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Show m gi "imaannTin i jm A HOW THE MINISTER WAS WON lljr KuUN III.ACK CopyHghtttl. HKU, by Thi Aulor$ 1'nblliMitj Vompnny h ii iiimi mil iii ii mii in r I mi i i iii ii i mii ii himiii mmtm w M MMMMMBJMKMaJBBmLWIXyxlUJIjaMllgWWHMIgT The church was crowded. The con-('rogation con-('rogation wns In a whtilwlnd of ox-citement. ox-citement. Tho new minister wns to olllclatc. Oencrally there Is n perceptlblo dl-mlnlshmcut dl-mlnlshmcut In tho attendance prior to tho sermon; but as this wns tho maldon nttempt of Dr. Hownrd, tho parishioners parishion-ers had decided to remain. Tho most enthusiastic of the congregation wait-od wait-od In tho vcstlbulo after service to congratulate tho young rector. He received many tempting offers to dinners, parties, etc.. but courteously declined them all. To tho amazement of tho congregation he accepted tho Carloton's Invitation, and shortly afterwards after-wards announced that ho had decided to locate with them permanently. Tho Cnrletons were aristocrats from tho root up. Judge Sidney Guy Carlo-ton Carlo-ton was attorne) -general under Gov. Winthrop, und rose rapidly In politics from that tlmo one. Tho Misses Carlo-ton Carlo-ton had received excellent educations, nnd wcro raised with tho greatest cure. Merlo was tho you.vost, liveliest, and most tactful of the three. IMith was mure fccdate, and whllo a clever entertainer, she failed to Impress ono with her studPod frankness. Julia was a human Icicle. Exaggerated dignity, excessive pride, nnd extreme egotism retaided ono's ndvances, and left her with but few friends From tho very stnrt tho Misses Carloton wcro candidates for Dr. Howard's How-ard's heart. No man over received mnro attention. Tho war was on. Tho general topic, and tho most Important question was, "Who would wlr. tho minister?" To a close observer It wns quite evident evi-dent that Dr. Howard found Merlo more Interesting than either Julia or Edith. An event occurred shortly after Unit confirmed this opinion. "I am requested to visit an Indigent family this afternoon," said Dr. Howard, How-ard, ono day "Would ou llko to accompany ac-company me, Miss Merle?" "Certainly," sho said, delighted and flattered, "but aro you quite suro I shall not boro you?" "I am positive you won't," ho replied, re-plied, earnestly. It was a long walk, and a most pleasant ono. They conversed congenially congen-ially on nil topics. They turned Into a lovely lano, nnd baw In tho distance tho homo of tho destitute family. They found thorn In a very poor circumstances, circum-stances, und sadly In need of aid. After Af-ter nn hour of comforting nnd promising promis-ing early succor, tho visitors departed. It waj a Joyful return They seemed to understand each other perfectly. Tho elder Hownrd prided himself on his Illustrious ancestry. Ho had mapped map-ped out his son's destiny, so to speak, nnd had determined thnt Denton should marry a woman that would udd to tho lustre of his name. Nuw, It so happened that this astuto gentlemnn BccamC nditiv .fyi mti ei cd-vancod cd-vancod affalro dii coeur betweon his 'HI M ipfcsri' ' I'NJ-i - W - - V, wifw r u 1 1? iflltt I Mr f VQ I fag M 1 . I 1 W Ji "Would you like to accompany me, Miss Merle?" son, and n certain pretty maid, Norn lie.uio by rmmo a good girl, bu poorly poor-ly connected. Tho Idea of Howard marrying into a family of clerks and carrontera! Pre-posteiutiu! Pre-posteiutiu! Tlio affair must como to an end at oncol About this tlmo, Howard noticed tho cold nnd Indifferent attltudo of his friend und collouo c'-'.m, Carl Winter. Ho couldn't account lor It. They had never quarreled; Winter had not criticized criti-cized any of hi nct'ous -they seemed to bo po'tlnr ""long splondldly. Tun why this riuldca el nn!;o? Winter had imagined Hint his attentions atten-tions to Nora Deauo would moot with USVBKBimIBBmVBimTlaRaEv-MiHBimilllHiBBmBl encouragement, he received a torrible setback, however, when ho discovered that his personality had failed to charm. Nora's resentment nngcrcd him. Fiom that time on, ho conceived a dislike for his friend a dislike that puzzled Howard. His unfriendliness foamed Into lint-rod lint-rod when ho learned thnt Howard had suddenly left the neighborhood. Why did ho leave? He concluded that Hownrd How-nrd had wronged Nora, and thnt ho hnd clandestinely departed to avoid exposure ex-posure No ono In Dalian! county, except Winter belloved in tho guilt of Benton "Don't go too far, manl" the minister exclaimed. Howard. Ho told his friends ho was posltlvo something was wrong, nud that he had determined to find Howard and havo him provo his Innocence or exposo him. A llttlo detective work soon put Winter Win-ter on tho rector's track. Ho learned his whereabouts so he hastened to Auburn. As Dr. Howard and Merlo walked slowly nlong on their return Journey, they wero suddenly confronted by Winter, who called out roughly: "Denton Howard! Scoundrels nover die, do they!" Then glancing nt Merlo, ho continued, In an insinuating tone. "Aha! at jour old sport again, eh? Wo remember you kindly at homo, reverend rev-erend father!" Tho speaker's faco was distorted with rago. Merlo drew closer to Dr. Howard. Ho was palo, his eyes, flashing defiance, defi-ance, rcmalucd fixed to tho spot; nnd with remnrkablo self-control, ho allowed allow-ed tho speaker to go on. "Yes, llttlo Nora remembers yon, too. It was thnt smooth tongue of yours, you blackguard, that won her from mo! Your faco should chango nt tho sound of that nnmo, proud man! Ah, but I seo you hnvo schooled yourself your-self too well! This lady doesn't know you; sho doesn't know how shallow you aro. I'll" "Silence, coward. You mlscrablo. despicable man; silence!" commanded tho minister, unnblo longer to restrain his anger. "My calling protects ou, Weio I yet a man of tho world, I would choko you into silence." Merle, palo with fear, moved from tho rector's side. "Carl Winter," ho continued, "I havo known you from childhood. You know, nnd all thoso that roniomber mo know, that I was n wayward and frivolous youth. Dut since I have entered tho ministry I defy you or anyone elso to recall a breath of slander that has over coupled my namo with nny impropriety." impro-priety." Mlfcs Carloton, unnblo to support herself, her-self, sunk brcnthlessly to tho ground. Tho strain wns too great. Dr. Howard How-ard wns at her side In n moment. "Ah! bco man seo!" ho said, pleadingly, plead-ingly, "sco, how wo havo boon racking her young heart!" liaising her tenderly, ho held her In his arms until sho regained consciousness. conscious-ness. Then a blush bloomed tho roses In hoi cheeks. Iteleaslng her, ho said tremulously nnd with Intcnso pathos: "Miss Carleton, I pray you, forglvo mo for seriously forcing you to po through this oidcnl; hut my good nnmo my roputntion, which I prlzo nbovo nil things, wns at stake. If I did not provo tho falsity of this mnn'j assertions asser-tions I know I would loso " "Enough of thlp prattle!" Interrupted Winter, "givo mo tho pi oof of tho npot less llfo you si.y you lead, nnd or your honoranlo Intentions townrd this hu' " Miss Carleton " Dr loward said, turning towards her nnd mastering his omotlon with groat effort, "you hnvo lmard what this man hns said. Do you I nsk you do you bellevo It?" "No! not no!" sho cried, wringing hor hnnds, "I cannot I do not believo It!" "You don'l. eh? Why?" asked Winter, Win-ter, angered by her devotion. Her nnswer would decldo whether Dr. Hownrd was nn unscrupulous scoundrel, or whether her good nnmo would be smirched, mid a hitherto tin-tarnished tin-tarnished family record stained. Hor lovo for tho divine, and tho great prldo of the Cnrletons forced her to reply: "Hecaut.0 becauso tho world doesn't bellovo It. Hecause," sho hesitated nnd gasped, "because I am going to bo " "Hecause. Carl Winter," ho said, triumphantly. "Miss Carleton Is going to be my wlfo!" "Liar!" Winter hissed," I don't believe be-lieve jou!" "Don't go too far, man!" tho minister minis-ter exclaimed, stepping up to him, "don't go too far! I am but human. T&ko carol" Dr. Howard moved towards Miss Carleton. "Miss Carleton," ho said, "I havo ono more question to nsk. This man again challenges my veracity. Havo not told tho truth?" Merlo raised hor deep bluo eyes to his, nnd throwing her arms tenderly around his neck, murmured: "Yes, deur, you havo." "Now, Carl Winter," Dr. Hownrd exclaimed, ex-claimed, angrily, pointing up tho road, "you havo tho proof go!" Thus the minister won. Tho long scries of Intcrneclno wnrs thnt had disturbed tho pcaco of tho church camo to an end, nnd a general amnesty caused tho tmmcdlnto cessation cessa-tion of hostilities. |