born and raised there. I went
to school with Nell Warren. That was your wife's maiden name. She was
a beautiful, gay girl. All the fellows were in love with her. I knew
Bob Burton well. He was a splendid fellow, but wild. Nobody ever knew
for sure, but we all supposed he was engaged to marry Nell. He left
Peoria, however, and soon after that the truth about Nell came out.
She ran away. It was at least a couple of months before Burton showed
up in Peoria. He did not stay long. Then for years nothing was heard
of either of them. When word did come Nell was in Oklahoma, Burton was
in Denver. There's chance, of course, that Burton followed Nell and
married her. That would account for Nell Warren taking the name of
Burton. But it isn't likely. None of us ever heard of such a thing
and wouldn't have believed it if we had. The affair seemed destined to
end unfortunately. But Belding, while I'm at it, I want to say that
Nell Warren was one of the sweetest, finest, truest girls in the world.
If she drifted to the Southwest and kept her past a secret that was
only natural. Certainly it should not be held against her. Why, she
was only a child--a girl--seventeen--eighteen years old.... In a moment
of amazement--when I recognized your wife as an old schoolmate--I
blurted the thing out to Radford. You see now how little it matters to
me when I ask your stepdaughter's hand in marriage for my son."

Belding stood listening. The genuine emotion in Chase's voice was as
strong as the ring of truth. Belding knew truth when he heard it. The
revelation did not surprise him. Belding did not soften, for he
devined that Chase's emotion was due to the probing of an old wound,
the recalling of a past both happy and painful. Still, human nature
was so strange that perhaps kindness and sympathy might yet have a
place in this Chase's heart. Belding did not believe so, but he was
willing to give Chase the benefit of the doubt.

"So you told my wife you'd respect her secret--keep her dishonor from
husband and daughter?" demanded Belding, his dark gaze sweeping back
from the lane.

"What! I--I" stammered Chase.

"You made your son swear to be a man and die before he'd hint the thing
to Nell?" went on Belding, and his voice rang louder.

Ben Chase had no answer. The red left his face. His son slunk back
against the fence.

"I say you never held this secret over the heads of my wife and her
daughter?" thundered Belding.