Part 28 (2/2)

As the secretary bowed himself out of the door he almost collided with Congressman Norton. Both glared at each other and remained silent.

”Carolina,” spoke Norton, as he entered, ”I hope--I know you won't allow your father to influence you against me--because of last night.

I--”

Carolina would rather not have met Charles Norton on this morning. She had hardly slept for the night. She had fought a battle with herself.

Her father had shown her plainly the mistake she had made. She saw that her influence had not been without effect on Randolph. Probably for the first time she realized that there are glory and luxury, pleasure and prestige for which too big a price can be paid.

The Senator's daughter turned slowly and faced the man she had promised to marry.

”Charlie, I have come to a decision. I came here to talk with father about it.”

Norton started toward Carolina, a look of apprehension on his face.

He gathered from the trend of her words and her demeanor that she had turned against him.

”You couldn't be so cruel, Carolina,” he protested.

”Charlie,” she went on, determinedly, ”I will always cherish our friends.h.i.+p, our happy younger days down in Mississippi, but, I must give up thinking of you as my future husband. We've both made a mistake, mine probably greater than yours, but I now am convinced that I should not marry you. Your way of thinking about life is all wrong, and you are too deeply entangled with the dishonest men in Was.h.i.+ngton to draw back. I cannot love you.”

”But I am doing it all for your sake, Carolina. Don't let an old-fas.h.i.+oned father come between a man and a woman and their love,”

he cried.

”Charlie, I must give you up.”

The girl turned to one side, as though to give Norton a chance to leave.

He looked at her in silence for a moment or two. Then a change came into his bearing. Wrinkling his face into a sneer, he stepped before the girl.

”You've been converted mighty sudden, I reckon, from land speculating to preaching--and preaching, too, against folks who tried to make a fortune for you.”

Norton stopped, expecting a reply, but the girl remained silent.

”You think I'm done for, that I've lost my money; that's why you turned from me so quickly,” he laughed, scornfully. ”But I'll show you, you and your blundering old father. I'll win you yet, and I'll ruin your father's political reputation. I'll--”

”Are you quite sure about that?” spoke a voice, sharply, behind the Congressman. He swung around vigorously. Bud Haines had returned in time to hear Norton's threat.

”Yes; and while I'm doing that I'll take time to show you up, too, somehow. I guess a Congressman's word will count against that of a cheap secretary--that's what Miss Langdon said you were.”

Carolina looked appealingly to Haines to rid her of the presence of this man, whose last words she knew Haines would not believe.

But Norton had had his say. He retreated to the door.

”Miss Langdon,” he cried, as he backed out and away, ”you have an idea that I am dishonest, but kindly remember that, whatever you think I am, I never was a hypocrite.”

Haines advanced and procured a chair for Miss Langdon.

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