Ed In
burgh at the never-to-be-forgotten royal
visit, and sent every gray domestic and
elderly stable boy to door and window In
tremalous agony of anticipation. -
The two cons of the house wer coming
home, the elder, Rupert Olendonwyn, from
th ends of tha earth; the younger, John,
only rrora th collsge of Edinburgh. But,
as was natural. It wa for Rupert, the heir,
that the preparation was made. Jock, poor
lad (so the servants averred), might have
com and gone a score of times and found
no mor slaughter of fatted calves In Castle
Oower than a slice or two of cold meat
from the butler's pantry and no more Illu
mination than was Involved In lighting nis
own solitary bedroom candle at the table
In the back hall. But Rupert ah, for his
first born this old Gregory must order up
the .best bottle of port, dusted and cob
webbed, from the cellar. Th boy would
be cold. He would b tired. It was a
pity that be bad refused the family carriage
nd begged that a horse might be eent him
at the Cross Keys in Drumfern, sixteen
long Boot's miles away.
The laird of Oower aat In his great chair
Drat born after years of abeeno. Grler
on, come and go. Prom his chimney
corner he cast an occasional glance of ap
proval at th clean-cut sparkle of the glass
and sliver on the white cloth.
"It Is wll-benttlog." he mused, "that I
hould rejoice to welcome my aon Agneta's
first born after years of absence. Gier
on. why on earth do you trot In and out
like a new-made elder at his first sacra
toent Is everything not ready for Mr.
Rupert r
Duncan Grlerson, the ancient butler of
Castle Oower, lifted his hand to his brow
In a semlrallltary salute. He and Gregory
Olendonwyn had aerved In the Border
Feaclbles together.
HNa. Caatle Oower." he said with slow
emphasis, "this Is no a time when we are
likely to forget aught that can mak the
return o" th young malster leas memorable.
There Is never a servant that shelters under
the root o" the Olendonwyns but will do hla
duty this nlcht Aye. even thr a auld
Sarah Dumplla doon at th village her that
waa the laddie's foster-mither, and reared
htm frae a week auld has brought up a
muckle pot o' the crsb Jeely he was saa
fell fond o' when he waa a laddie!"
Oregory Olendonwyn nodded, well pleased.
"Yes, yes," he said, ''all Is Indeed In readi
ness, and I'm sure that you will not And
Rupert ungrateful. He was ever generous
and high-spirited from his youth up, and I
cannot believe that these qualities should
nav forsaken blm during the years he has
spent abroad."
"N. ca." muttered the old butler, busy
ing ftlnvMlf at the sideboard. "Malster Ru
pert will be Malster Rupert to the end o'
me chapter. And we will a' lie down and
tnak' oureel's door scrapere and hall mats
I for blm to dlrht bis feet on!"
' "Very properly so." said Oregory Olen
donwyn. who bad caught th spirit but not
exact letter of the old man's speech. "The
grandson of peer f Ireland, the heir to an
ancient name and t th estate which my
son Inherits from m will never, I trust
ack due respect In hla nstlve country.
Though. Indeed, there Is a reckless and dla.
loyal spirit abroad, which seeks to overturn
both church and tula in common destruc
tion, liav yu noticed any symptoms of
such In th servants' hall, GrlereonT Speak
openly, sir!"
A curious light shon for a single Instant
In the old man's eyes, but they wer bent
upon the floor, and so far aa words wer
concerned he answered meekly enough:
"Well, laird Oregory, I dlana ken, I dinna
mind o ocht that could be ca'ed a bangln'
matter, as It were. But noo, when I be
think me. It's fae as daith that Tammas
Faith full refused flatly to sup his parrltch
the lther morn In', declarln' and threepln'
doon my throat that he was lntltled to bam
an' eggs. And there's Mary Oeddes, th
guise-herd, an' It please your honor fslth,
that lassie wlnna look at a red herrla' tor
her supper, but maun bae her pease-bros
and bannocks like a leddy. O, as ye say,
laird, It's fair awesome that thae common
alty are comtn' to In this generation wl'
their whims and whlgmaleerles. But I
doubt na these are the times spoken of In
the prophet Daniel, the seeventh and aucbt
chapters, as guld Malster Albllna pointed
oot In his lecture and addeetlon last Sab
bath mornln's, when your honor vrss ower
by at Dr. Caesar's klrk."
"That will do, Grterson," said his master,
sharply. "When I wish for any Informa
tion about goose-girls and silly bletherln
pulpiteers Itke Simeon Albllns I will net
fall to ask for It In the meantime (go to
th hall door and keep n sharp lookout for
the arrival of your young master. Then
you hear his horse turn into th drive, do
not fall to advise me."
"And mlcht your honor ha ony com
mands about Malater John, when ha arrives
frae th college at Edlnbra'T" said th old
man. lift lag his eyes for one Instant to
those of bis master and dropping them In
stantly with a look so shrewd and keen
that It seemed like the edge of steel In-
Ing themselves to a momentary exchange
of flouts and Jeers, or when a reference to
some college story, well worn and proven.
now for the first time failed to wake th
usual gay contagion of youthful laughter.
Lst to quit these attempts at enliven-
ment was a tall lad with a floes of fair
hair crisping under his college cap, n Uttl
pale of face and thin of cheek, perhaps,
but with a blue eye so sunny-bright that
not even the lank wretchedness of that
December afternoon could In the least
cloud or overcast Its aiure clarity.
His companions for the moat part ad
dressed this youth either brusquely as
"Glen," or with reprehensible flippancy as
"My Lord Bishop."
It was a rough place at the best of times,
but today th Cross Keys held a raft of
drovers, sweexln Indiscriminately In Irish
and Scottish, high-flavored with flat and
ahtllalah for anything in the way of "dlvar
alon." So It chanced . that John Olendonwyn,
th friendship which long absence on Ru- 1
pert's part and perhaps some trifle of Jeal
ousy on that of hla Junior had clouded for
time. And In th Inn parlor of th Croe
Keys (bar was clinking of glasses and th
sound of stampings and shoutings, not so
much mirthful as loud. For th prodigal
returned from a far land evidently consid
ered this a more promising spot wherein to
kill the fatted calf than In th gloomy din
big room of Castle Oower and face to face
with his father. '
Now, though Rupert's face waa Bushed
with wine and his vole exceeding Jovial
and loud, his 'hand shook pitifully. For
there wer a sheaf of papera and a series
of summations In hla pocketbook which he
waa In no hurry to show to hU father.
And John Olendonwyn, who, though no
ascetic, loved not win by nature or habit
watched with a slowly saddening face this
brother who from his youth up had been
held before him as a god. Time after time
he took his arm and strove to lead hint
way.
"Our father la waiting for you," he whis
pered. "For his sake for God's sake, let
us get out of this. I know he has thought
of nothing else for days and weeks."
But Rupert shook blm off with loud good
humor.
"Another toast and I am with you, John
nie, lad," he would say. "If you are to be
a parson and preach to us there Is no need
for you to begin your sermonising yet
awhile. My father has waited patiently
these thre yean and more. He can well
afford to wait another hour, and wo will
ride all th faster when we do start."
80 It chanced that Anton MacMIUan, shep
herd on Bennangour, hearing the nolae of
shouting far below him, came over the
heather and down tha bowlder-strewn galry.
Leaping into th turnpike with the agility
of oue-and-twenty, he found two young
men struggling for the reins In a hired
dogcart, an Indignant and high-spirited
saddle-horse rearing and plunging between
the shaft.
"What's this?" he cried. "Laddies, agree
nd be oeevil. Market-nlcht or no market
nlcht, there's nae aense in alccan tulxiea!"
, "What's this, what's this, Malster John?"
And John Olendonwyn, recognising the
old, blble-quotlng Cameron Ian- herd, could
abruptly, as John stood tn tn doorway
uncertain whether t advance or retreat.
"Only to know If I can be of nny sT"
faltered th lad.
Gregory Gleadonwyn waved his hand to
ward his unconscious heir.
"You have done enough for on night,"
he aald, stonily; "you may rest satisfied.
You have mad my aon sot. He has mad
m bankrupt But see understand this.
If yon think to benefit yourself by encour
aging my poor Rupert to drink himself to
death, yon are mistaken, air. Ton can go.
Remember, I have my eye upon you and
your scheme. Ever since you wer child
you have hated him. But It will help you
nothing. I. hi father, will keep him safe
In spit of you aye, In spit of himself!"
John had knocked one of his comrade
Into the fireplace of the Cross Keys' parlor
only for whispering In his ear, "I say, old
fellow, If your brother runs the rig Ilk
this, you'll And yourself heir to Castl
Oower some fine morning before long!"
But since this man who libelled him was
hla own father, John Olendonwyn only bent
his head and went out through th door,
with many unspoken words swelling In his
heart
CHAPTER III
Enganed Persona.
"No, John, It will not do. Ton and I are
engaged to be married. ' Our fathers and
mothers, after the flesh, arranged the mat
ter without consulting us even as they did
that other business of introducing us Into
the world. Kismet I Necessity has no laws.
Only, I pray you, do not think It necessary
to make love to me. Do not feel obliged to
dance attendance when you would far rather
be lying at the waterside scribbling poetry,
or. It fates were favorable, looking Into the
blue eyes of little Falrlle Glendennlag Oh,
I-know all about that I am not In the
least Jealous.' If I could be things might go
better."
It was tall and handsomely molded girl
who was speaking in a quiet, unemotional
tone and the most matter-of-fact way.
Veronica Martha Crossraguel Caesar, eldest
but far from the only daughter of Rev.
Augustus Caesar, D. D., mlntater of the
parish of Kllgour, commander-tn-chlet of
the town thereto attached, and known
Dark Days"
Many "dark days" from kidney ills.
Backache, headache, nervous, tired,
Urinary troubles makes you gloomy.
The aches of kidney ills depress, discourage?
No rest at night.
Hard to "keep up and doing."
Doan's Kidney Pills
Brighten every household here they're known.
Bring relief to aching backs,
Bring cure to sick kidneys,
Omaha people testify to this.
Mr. E. O. Glenn, school teacher of No. tU North 10th street, sayst
"I procured Doan's Kidney Pills at Kuhn Co.'s drug store, cor
ner of 15th and Douglas streets, for my wife. She suffered terribly
from attacks of kidney complaint for years. At th time her back
waa aching severely and although she used many preparation said
to be sure cures for kidney complaint the benefits received from
Doan's Kidney Pills were so pronounced that w have no hesitation
In Indorsing the representations made for them."
At All Drug Stores, BO cent, Fostcr-MllburnCo., Buffalo. N. T.
"WHEN JOHN ENTERED HALF AN HOUR LATER HE FOUND HIS FATHER STILL SITTING IN HIS PLACE AT THE HEAD OF THE TABLE.
strumetat. x
"JohnT" repeated Gregory Olendonwyn
vaguely.
"Aye, John your honor has two sons,
y ken," said the old butler with another
of hla quaint aecret glances. "Malster
John Is comln' by th Enbro' coach tha
nlcht. Y had th letter yoursel'."
"Ah, yes, of course," said the laird, mov
ing uneasily In hi chair. "Well, John oan
se.me In th morning. If he Is hungry
give him anything that waa left from lunch.
I desire to din alon with Mr, Rupert to
night I have much to say that Is not for
callant's ears like hla. Take him Into
your pantry, Grterson, and see that you do
not contaminate him with any of your in
fernal church-and-atat claptrap. For,
though I hav known you for fifty years,
Duncan Grterson, I do believ that at heart
you are Uttl better than a rebel and a
dissenter yes, low dissenter and Camer
onlan!" The old man held up hla hands.
"Tour honor, your honor!" he cried. In
apparent horror, "what haa moved y to
say slo 'thing, wbsn you and me hae been
at the wars thegtther, and ye ha heard
me expreas myself time an' again, as It
were malr forcibly than circumspectly."
"That will do, Grlarson," said th laird
of Gower, with a wave of hla hand In dis
mission. "Oo down aa I bid you and wait
for my son in th hall."
Th door closed upon th most ancient re
tainer of the family of Olendonwyn of Caa
tle Gower. Hla master roae from his chair,
and, pushing aside the heavy tapestry cur
tains of th dining room window, he bent
his heavy brows together In vain attempt
to pierce the darkness of the avenue. He
was looking for Joseph, the son of his heart,
and aching tor the first glint of ths coat of
many colors with which froa his youth up
be had adorned blm.
As for the other, there waa plat of
cold meat for him In th butler's pantry.
CHAPTER II:
Th Uwaka Which th Swta Did Eat.
But meantime Joseph and his brother had
foregathered without leave of Jacob, and lo!
both young men made light of the Jealousies
of the ancient family out of Ur of tha Chal-
dees from whose loins they had sprung.
It waa In the yard of the Cross Keys inn
at Drumfern, at that ahoulder-pollshed angle
of gable against which one Gauger Burns
bad ao often leaned, that th two young
sren mat.
Th coach ha run heavily all th
way down from th Beef Tub, snow clog
ging th wheels and th horses tired with
the Increasing softness of th roads.
There were half a dosen college blades
upon th top f th "Rover," soma of whom
had bora mighty lively with th pea-shooter
and catapult when they left Edinburgh In
the morning. But after th change-hows
at th Summit, with It aloppy discomfort
out of doors, th steaming, wet clothes
huag to dry befor th kitchen fir, th
slatternly, scolding landlady and th worse
than Indifferent fara. tha Joyous company
had fallen mostly allent, hardly even rous
bachelor of art, student In, divinity at the
University of Edinburgh and proximate
present to th patrimonial parish of
Gower, being In pursuit tit peao and th
quiet life, naturally ran his head all 'un
wittingly Into very peck of trouble.
As he cam round th corner he had
recognisance of swaying mass of bodies
and In th center of th disturbance waa a
young man who stood hatless and dishev
eled la th midst, defending himself boldly
but unequally against an Ignoble throng of
drovers and stable yard loafers..
A thin atream of blood trickled down his
forehead. He struck out wildly now at this
assailant, and now at that, his flushed face
and laboring breathing ahowlng that, apart
from numbers, he waa In por condition
and quit overmatched.
In another moment John Olendonwyn had
dropped bis wet cloak, upon the stabl Ut
ter, snatched spoke from broken-down
gig wheel and, crying Aloud. "Out ot the
way, you cowards!" flung himself Into the
battle. Th odd would still hav proved
too great and the champion of the oppreased
mlgh tn his turn have been Incontinently
overthrown had not one of the collegians,
looking from window, Ilk sister Anne,
observed the unequal fray.
"Glen's in fight, you fellows," b cried.
All handa to the help of My Lord Bishop!"
And so from th back door of th Inn
poured fresh army upon the assailant's
flank as Blucher broke upon th Hundred
Daya' Emperor at Waterloo.
In one hot and multltudloualy whirling
minute all waa over. Drover and straw-
sucking cornermen were flying down the
street and the victorious collegers were re
entering the Inn, supporting rescuer and
rescued with loud voices and equal arms.
At the door ot the parlor the young man
who had been so effectually auccored turned
upon Olendonwyn with the hand and words
of thanks. The band dropped. The words
faUed.
"John!"
"Rupert!"
And In another second, all Jealousies and
quarrels forgotten, this Jacob, at heart no
supplanter, bad in the foreign fashion
clasped Reuben t his heart and klased htm
on both cheeks. Joseph for all his flue
coat waa kinder to Reuben than he de
served. 60 It seemed to b now.
With Scottish shsmefacedaess John Glen
donwyn submitted and turned upon his
friends with that singular charming dignity
which he could assura upon occasion.
"This is my brother, Rupert," he said.
"home from a long stay abroad. Rupert,
these are my claaamates and fellow-travelers."
"And I am deucedly obliged to you all,"
quoth the heir of Castl Gower. "These
confounded rascals would have had tne down
In a minute more. Not that it w.sa't my
fault to begin with. But th yokel give
themselves such confounded air. However,
I will teach them different befor I hav
don with them."
And despite his slim form he looked aa if
h could mak good hi words.
, So U this fashion th brothers rcmad
only find a few stammering wores In reply.
"It Is my brother! For God's sake, An
ton, help me to get him Into th castl
without my father seeing him!"
But this, though tha groom who had
brought over the horse to Drumfern aided
and abetted aa best be could, riding for
ward at speed to warn the butler, and
though Duncan Grterson lied his most plaus
ible tn good cause, proved to be far be
yond human power to effect.
.For Rupert, noisily venting his determi
nation to resist all coerolon, utterly re
fused to go to his room by way of the back
staircase. He had com 1,000 mile to see
hi father. He wan a good fellow, hla
father, and would pay bla debta for him.
Thsy wer all in conspiracy to keep htm
from his father. John In especial was
young traitor, who wanted to supplant him.
To his father he would go at ones.
And In th heat of th altercation, the
door which led upward to th hall opened
and Oregory Olendonwyn came proudly tn,
the master of his house, erect aa lance,
his gray hair falling over his high forehead
and his great dark eyes flashing from be
neath his grlsxled ybrow. His Hps were
firmly compressed, and so threatening waa
tbelr master's whole demeanor that all
stood back and left th two sons and th
father alone upon the stone-flagged kitchen
floor. John wa still halt-supporting his
brother, and endeavoring to persuade him
to go quietly up to his bedroom by assur
ing him that h would assuredly be better
in the morning. Th elder wa struggling
and laughing with loud, foolish good humor.
"Rupert!"
Th sound of his father's vole partially
sobered tha young man. II held out his
band with kind of pitiful gravity.
"Very aorry, sir," he said, "but th fools
said I was not to see you tonight, and the
fact Is, I must see you tonight ruined If I
don't, sir owe a deuce of a lot of money,
and the wretched Jews are pressing me.'
"Grlerson, give your young master an
arm. Let us go In by tne ironi ooor 01
Castle Gower. It shall not b aald that
th heir of the Glendonwyns waa smuggled
Into the bom of bis ancestors Ilk a thief
In th night."
And so these three, Gregory Olendonwyn,
his son, Rupert, th child ot' his heart, and
the ancient and faithful servitor ot their
house, (ook. their wsy out of the lighted
kitchen Into the darkness and so through
the shrubberies to the great, entrance ot
Castl Oower." John Olendonwyn followed
behind with a sick heart.
Ths chill bit of th air now mad Rupert
aleepy, and after putting a bundle of papers
into his father's hand, be sank drowsily
Into an arm chair, on which Grlerson, with
aa Impasslvs face, presently covered htm up
with a traveling rug.
When John entered half aa hour after
ward he found his father still slttlDg In
his place at the bead of the table, the
dinner plates and glasses pushed from blm
untouched. The' plac thus cleared . wa
atrewn with papers. Gregory Olendonwyn
looked up with a whitened face from som
calculation be was making. . . .
"What do yon wantf h demanded
breast with a sharp little clack of anger.
"Oh! Oh! Oh!" she cried, "that la Just the
hopelessness of It! You will not be serious
even for a moment. I tell you I will not
have your cheap-Jack compllmcnta and
"Veronica dear'-tngs.'
"You are making a game of this also, as
you do of everything." said Veronica
Caesar, looking down little sadly and
withdrawing her hand.
"You say you do not love me," aald the
young man, "but do you not think that If
you did, you could mak me something dlf
ferent from what I am?'
No, John," Veronica went on, more
slowly, "I cannot by willing lore you or any
other. Sometimes I think I am not made
to love any man with the love that men
want from women. There are some of us
Ilk that Hospital nurses, sisters of mercy.
matrons of orphan and rescue homes these
should be such women aa I women whom
Ood haa mad barren ot the love of woman
and man, but with heart that overflow with
pity. I do not need to seek any of these
spheres, for I have mine near at hand tn
father who, true and great-hearted as he
Is, must be tended like a baby; mother
well, I will aay nothing of my mother and
doten children all younger than myself.
No, John, I will remain engaged to you as
long as you like, but I will never marry
you unless my heart is changed and the very
foundations of my life are torn up,
"Vera," said John, gently. laying his hand
on hers, "you and I have had both enough
to ty us. Can we not look forward to set
tlcg up new home and make each other
happy there? The thing la worth the
trial, surely?"
The girl shook her bead, though she
smiled more tenderly than before.
"No," she said, aadly, "I would never
make a good wife, but oh, think wbat an
aunt I should make! You do not really
want me, either. You would not be beppy
with me, John. Our fathers' plain,
businesslike arrangement was better than
any pretence ot affection. - You,- th younger
son or a great house, were to marry me. the
eldest daughter of man of weight In the
church. You wer to be a minister of that
church, also. They considered your fitness
for th office aa they did whether you and
I were suited to each other. Why. indeed
should they? Your father would present
you to the living, at present held by a warm
Ing pan of th nam of Albllns. He could
easily enough be provided for through your
lathers money and my father's Influence.
All would be for the best Your father
would give you some additional allowance
and mine would advance your Interests tn
quartera high and ecclesiastic. So the
good children would marry and live happily
ever after.
'You have It well by rote. Vera." aald
John Olendonwyn. "I would that you had
it also by heart.
"Of course I know It by rote," cried the
girl. "Do I not have It served to me tor
breakfast, dinner and supper? I motht
distracts m with eternal ratter about my
prospect. . Ah, John, she does not know
bow small chanc there Is of her expecta
tions being realised. Only last night Bhe
waa even saying, 'Oh, If only that eldest
son, who (they tell me) Is coming home
would die you. Vera, would bo the ladr of
throughout th whole Scottish southlands 1 Castle Oower.' And she has even arranged
aa tne aocior. " 1 wnicn room so is 10 nav wnen ah comes
John Olendonwyn listened to his com- I to live with us
panlon with a faint smile ot amused toler- I
ance. He did not greatly beed her words.
Veronica was always saying some-
"Ood forbid!" cried John, devoutly.
"Ah, ther again," cried the girl, "you
guard yourself, you see. You do not pity
thing, generally something fatiguing. Yet I me the humiliation of having such things
there was this to be said tor ner, ne ownea 1 cast up to me."
she never cared brass farthing wnetner 1 "And what- would you hav me do.
you answered her or not John, for tne Veronica?" aald John Olendonwyn, "It Is
moat part, did not answer. He preferred I easy to say that this and that should be
to listen and watch. I righted. But It I tell my father that our
But on this occasion the girl seemed do- I engagement Is at an end, for no reason
termlned to drive him into a corner. It I save that we do not ault each other, he
waa for that reason that she had brought will certainly refuse to present me to the
him out. to the manse-greenhous. where I parish, even If be does not turn me forever
through hax ot ferns and geraniums on 1 from his door. He likes me Uttl enough
could look down upon the estuary or uower. u jt Is even le than you do."
Buddenly the girl turned upon her silent "Nay. John, that was unkindly said
lover a threatening expression In th angle I Criti tha girl; "and quit unworthy of you
at which she menaced him with her water- 1 1 J0ll more than any one In th world,
Ing can. after my own father. Aye, and would do
"John Olendonwyn, you ar mor than mor for you everything, Indeed, except
nough to provok a aint! What do yon marry you which would be the greatest
suddos I brought you her for?"
"Why. to talk to me." answered John
calmly. "It is a good place to talk, and
you hav been doing It som considerable
time, you know."
"Exactly, air. But when you ar talked guci, M it u;
unklndnes I could do to you, not loving
you."
'But I love you, Vera," said the youth.
sudden flash of eagsrness lighting hi'
blue eyes; "do not let us break the tie now
to you are expected to listen, and when
vou listen, you are expected to answer
' But did you ask me anything V Inquired
th young man. still mor serenely.'
'Dtd I ask you anything. Th gin
stamped her toot "No; I did not ak you
anything. I only tried to get Utue sens
and car for tha future Into that idle, tool
lih, selfish head of yours. O, I know you,
John Olendonwyn. You think that because
your father doe not Ilk you and wishes
you out ot tbe bouse you. ar entitled to
pose as martyr. So you lounge ana lax
through life and pretend to hav measured
th heights and deptha of d repair, ugal
I h.-v no oatlenc with you!"
"Ali the mor reason, then," returned
John Olendonwyn. eweetly, "that I should
have a Uttl with myself."
Something In his attitude Irritated th
girl Intensely. 8h set down the watering
can and' planted herself directly between
him and th door,
"Now. listen. John Glendonwyn," she al
most palpitated th words, gripping her
handa till the nails dented Into the flesh,
and her small, even teeth quivered upon
her llpa as If ready to bit Into thW In
dlgnant curl, "you have had your trial and
you may hav greater, but at any rat you
won't be any th worse of hearing what one
honest girl who wishes you well thinks of
you and tbem."
"Veronica, dear," urged th young man
softly. "Is it necessary? I bav beard It
so often."
"No," cried the girl; "that Is Just It yeu
have not beard! You have been unhappy
at home. You hav made yourself mor so
thsn you need, so that I hav hesitated t
speak plainly for fear of appearing Cruel
But now I will be plain"
"That you can never be.'
youth smiling upon her aa Indolently as
ever.
Th girl clasped her hands In front W br
"Ah, no, John; you do not lov m;" re
peated Vera after blm, sadly; "you are too
young to know what th word means." .
"I am older than you by a good year
and a half," cried John. Indignantly.
"That may be by th calendar," ah said,
'but I dars you to deny that I am not ten
times th man you are. I could go out and
earn my living tomorrow. Why, when I
was with my Aunt Fisher at Kenmor I
did all th laundry work during th thre
week she was laid up. And th folk at
the great house said tbe things wer nvf
better done. Do you think thst I would b
afraid to face my father and tell him th
truth, lest he should turn me out of th
house or put another man Into cnurcn
living h had promised me?"
"But" objected John Olendonwyn, soma- .
thing loss philosophically than before, "I
cannot do clear starching, and I hav no
Aunt Flaher. Dig, I cannot, and to beg, I
am aBhamed."
"Furthermore, there ar two things for
you to consider. First, would your father
really think tbe less of you for asserting
yourself like man? I am sure In bla
heart he would not. And again, ar you
fit to be minister of th church and ex
plain the way of life tn other men, when
you have shown so little skill In ordering
your own?"
Your father thinks that I am fit enough.
retorted tbe atudent ot divinity. "Only
yesterday he complimented me on my col
lege exercises."
"College exercise, Indeed!" cried Veron- .
lea. "Do you really think that you can '
feed parish of hungry, Ignorant souls,
upon college exercises? And as to my
father, he is everything that Is good and
kind but too deeply concerned for th ,
union he haa planned between your fortun -and
my my "
"Your clevernee say tu word. Vera,"
cried John, with somewhat constrained
laugh, "you know you mean It"
"Well, my faculty for carrying thlngB
through, If you will. Yon are dear, good
fellow, John; but to tell you th truth, you
hav. never waked up to seriousness yet'
You are no more fit to be the minister of a
parish than to be admiral of the fleet!"
Then for tha first time John Olendonwyn ,
lost his temper.
"I am not fit to be a minister of my
father's parish, am I not?", he cried, flush
ing with swift anger. "I am not fit to kiss (
your hand, madam. Well, at any rate,
there remains year or so In which I need ,
not trouble my head about either you or ,
th Klrk of Scotland. My brother and I
are pretty good friends at present, nd '
well with his help I can try to climb th
Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
from th other side. I am too young and ,
I presume too Innocent for you, my lady
Veronica! Eh blen, a year or two with ( '
Rupert will mend both particulars.. Per- .
haps so deeply experienced lady as Miss ,
Veronica Crossraguel Caesar will Ilk her
friend the better for that!"
"I will always Ilk blm better for p
pearlng to be what he la," said th girt
"If you think that your brother will help
you to a career for which you ar better
fitted I shall rejoice. For I am your tru ,
friend, though you do not think so today, :
John. Mor than that I do believ that
some day you will awake and cast away
your Idleness and selfishness as Samson
tore oft th Phlllstln withes."
"Ah, but Vera you forget," said John, ,
smiling again, "the ThlUstlnes got Samson ,
In ths long run!" 1
"Yea," retorted the girl, because woman ;
cropped the locks of bis strength whan ,
he waa asleep."
"Ah," said John Olendonwyn subtly,
"you mean Falrlle Olendennlngl" -
The girl's cheek flushed swift, fiery .
red, and her proud lips quivered angrily.
"So Uttl do I mean Falrlle," sh an- ,
swered, "that I think It would b th bst
thing you could do to but It Is useless
to tell you now what I think would b best
for you. You were Uttl likely to tak my
advlc as thing wer. Now you hav told
me that you despise both It and m. Mor .
than that, you spok bitter word bout
Falrlle Glendenntng. In return, for I am no ,
turn-the-other-cheek damsel, I will speak .
one to you. I said that, ilk namson, you
were aaleep, and I bad you bwar. '
need not hav troubled myself. For, how
ever sound you may b asleep, you hav (
no locks ot strength to b cut. When yon .
become a minister let your first text be,
'Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel!' " ;
, John Olendonwyn turned pal to th lips.
He elxed his bat from where It lay among
the flower pots.
"You have hit the mark at last, Ver
onica," ba said, "your reproach haa goo
horn. Soma day L John Olendonwyn,
whom you despise, will mak you unaty
those words."
And without any leave-taking, he went
out 'r
The girl stood still where h had left
her, and looked after him striding sav
agely down the gravel, as If be would grind '
very stone to powder under his heel. "God
send that day soon!" sh said, softly.
(To Ba Continued.)
r,
Stearno7 Electric
Clai and Qoacfi Panto
ai die out of th house On incrcikflg
dries tip thdf bodies, leavi&f no odor.
It U a safe and sure exterminator also of Mice,
Water Bugs, Croton Bugs, Cockroaches and all other
vermin. It has been in general use in houses, stores,
hotels, factories, offices, public buildings, etc., for
twenty-five years. Absolutely guaranteed. '
ry n I ITinW. Sabstttt 4 lawtstl are wrthh .'
U conts a box at Druggists and G rooers or tent direct by Express prepaid.
STEARNS' ELECTRIC PASTE CO., ChloaQO, Ms.
