| Show uy adwin BLACK copyrighted 1903 by the authors company fc i in ii the church was crowded the con gre gatlon was in a whirlwind ot ex clement the new minister was tc officiate generally there is a perceptible dl in the attendance prior to the sermon but as this was the maiden attempt of dr howard the ers had decided fo remain the most enthusiastic of the congregation wait ed in the ves ebule after service to congratulate the young rector he received many tempting offers to dinners parties etc but courteously declined them all to the of the congregation he accepted the carleton s invitation and shortly after wards announced that he had decided to locate with them permanently the Car letona were aristocrats from the root up judge sidney guy carle ton was attorney general under gov winthrop and rose rapidly in politics from that time one the misses carle ton had received excellent educations and were raised with the greatest care merle was the youngest liveliest and most tactful of the three edith was more sedate and while a clever entertainer she failed to impress one with her studied frankness julia was a human icicle exaggerated dignity excessive pride and extreme egotism retarded one s advances and left her with but few friends from the very start the misses carleton were candidates for dr how ard s heart no man ever received more attention the war was on the general topic and the most important question was who would wic the 7 to a close observer it was quite evi dent that dr howard found merle more interesting than either julia or edith an even occurred shortly after that confirmed this opinion I 1 am requested to visit an indigent family this afternoon said dr how ard one day would you like to ac comp iny me miss merle certainly she said delighted and flattered flatt erad but i are you quite sure I 1 shall not bore youa I 1 am positive you wont he re plied earnestly it was a long walk and a most pleasant one they conversed bongen lahy on all topics they turned into a lovely lane and saw in the distance the home of the destitute family they found them in a very poor circum stances and sadly in need of aid at ter an hour of comforting and promas ing early succor the visitors departed it was a joyful return they seemed to understand each other perfect elder howard prided himself on his illustrious ancestry he had map ped out his son s destiny so to speak and had determined that benton should marry a woman that would add to the lustre of his name now it so happened that this astute gentleman became advised of a pretty we 1 ad danced affaire du coeur between his son and a certain pretta maid nora deane by name a good girl bu poor ly connected the idea of howard marrying into a family of clerks and carpenters pre post erous the affair must come to an end at once about this time howard noticed the cold and indifferent attitude of his friend and college chum carl winter he account for it they had never quarreled winter had not ariti cited any of his actions they seemed to be getting along splendidly then why this sudden changed winter had imagined that his atten would you I 1 ke to accompany me miss merle ions to noradeane would meet with encouragement he received a terrible setback however when he discovered that his personality had failed to charm noras resentment angered him from that time on he conceived a dislike for his friend a dislike that puzzled howard his unfriendliness foamed into hat red when he learned that howard had suddenly left the neighborhood why did he leavea he concluded that how ard had wronged nora and that he had clandestinely departed to avoid ex kosure no one in ballard county except winter believed in the guilt of benton I 1 kahl shin u 11 howard he told his friends he was something was wrong and that he had determined to find howard and have him prove his innocence or expose him A little detective work soon put win ter on the rector s track he learned his v hereabouts feo he hastened to auburn As dr howard and merle walked slowly along on their return journey they were suddenly confronted by winter who called out roughly benton howard scoundrels never die do they then at merle he continued in an insinuating tone aha at bour old sport again eha we don t go too far mani the minister exclaimed remember you kindly at home rev arend father the speakers face was distorted with rage merle drew closer to dr howard he was pale his eyes flashing ance remained fixed to the spot and with remarkable self control he allow ed the speaker to go on yes little nora remembers you too it was that smooth tongue ot yours you blackguard that won her from me your face should change at the sound of that name proud man ah but I 1 see you have schooled your self too well this lady doean doesn t know you she doean doesn t know how shallow you are I 1 V silence coward you miserable despicable man silence commanded the minister unable longer to restrain his anger my calling protects iou were I 1 yet a man of the world I 1 would choke you into silence merle pale with fear moved from the rector s side carl winter he continued I 1 have known you from childhood you know and all those that remember me know that I 1 was a wayward and frivolous youth but since I 1 have entered the ministry I 1 defy you or anyone else to recall a breath of slander that has ever coupled my name with any ampro briety mis carleton unable to support her self sunk breathlessly to the ground the strain was too great dr how ard was at her side in a moment ah see man see he said plead angly we how we have been raci ing her heart raising her tenderly he held her in his arms until she regained conscious ness then a blush bloomed the roses in her cheeks releasing her he said tremulously and with intense pathos miss carleton I 1 pray you forgive me for seriously forcing you to go through this ordeal but my good name my reputation which I 1 prize above all things was at staka I 1 did not prove the falsity of this man s asser alons I 1 know I 1 wp ild lose enough of this prattle interrupted winter give me the of the spot less life you ady you lead and of our honorable intentions toward this lady mrs carleton dr howard said turning towards her and mastering his emotion with great effort you have heard what this man has said do you I 1 ask you do you believe it no no no she cried wringing her hands I 1 cannot I 1 do not believe it you don t eha asked win ter angered by her devotion her answer would decide whether dr howard was an unscrupulous scoundrel or whether her good name would be smirched and a hitherto un tarnished family record stained her love tor the divine and the great pride of the Carle tons forced her to reply because because the world doean doesn t believe it because she hesitated and gasped because I 1 am going to be because carl winter he said triumphantly miss carleton Gar leton is going to be my wife liar winter hissed I 1 don t believe you dont go too far man the balnis ter exclaimed stepping up to him don t go too far I 1 am but human take care dr howard moved towards mies carleton miss carleton ie I 1 have one more question to acx this man again JA my veracity have I 1 not told the truth merle raised her deep blue eyes to his and throwing her arms tenderly around neck murmured dear you hae 4 now carl winter dr howard ei claimed angrily pointing up the road you have the proof go thus the minister won the long series ol 01 internecine wars that had disturbed the peace 0 the church came to an end and a gheral amnesty caused the immediate alon of hostilities |
