The Man Thou Gavest

Generally speaking, she went her way with courage and conviction, but since Conning Truedale's breakdown, an element

om the dependence of others upon her, not hers upon them. She was so strong and sweet-souled that to give was a joy, it was a joy too, for them that received

n the prime factor in the physical breakdown of the younger man. All along she had hoped and believed that her hold upon old William Truedale would, in the final reckoning, bring good results; for that reason, and a secret one that no one suspected, she kept to her cour

n cluttered the dim spaces. She was an interior decorator, but of such an original and unique kind that her brother explained her as a "Spiritual

-thirty. The last mail delivery had brought a sh

to type, as McPherson would say, and I'm intensely interested in finding out-what type? Whenever I think of study, I have an attack of mental indigestion. There is o

mured; "there's no use in punishing Uncle William

econd place, Lynda rose and smiled relievedly. Then her eyes

e very close, that dead mother and the l

usness of approval soothed and comforted her and she recalled, as she had not for many a day, the night of her mother's

e you the

ng the month of illness. Lynda had been summon

ther, ri

ssed your door you awoke and asked for a drink of water. I gave it, trembling lest you might notice my hat and coat; but you

ering so she patted the seeking hands an

uld for you all; I never let any one know; I dared not give a sign, but I want you-by and by-to go

d listened, understood, and grow

me for the father who now-in the light of her secret knowledge-she comprehended for the first time. All her life she had wondered about him. Wondered why she and Brace had not lov

ing a future rich in debts but little else, he and Lynda consequently turned their edu

riendship, for Brace during preparatory school and college had formed a deep and sincere attachment for Conning Truedale and at vacation time the two boys and Lynda were much together. To be sure the visiting was largely one-sided, as the gloom

nal that William Truedale, crippled and confined to his chair-for he had become an invalid soon after Lynda's mother's marriage-should misunderstand and cruelly misjudge the nephew who, brilliantly, but under tremendous strain, was winning his way through college on a pittance that

th or permanent disability. The shock to all the golden hope

John Morrell-an engagement into which she had drifted as so many girls do, at the age when thought has small part in primal instinct. But Conning had not di

said-the words fitting into the tune-"we'll make i

ts ambitions. It had never lost character, but it certainly had lost lustre. The houses themselves were well built and sternly correct. Wil

s and austere luxury; beyond it were bath and bedroom, both fitted out perfectly. The long, wide hall leading to these apartments was as empty and bare as when carpenter and painter left it. Two servants-husband and wife-served William Truedale, and rarely commented upon anything concerning him or their relations to him. They probabl

opening door had not roused the man by the great open fire. He seemed lost in a gloomy revery and Lynda had time to note, unobserved, the t

ot joyously, but persistently. A Russian hound, white as snow, lay before the fire; his soft, mournful eyes were fixed upon Lynda, but he did not stir or announce the intrusion. A cat and two kittens, also white, were rolled like snowba

eeks of her absence had emphasized every tragic detail of the room and the man. He had

e Wil

and fixed his deep-sunk

ght better of it?"

tter of it. Will you

e ottoman; so long as you have a spine, rel

gainst her knee. Truedale watched it-animals never came to him unless commanded-why did they go to Lynda? Probably for

isn't on my head, you felt t

ng like that,

f yours what I do with

heir absences were periods in which to store vital topics and

ncle William, but if I

hat you should judge, approv

ght cry. The hard, indignant words belied the quivering gladness of t

is well you came to-day-you might otherwise ha

a st

ad disease had attacked Truedale, his travelling had been confine

" There was a grim hum

not

air like a passionate child), "I have reached a conclusion I have always contemplated, more or less. Now that I have recognized that the time wil

you mean, Un

and put her hand on the arm of the chair. She was frightened,

with it-now I am going to play with it! I'm going to surprise every one and have a gala time myself. I'm going to set things spinning and then I'm going on a journey. It's queer" (the sneering voice fell to a murmur), "all my prison-years I've thought of this and planned it; the doing of it seems quite the simplest part. I wonder now why I have kept behind the bars when, by a little exertion-a little indifference to opinion-I migh

verish banter of Truedale affected her painfully. She reproached herself bitterly for having left him to the mercy of his loneliness and imag

yes were hidden, he permitted his gaze to rest reverently upon the bowed head. She was the only thing on earth he loved-the

break your engageme

he never lied or prevaricated to Truedale-she might keep

six mon

n't you

hing to tell,

the fact, w

es, th

id you

e that only the stricken man understood. Appeal, confusion, and detach

bell; let's have dinner. Pull down the shades and" (Truedale gave a wide gesture) "put the live

be sure, but they were also sacred duties. This one, after the lapse of time filled with new and strange emot

nt who attended now; silver and glass and linen were pe

little; he chose the rarest bits for his guest; he talked lightly-sometimes delightfully

s ignored, the long stories deliberately pushed aside-Truedal

e is for a couple recently made rich; they do not dare to move for fear of going wrong.

d making them as good as new at the same time

in short, giving a side-tracked old lady something to interest her. She doesn't know it, but I'm letting her do the work, and she's very happy. She has

harging for th

soul is so grateful that I

p me to sleep after the long stories and-when I am alone." He rarely indulged in this way-tob