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Show III j Love Doubly ! 1 Blind By Esther S. Proudfoot : (Copyright, 1915, by W. G. Chapman.) "That's your decision, is it?" ' j "It's got to be." ! "Then I can tell you that you are v selling Milly into heartbreak and mts- ery! Man, reflect you are doing a terrible thing." Kirk Howard, bachelor, aged thirty- ' five, spoke with fervor and indignation. indigna-tion. Rarely had he been so wrought up. Clean hearted, humanely sympa thetic, his aoul was stirred to its depths, and the note of appeal, of ' direct prophecy In his voice would ' have commanded more than ordinary attention from a person less sordid ' than old John Davenal. ' "There is something under this 1 do not understand," resumed Howard. " "I have been your neighbor for two years, my nephew Walter and your daughter Milly have been like brother , and sister. Neighbor, don't you think I am entitled to your confidence in this matter?" It was then that old Davenal blurted ; out the truth. It shocked Howard. " Davenal had got into the clutches of Daniel Wegg, the village lawyer. He had been led into unwise investments until he owed the attorney a large . Amount of money. "As it is," declared Davenal, and his i tones were fairly desperate, "Wegg can seize everything I own and leave Milly a pauper when I am gone. He ays he really likes Milly, and he offers of-fers to cancel the debt and settle the 1 estate on her if she will marry him. ' He's given me two days to decide." ' "Can you think of bestowing that lovely wild-flower child upon a man - : ip0 J f What Did It Mean? twice married, once divorced, a selfish. g hard-minded skinflint? Oh, neighbor, neighbor, this must not be!" "Then it's ruin for me and for her." "Better that than that she should pine and fade like a blighted flower. No, no, there is some way out of it. Can I see Milly?" ' "She has agreed to the " f "Sacrifice! perhaps, In her filial de-r de-r votion, but she must never wed Daniel Dan-iel Wegg. Ah! there she is in the garden. I must speak to her," and al-' al-' thou'gh Davenal evidently feared an ' upset of his selfish plana, Howard t: walked toward a form he made out on a bush-sheltered seat. It was Milly. She sat in a sad, wearied pose. Her f eyes were closed and there, were E traces of dried tears upon her wan ei face. :. "Poor, poor child!" murmured How-1 How-1 ard, and she started and looked up !.' like a frightened fawn at the sound ii of his approaching footsteps. "Oh, it is you, Mr. Howard," she stammered in confusion, and then, as he sat down beside her, despite his grave manner, she nestled toward him, the shadows on her face lightening as if he infused her with a sense of pro-tection. pro-tection. "Milly," he spoke outright, "your fa-ther fa-ther has told me. You are to marry Mr. Wegg?" "I I must." Her Hps drew tight, her face was a j ma3k of pent-up misery. 0, "As an old friend," pursued Howard, j "let me ask you one question: There , i is Bomeone else?" .5 Her eyes were downcast, her face covered with a quick flush. "Yes," she barely whispered, her tones a-tremble, her face half hiddeu. ; Howard gave a great start. A sudden sud-den thought, a fancied new discovery had illumined his mind. In a flash be saw it all his nephew, Walter! Why, of course! Had not Milly for months before the departure of Walter run In upon them, happy and free as a member mem-ber of the family, for weeks and weeks? She loved another who could it be but Walter? And had not "the boy" written, far away in the West with a surveying party, that "only for one he loved the exile would be a lonesome experience." They might never have plighted their troth, but Milly loved Walter, whom else? and Walter why, they were mated in temperament and tastes, and above al! in youth! A great new thought came to Kirk Howard. He loved Walter as an own son. It would take fully a mouth to reach him and get him back home. Daniel Wegg had set a limit of two days. What was there in life for himself, reflected Howard and a mighty resolve thrilled and then fascinated fas-cinated him. "Milly," he spoke steadily as he could, "your father sees his situation only in your sacrifice. 1 can prevent it, 1 can aid in getting him out of the power of Daniel Wegg. Will you help mo to do it? Milly, will you marry me? 1 am old. It is true, but 1 will not be a a burden to you. It is only in save you. I 1 " In amazement he checked the incoherent inco-herent torrent of words which he sought to employ to conceal his real intentions. Milly had uttered a strange cry. She bent toward him. it seemed as if a great gladness showed in her relieved iace, the flashing glimpse he had of it. Then, burying her face on his arm. she clung to him like to a tired, storm-beaten child seeking and rinding security and peace. "Yes yes!" she murmured. "Oh, my best, my dearest of friends!" and then, sobbing, she darted from the spot, for her father had intruded. - Plainly, bluntly Kirk Howard stated stat-ed his position to Mr. Davenal. The latter had refused money, but between be-tween Wegg and Howard there could be no choice. Yes, let the marriage .take place at once, the money provided pro-vided to pay off Wegg before the latter lat-ter would contrive some scheme to defeat their plans and harass them. H was strange how grave, how pale was Howard through that hurried ceremony. cer-emony. Milly acted like one in a dream. No one was present at the marriage except father, daughter, Howard and the minister. "I I have some important business up at my home,' spoke Howard in a strained, unnatural voice, as the clergyman cler-gyman went away. Milly regarded him tremulously. There was a wistful, pleading look in her eyes, but he, manlike, construed it as passing gratitude at her deliverance from being wedded to a man she abhorred. ab-horred. "1 may not return until tomorrow," he voiced unsteadily, "1 have some very important papers to make out to provide for your future, Milly," he added, and then he was gone, leaving Davenal stupefied and Milly puzzled "What did it mean? What could it mean! For an hour Milly sat marveling mar-veling at this strange abandonment. Somehow the last Jook Howard had bestowed upon her troubled her, haunted haunt-ed her. It seemed to express sorrow, subtle, infinitely pathetic, yet it also appeared to bid her hope. Her father retired. A deserted bride, Milly went to the window and glanced out. Over at the Howard home a single light glowed brightly. She knew its location, the ground floor room that was Mr. Howard's library. It seemed to beckon to her. Her soul was uneasy. un-easy. She left the house, and ten minutes later she stood just outside the open window, not two feet away from the table at which Howard was writing. Her startled eyes made out the words: " and so, dear nephew, I shall be found a3 if I died a natural death, and all I have is yours and Milly's. Never tell her the truth, for what are the few years I may live to your long happiness and hers? Dear boy! I was blind not to guess that love directed direct-ed her many visits to us, that I did not surmise that she is 'the influence' you spoke of in your letter. And so I have saved her by marrying her. An unclaimed un-claimed bride, a widow, all her love will be yours " Aghast, Milly read the intent of the writer. She hastened around to the front door, she thrust it open, ran to the library. As she sank to her knees by his side, the astounded Howard looked up. "Milly, my child!" he spoke. "Mr. Howard oh, destroy that letter! let-ter! What would you do?" she panted. pant-ed. "For Walter's sake " he began. "What is Walter to me!" she cried in a wailing tone. "He loves another. Oh, blind! blind! doubly blind! Must I tell you that my visits to your home were influenced by devotion, love for the grandest man 1 ever mat!" She was sobbing in his arms. His face grew glorified as he realized the truth, and all the ways of life seemed smiling and sweet at last. Gray horses are the longest lived and cream-colored ones the most affected af-fected by temperature changes. |