The girl had no father or
brother, but her uncle was a railway-man. He heard where you were, and he
hired with my company to come out here as a foreman. He came to drop on
you. The day after he came he had a bad accident. I went to see him. He
told me all; his nerves were unstrung, you observe. He meant to ruin you,
as you ruined the girl. He had proofs enough. The girl herself is in
Winnipeg. Well, I know life, and I know man and man's follies and
temptations. I thought it a pity that a career and a life like yours
should be ruined--"
A groan broke from the twitching lips before him, and a heavy sweat stood
out on the round, rolling forehead.
"If the man spoke, I knew it would be all up with you, for the world is
very hard on men of God who fall. I've seen men ruined before this,
because of an hour's passion and folly. I said to myself that you were
only human, and that maybe you had paid heavy in remorse and fear. Then
there was the honour of the town of Lebanon. I couldn't let the thing
take its course. I got the doctor to tell the man that he must go for
special treatment to a hospital in Montreal, and I--well, I bought him
off on his promising to keep his mouth shut. He was a bit stiff in terms,
because he said the girl needed the money.
Pages:
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170