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more years he did other things equally
ifying. but which, it mentioned, might
identify him. .
Church work had always interested
. As a speculation in moral obliga-
tion, he adopted Peter Castle's orphan.
who turned to him in a. passion of grati-
tude and blind devotion. And as she
bade fair to rival her dead mother in
beauty. and as rich men marry beauty
when it is in the market. the Hon. John
Garcide decided to control the child's
future. A prom e at ten years is quick-
ly made, but he had never forgotten if.
and she could'not-forget. - .
‘And now Garcide needed her as he
needed mercy from Ophir Steel. which
was slowly crushing his own steel syn-
dicate l0>[)D“'(lel'.' . ' '
The struggle between Steel Plank and
James J. Crznvtord's Ophir Steel is Ills-
’ he tou-.;ht’Garcide to a
standstill and then kicked him, tllling
, Garcirle with--a'mixtul'e of terror and
painful admiration. -
But sheer luck caught at Garcide‘s
coat-tails and hung there. Crawford.
prowling in the purlieus of society. hadg
seen Miss Castle. .
i The next day Crawford came into Gar-.
.clde's oihce and accepted 11 chair with
such a humble and uneasy smile that
' mistook his conciliatory de-
I when he found out what Crawford want-
ied, he nearly fainted in an attempt to
.; conceal his astonishment and delight.
I “Do you think I‘d buy you off with an
innocent child?’ he said. lashing himself
into a good imitation of an insulted gen-
man. .
Crawford looked out of the window.
then rose and walked toward the door.
“D0 3‘ think-you can .brihe me?"
shouted Gart-irle, after him. 'Crawford
l!eGl[,'lt(’d. , - , . -
Come back here." said G.-lrcide. firmly;
"1 want you to explain yourself."
0 ' " muttered Crawford.
‘,'“ell-I-try, .anyway." said Garcide.
more amiably. -'
. And now this was the result of
explanation; at least one of the results;
and Miss astie had promised to Wed 9.
gentleman in Ophlr Steel named Craw-
ford. at the convenience ot the Hon. John
morning sunshine fell
e
I-ent. head. .
“Yo "ii like him." said Garclde.
gulitiiy. '
Her hand hung heavily on the piano
keys. ,
“You have no other man In mind?" he
asked. g
“No. . . . 'no man."
Garclde chewed the end of his cigar.
."Cravvford‘s ha I u man. Don't
1 .......,make it hard for him," he said.
Sheswung around on the gilded music-
stool, one while hand lying among the
Ivory keys. ‘
' shall I-pare us both." she said: "I
shall tell him that it is settled.”
GEIl"(‘ltl2 rose; she received his caress
with compasux-ef‘ He made another
gJ'ateful.:Ie'(‘k at her chin.
“‘ ' (lon‘t you take a quiet week or
two in the country?" he suggested.
cheerfully. “Go up to the Sagamore
Club; Jane will go with
have the whole place to yourselves.
You always liked nature and-er-a
that. ell?" p
"Oh. yes." she said lndlffercntiy.
That afternoon the Hon. John Gar-
cicle sent a messenger to James J. Craw-
ford with the following letter: V
"My Dear Crawford-Your manly and
straightforward request for permission
to address my ward, Miss Castle. has
profoundly touched me.
e considered t e matter. I may
say earnestly considered iL
I " the sacred duties
uartiinnsliip forbid that I should inter-
fere in an - - my dear child‘:
llzlppinessrit lsile desires to place it in
your keeping. On the other hand. honor
and decency prevent me rorn attempt-
ing to lnnuenre her to any decision
which might prove acccptable to myself.
mission you desire to address my ward.
The rest lies with a propitious Provi-
l
dentve. Cor ally yours.
"JOHN GARCIDE.
"P. -My sister, Miss Garclde. and
I-ilss Castle are going to the Sagamore
Club tonight. I'll take you up there
whenever you can get away."
‘ fro which came answer by messenger.
. “Hon John Gnrclde: '
“My Dear Garclrle-Can‘: go for two
weeks, My tool nephew Jim is on his
vacation. and I don‘t know where he is
pron-ling. Hastily yours.
I "JAMES J. CRAWFORD.
“ s'l‘here's a directors‘ meeting at
three. Come down and we'll settle all
quarrels." '
To’tlIis the Hon. John Garnide tele-
graphed: "All right," and hurriedly pre-
pared-to escort his s ter a miss
Castle to the midday express for Saga-
rnore lilll s. ‘
CHAPTER II.
dewy ‘June morning. chirping, chlrking,
trillinz. repeating-' their endless arias
"the golden orloles.
r and attempted to bullyjlim. .Il3utu on her bare feetv ’
lhag"herself.vin ,the-.mirror.. but her courage
I vCHlCAGO LEDGER I
And"thru the peretlr "he ‘cannot take away the sky
outcry of the robins. the dry cacltle of and the‘ sunshine from you! He ‘cannot
the purple grackle and the'catblrd‘s blind and deaten you. silly! Cry if you
whine tloaterl earthvrard the melody of must,’ you little cowardleyouuwiil marry
‘ him all the sam ."
iss astle, fresh from. the bath. Suddenly sitting up. alert, she heard
hreakfasied in her own rooms with an something singing. It the river
appetite that astonished her. Rowing close beside her.
- She was a wholesome, fresh-skinned She pushed away the screen of leaves
girl, with a superb body. limbs a tride and stretched out in length. looking
heavy in the strict classical .sense. down into the Water
straight-browed, blue-eyed. A U0“! 13)’ there. ltlis
n .
from tree to gatepost.
eyes were shin -
and
his scarlet spots
love] and Greek, - ing with an opal ti
Penslvely she ate her toast, tossing a M3295 like 1eWE1S-
w crumbs at the roblns; pensively she And asxshe lay‘there her bright hair
disposed of two eggs. in trout. and all tumbled about her face, she heard. above
the chocolate, and looked Into the the river‘s monotone, a sharp, whipllke
pitcher for more cream. . soundeswls-s-heand silvery thread
a swelling bird-music only intensi- flashed out across her vision. it was a
silence tishing-line and leader, and the ilsherman
was standing Fifty feet
hip-deep In ,the sunllt
tied the deep. sweet country
which brooded just beyond the lawn's who had Cast it
limits: she saw the tlat'river tumb-- away upstream,
ling in the sunlight: she saw the.sky water.
over all. its blue mystery untroublecl by Swish! swish! Jind ‘he “mg “"9 53”’
a cloud. - ' ‘ back. straightened far behind him, and
“I love all that." she said. dreamily. to again lengthened out. the single yellow-
her maid behind her. "Never mind my ai'Id-El1i 91)’ Settling on the Water lust
hair now; I want the wind to blow it." ab0‘v'e the motionless trout. who slmD1)'
The happy little winds of June. lolter- backed on downstream.
ing among the iilacs.’heard: and they But. there were further troubles for
came and blew her bright hair across the ‘ gler: a alder
her eyes. puff after-puff o perfumed stem. under wate .became en-
ybalm. and stirred the delicate stuff that tangled in the line; the tlsherinan gave
‘clung to her. and shexfelt their caress a cautious Jerk: the hook sank into the
water-soaked wood, buriedito the barb.
"Oil,
ean to go and wade in that river." g e deuce!" said the fisherman.
she said to her maid. "Dress me very calmly.
quickly." - .- ' Before she could realize what he was
But when‘ she was dressed the desire ‘about. he ha waded across the shallows
and seized the alder branch. A dash of
ter showered her as he shook the
free; she stood up wit
' met the astonished eyes
"Aftfer all," said. aloud,‘ am Of "79 “5h6l'm3n- ‘ I. , .
young enough to have found-’hanpi' ess- -He was. a tall. aunburned young fei-
lg they 11:13.19: me. . ; H low,“wlth. powerful shoulders and
shi is full of itgoutrloors. .> ‘= free-llmbed carriage: he was also
could hgve found it, , ; 3 [ “- no; son wet and‘ streaked with mud.
meant for men.‘x . . Still . . . it ‘-‘UWH ml‘ ‘VOFG-" he 581$ 1 “,e‘‘" 53'’
is all in the future yet.‘ I will learnynot 3'0“-’ I‘-WW3’ 3“"Y7 “ON 1 "We" ‘ 5P0‘‘“
to be afraid." " . - ‘ your slrlortu-r:ell"t“I have. Yourwere fish-
sm d . ' n3. 0 co .
S e a e a little eirort to smile at “No. I was onlydhokings, she said‘ "0!
could not carry her as far as that. So,- C“f".5“ Pve spfne ylwr spar ‘I ..
Wu), 3 qmCk'.qua'lm gesm” adieu’ - ‘hat a all. he said, laughing: that
she turned.and waikedfrapidly out into’ 3'f',g“:““g am 1" me‘ '
for childish things had passed away.
and she raised her grave eycs to the W
reflected eyes in the min-on-,.stu-lylngmook
them in ‘silence. x . vtary gasp an
a
there‘ was a trout lying there--
the hallway. . - -
Miss Garcide 'as in bedfsneezin pa. 1 5”’ ‘Hm? end "19 “"9"! S-‘W me- =0 fl’.
nanny. All Won.‘ be out for Weeks course. he vuouldnbrlse H’. Eur cast.
the poor dy. "so you will have to "“d.1m “”e‘““g’ 5""’:. 3.“ e“d9d'
> . smiling in spite of herself. . '
amuse yourself alone . .
kissed her‘and went away
lightly down the polished stairsito the
er hair was badly rumpled: she had
been crying. and he could see it. but in
had never looked upon such‘ tear-stained,
steward came up to Wm‘ my smiling. and disheveled love mesa.
E004 ""0"'“YIs.und to place the resources M‘? he[,l‘;‘:ke an? 13"-":lfg" heglsfni
of the club at her disposal. , he Ron“; t 5:?” o‘ rel; ed‘ 51 "C
"1 don't know." she said. iiesitating at 5 "C “ 5 W“ 9 ' "53 mg "'9"
o
the veranda do“: .1 ‘mnk 3 gunman] gtnsun-tanned manhood. must be raw-
all I care for. ‘You may hang ..A're .cu?.. she said',swrce]y aware
hammock yndier the maples, if you will. that she ayoke. . .
suppose. s e added. that I am quite ..Wha”.. he askedfpuuled.
alone at the club? .'..Mr‘ Crawford-.-.
"O gentleman arrived this morn hwh‘. sgaad '0‘ course Wu 3”
ing." said the stewards"llir. Crawford." M153 ‘fa'5ue'- he ,'ep“ed' smiling elaslun
She looked back. poised lightly in the ..I saw your name In me guesumuk H“
doorway thru which the morninv; sun- momlng. Aw;-H3, glad you came‘ M-.55
shine poured. All tliencolor had left her ca5ue.,h.,,,e ym,-n m we ,.,.,w you
face. .'iiIr. Crawford. yshe ‘said. in a W ere the mg knows He.-v
dull voice. ' ‘Y mean fish." she said, with
He has gone out afte con- comm,“-9, “
“sued the SleWard- W8 is 3 The shock’ of suddenly realizing that
rare rod. ma‘am- 18 Wf<'rd< He this man was the man she had to m
t ou I."
“ll
caught the eight-pound ash-perhaps confused her: she made an eflort to get
you noticed, it on the nauel In the 1711- things back into proper perapectlve.'for
“l"'d’l'00n’l-' ' ‘ e river was swimming before her ey '.
Miss Castle came into the hall again. and in her ears rang a trangely pleas-
and stepped over to the register. Under ant yo ran-ford‘:-saying all sorts
her signatllr "lilies Castle and,,maid." of good-hurnored things, which she heard
she saw "J. Crawford, New York." The but scarcely compretlende
ink was still blue and faint. ' instinctively she raised her hands to
She turned and walked out into the touch her disordered hair: she stood
sunshine. ‘ there naively.twistlng it into shape
The future was no longer a gran again, her eyes constantly reverting to
menaciu future; it had become sud- the sun-tanned face before her A
denly the terrifying resent.‘ and its "An have the vleasure 0! knowing
shadow fell sharply around her‘ in the YOU!’ guardian. Dir. Garclde. very slight-
sunsh I)’-in usiness 'wa)'." e was saying.
w all the courage of her race must P”“‘9 Y’
be summoned. and must respond to the "09"" steel-" "'9 ""1"
summons. The end of all was at han . 13“ h9d- ,',
but when had a Castle ever ilinched at ‘Oh',,‘'‘',e "‘ “‘3k“‘,g 3 53"“ ham" he
the face of fate under any mas 1"‘ ” ‘V m’ ‘"5 "9 "W" “me ”’
She raised her resolute head: her eyes
E::]co':?e5s me sk"“‘]e“"' “““‘7“dm' an understanding." she observed, calmly.
‘ - I "Have we? ope so; I he not heard
h In hours-of deep distress the sound or ‘haw. he saw’ quickly. “How did you
er own VOICE had always helped er em.-.0 .
“’ ‘"“’“"? 3"“ '“’“'-‘ as 5 9 ‘Valked without warning she Flushed scarlet
“"053 me law“ '?“"l,'"d9d' she W” to her neck: and she'Was as amazed as
“'59” M" w 5'49“ m" 3 em "3' he at the surging color ‘staining her
be paid. not to quail because life held white skin, - V
for her nothing olxvhat she had dreamed. she Coma not endum m,,;..5he mum
If there was a tremor now and then in not face hm-lmso she bent her head 8.
already come to
it; it she lay flung face donvnward in the stepped past him, out al
grasses. under the screen or alders by bank
the water. there was no one but the He. looked after her. wondering What
striped chipmunk to jeer and mock. he could have said.
"Now listen, you silly girl," she wh>is- ‘ She wondered, too, and her wonder
gllllllllllilllllllillII[llIlilillllllllIllllllllllllllllilllIIllIIllllIIIHllllliIllllllllllllllllllllg
E 11 NEXT week’: Ledger be sure and read Mason Ray’: exira- E
E H ordinary story. “THE WBATH OF GOD; or, A NEW ADAM E
E . AND EVE." It is a strange story of the destruction of the E
g world of humanity on account of its wickedness, and how it was 5
E renewed. Boys. take a slant at Milford Men'i1l's new story in this E
E -issue, called, “THE BOY WOODSMAN; or, THE CEDAR POND E
g GUARD." It is a capital story. ' v ‘ ' g
zdllIllilllllllllliiilllillIllIIllilllIlillllllllllllllllilHilllillIlllilllllllilllllllilllillHIEHIIHE
I
an involun- .
grew tnat instead of self-pity, repu:::-
nance. and deep dreadxshe should feel
such It dlllne relief from the terror that
had possessed er. -
W at least she knew the worst. This
was the man’ .
She strove to place him, to recall
ace. She could not. All along she hm
pictured Crawford as an older man. Alltl
this broatl-shouldered. tanned young
fellow was rawford, 8 r all! 'here
Could her eyes have been? [low absllrll
that her indifference should have so ut-‘
teriy hlinded her'.. ,
She stood a moment on the lawn. (-1
ing her eyes. ‘ '
Otl. now she had no (llfl‘l(:ully in recall-
lng his race-in fact the dliiiculty was
to shut it out, for it Was before her ey S,
Onetl or sliuteit was before her when sh",
entered her bedroom’ and sank into (I.
cushioned chair by the breezy window.
And she took her burning cheeks in bntlr
hands and rested her elbows on her
knees. '
Truly terror hail lied. It shamed her to
End herself thanking God that her fate
was to lie in the keeping of this young
man. Yet It was natural, (00, for the‘
child had nigh died of horror, the he
courage of the Castles had h her head
high in the presence of the inevitable.
now suddenly into her gm
hopeless future. peopled by the phantoms
of an old man, stepped a living, smilim:
young fellow. w’ tie manners and
honest speech, and a quick courtesy
which there was no mistaking.
She had no mother-nobody to talk tn
eso she had long <'l)'(D made :1 cunildatltv
own reflection in the l00kinp:-
, And 0 the mlrronshe now went,
meeting the reflected eyes shyly, yet
snliling with friendly sympatlly:
"Silly! to frighten yourself! It is all
over non lle's young and tall and sun-
burrled. I don't think he knows I). grcllt
deal-vbut don't be frightened, he is not it
hit dreadful. . . v.’ only is
a pity. . . but I s ppnst-. he nuts’ in
love With me. . .' . and. after all, it
doesn‘t matter. . '. on ’l!lm . . 3
sorr ' for him. . . . If he
had only cared for a girl who could love
.
him. . . don't suppose I Could.
. . EV‘??? Uut I Will be very kind to
him. . . u make up.“ -
CHAPTEII Ill. "
HE saw him every day; she rlincsl at
the club tahfe now
Miss Gal't:lde's hay-fever irl('t'cnsetl
(1 she 1:1)‘
Castle, tremulously-“but not over my-
se " '
"Dot orer llib'."' inquired Miss Garcide.
“Yes, over him. e ought to marry a
girl who Oould fall in love with him."
Meanwhile Crawford was dining every
evening with her at thev reat
table. telling her of the day's sport, and
how hlac ear had come splashing
across the shallows within a few rods
OK where he stood flsllln:.:. and how the
deer had increased, and were even nib-
bling the succulent green stalks.ln the
kitchen garden after nightfall.
During the day she found herself look-
ing forward to his return and his Joli.
spirited stories, always gay and humur- l
ous. and never tiresome technical. nor
conceited, altho for three years he hall
held the club cup for the best nsh taken
on Sagamore water. - . ,
She took sun-baths in her hammock:
she read novels; she spent .hours in-
reverie. blue eyes skyward. arms under
her head. swayed in her hammock by the
delicious winds of a. perfect June.
r composure and Common-Sense
had returned. She began to experience
a certain feeling of lesponsibility fur
Crawford-a feeling almost maternal.
cide: "I suppose
ink I'll tell
mgs.
he's anxious and bashfuL I t
him that it is all arranged. Besides, I
promised lllr. Garcide to speak. I don't
see why on't: I'm not a bit embar-
rass .' L -
But the day: went shining by, and :1
new week dawned. and Miss Castle had
not taken pity upon her tongue-tied
simply dreadful." she
erseli. "Besides, I Want
marry me. I've a few things to purchasc.
thank you. and if he thinks a trousseau
is thrown together in u day.
man!"
That evening she determined to fulfill
her promise to Garcide as scrupulously
s she kept all her prom . .
She wore white at dinner. with a great
lll'l(!ll.0f iris that 'Cr:.lWl'l7rd had
brought her. Towards the end of the
dinner she be an to be frightened. but
it was the instinct of tile Castles to right
(ear and overcome .
‘ ' ID walk down It) the little
m going
footbridge." she said. steadily. examin-
ing the cofiee in her tiny cup. “and It
will st roll down
I will
you
“There's a full moon: I mcan to have n
y at R thumping big fish in the.nrml
above." I - A
She nodded. nnd he rose and aticndcd
her to the door. ,
Then he lighted a cigar and called fora
telegram blan '. g
Till)! l’!='.WllaI he Wrote:
rlunxl, .
.,.‘
