FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146  
147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   >>  
ke a horrible dream." "You have no idea what agony it has cost me. Do you think you can go through it with me?" "I'll try, Harold. But, oh, it's hard!" "Yes." "Don't you think that Father might clear the whole matter up if we should tell him all we know? Maybe he could explain things----" "That was the first thought that occurred to me. But the longer I worked on the case, and the more I discovered of the truth, the more impossible I saw that to be. I'm not so sure that we'd want him to save his skin, anyway. He ought to face the music for his wrong just the same as any other man." Elizabeth did not once take her gaze from her brother's face, while she spoke slowly and distinctly: "Father will not be afraid to face the truth, even though it may mean financial ruin. He is brave, and he is honest now. I shall tell him all." "Don't be too hasty, Bets. I admire your spunk. But answer me this: did it strike you as strange the way Father acted that night when I announced my contemplated trip to Australia to look up Phillips?" She nodded ever so slightly. "And did it strike you as strange the way he treated Mr. McGowan when he offered to help him to his room?" "But why do you bring Mr. McGowan into this?" "Bets, if I had known one grain of the truth that night I'd have flatly refused the appointment to this case at the risk of losing my position in the firm. Father was afraid that night. Here is one more paper I wish you to read. I had it copied in Washington last week." Elizabeth unfolded the paper, and read: "Be it known that one Adoniah Phillips, after due application, and upon his own request, for reasons herein stated, is authorized to change his name to----" The paper fell to the floor. The room began to swim. The furniture violently rocked. Elizabeth reached out and clutched her brother's arm. "Mack McGowan!" she whispered faintly. "Oh, what am I saying? Why am I saying that name? What has happened to me?" "Poor little girl! I thought my little sister was stronger than that. I've been a fool for letting you read all those papers after the strain you've been through." "Mack McGowan!" she repeated. She seized the paper which her brother had lifted from the floor. "Oh, it's in that paper, and it's _his_ name! Harold, what does it mean?" "You must brace up, Beth. The man you are in love with is the son of Adoniah Phillips. He bears his father's new name." She was suddenly weary. She
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146  
147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   >>  



Top keywords:

Father

 

McGowan

 

Elizabeth

 
brother
 
Phillips
 

Adoniah

 
strike
 

strange

 

afraid

 

Harold


thought
 

application

 

request

 

losing

 

appointment

 
refused
 

flatly

 

position

 

unfolded

 
Washington

copied

 
reasons
 

whispered

 

seized

 

lifted

 

repeated

 

strain

 
letting
 

papers

 

father


suddenly

 

stronger

 

furniture

 

violently

 

rocked

 

reached

 

stated

 

authorized

 

change

 

clutched


happened

 

sister

 

faintly

 

occurred

 

longer

 

worked

 
explain
 

things

 

discovered

 

impossible