Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 March 1907 — THE CONQUEST of CANAAN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE CONQUEST o f CANAAN

By BOOTH TARKINGTON,

Author of “Cherry." "Monsieur Beaucaire,” Etc.

SYNOrsiS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. Chapter l—Eugene Bantry. a Canaan (Ind.,) young man, who lias been east to college, returns home and astounds the natives by the fforgeousnesa of his raiment Hia stepbrother, Joe Loudin. is characterized by the aged male gossips who dally assemble at the National House for argument as the good for nothing associate of doubtful characters. II Eugene's appearance has a pronounced effect upon Mamie Pilte, whose father. Judge Pike, is the wealthiest and most prominent citizen of Canaan. Joe worships Mamie from afar. Eugene interferes in a snow tight between Joe and his hoidenish and very poor girl friend, Ariel Taber, who is wofstea. Ariel hotly resents the interference and slaps Eugene, who sends her home. Ill—Ariel, unbecomingly attired, attends Mamie Pike’s ball. IV—Joe, concealed behind some plants on the Pike veranda, watches hungrily for a glimpse of Minnie. Ariel Is ignored by most of the guests. Ariel discovers Joe, nut shortly afterward, learning that her uncle, Jonas Tabor, has died suddenly, leaves. The Daily Tocsin oi the neat day tells of Joe's discovery on the Pike veranda and of his pursuit and escape therefrom. It also refers to wounds in the head of himself and of Norbert Flitcroft, who detected him. Joe retires to the "Beach,” a low resort kept by his friend, Mike Sheehan, who dresses his wound. VI - Joe leaves Mike's place. He visits Ariel Tabor, who, by the death of her Uncle Jonas, has become rich. She wishes Joe to accompany her and her grandfather to Paris. Joe refuses and leaves Canaan to avoid arrest for the trouble at Judge Pike’s. Vll—Joe is heard from two years later as a ticket seller for a side show. Eugene Bantry also meets him seven years later in a low resort in New York, but wisely refrains from advertising it. VIII—Joe returns to Canaan a full-fledged lawyer. Even his fattier ignores kim. and be is refused accommodations at the National house. IX—Joe is welcomed at the "Beach.” and "Happy Pear." one of Joe's admirers, seriously assualts Nashville Cory, a detractor. At the end of Happy's term in prison he visits Joe, who now has a law office on the square, with a living room adjoining. Joe lias a large practice, principally among the lower classes, and Is frequently attacked by the Tocsin. Joe begins, in his lonllness, to yield to the seductions of the bottle. Banlry’s engagment to Mamie Pike is announced. Bantry is now associate editor of the Tocsin, owned by Judge Pike X—Joe awakens after a “bad night” with the words, "Remember, across the Main street bridge at noon.” ringing in his ears. He goes there and Is presently joined by the most Beautifully dressed girl he has ever aeen. XI —She turns out to be Ariel Tabor, arrived in Canaan the nijfht before from her long sojourn In Paris. She hag seen Joe as she alighted from the train and. realizing his condition, bad escorted him home after exacting from him a promise to meet her tim next day (Sunday) across the Main street bridge at noon. Joe learns that Ariel is stopDlngat Judge Pike’s home, the judge having entire charge of her money, etc. CHAPTER XII. MAMIE, waiting Just Inside the door ns Ariel and Eugene entered, gave the visitor a pale greeting and a moment Inter, hearing the wheels of the brougham crunch the gravel of the carriage drive, hurried away down the broad ball and disappeared. Ariel dropped her parasol upon a marble topped table near the door and, removing her gloves, drifted Into a room at the left, where a grand piano found shelter beneath crimson plush. After a moment of contemplation she pushed back the coverlet and, seating herself upon the plush covered piano stool (to match), let her fingers run up and down the keyboard once and fall listlessly in her lap as she gnzerl with deep interest at three life sized colored photographs In carved gilt frames upou the wall she was facing-Judge Pike, Muinle and Mrs. Tike, with her rubies. “Please don't stop playing. Miss Tabor,” said a voice behind her. She had not observed that Eugene had followed her Into the room. “Very well. If you like,” she answer «d, looking up to smile absently at him, and she began to play a rakish little air which, composed by some rattlebrain at a case table, had lately skipped out of the Moulin Rouge to disport Itself over Paris. She ployed it slowly in the minor, with elfish pathos, while he lea nisi upon the piano, his eyes fixisl upon her fingers, which bore few rings—none, he observed with an unreasonable pleasure, upon the third finger of the left hand. “It’s one of those simpler Grieg things, Isn’t it?” he said, sighing gently. “I care for Grieg.” “Would you mind its being Cliamlnade?” she returned, dropping her eyes to cloak the sin. “Ah, no; I recognize It now,” replied Eugene. “He appeals to me even more than Grelg.” At this she glanced quickly up at him, but more cjulekly down again, anil hastened the time emphatically, swinging the little air Into the major. “Do you play ‘The Pilgrim’s Chorus?’ ” She shook her head. “Vous name pas Wagner?” inquired Eugene, leaning toward her. “Oh, yes,” she answered, bending her head far over, so that her face was concealed from him, except the chin, which, he saw with a thrill of inexplicable emotion, was trembling slightly. There were some small white flowers upon her hat, and these shook too. When she turned to him he was surprised to see that she looked astonishingly happy, almost as If she had been struggling with joy instead of pain. “This chair,” she said, sinking into It, “makes me feel at home.” Naturally he could not understand. “Because,” she explained, “I once thought I was going to live in It. It has been reupholstered, but I should know It If I met it nnywhere In the world.” “How very odd!” exclaimed Eugene, staring. “I settled here In pioneer days,” she went on, tapping the arms lightly with her finger tips. “It was the last dance I went to In Canaan." “I fear the town was very provincial at that time,” he returned, having completely forgotten the occasion ahe mentioned, therefore wishing to shift the

subject. “I fear you may still find It so. There Is not much here that one Is In sympathy with intellectually—few people really of the world.” “Few people, I suppose you mean,” sho said softly, with a look that went deep into Ills eyes—“few people who really understand one.” Eugene had seated himself on the sill of an open window close by. “There has been,” he answered, with the ghost of a sigh, “no one.” Mamie appeared in the doorway, nnd Eugene rose swiftly. “I have been trying to persuade Miss Tabor,” he explained, with something too much of laughter, "to play again. You heard that little thing of Chaminade’s”— Mamie did not appear to hear him. She entered breathlessly, and there was no color in her cheeks. “Ariel,” she exclaimed, “I don’t want you to think I’m a tale bearer”—

‘Oh, my dear!” Ariel said, with a gesture of deprecation. “No," Miss Dike went on, nil in one breath, “but I am afraid you will think it, because papa knows, and he wants to see you.” “What is It that he knows?” “That you were walking with Joseph Louden!” (This was as if she had said, “That you poisoned your mother.”) “I didn’t tell him, but when he saw you with him I was troubled and asked Eugene what I’d better do, because be always knows what is best.”

Isn't it t" he said. (Mr. Man try’s expression, despite this tribute, was not happy.) “And he advised me to tell mamma about it and leave It in her hands. But she always tells papa everything”— “Certainly; that is understood,” said Ariel slowly, turning to smile at Eugene. The daughter of the house exhibited signs of consternation. “Lie wants to see you,” she repeated fulterlngiy. “He's in the library.” Having thus discharged her errand, she hastened to the front door, which had been left open, and out to the stops, evidently with the intention of removing herself as soon and as far as possible from the vicinity of the library. Eugene, visibly perturbed, followed her to the doorway of the room and paused. “Do you know the way?” ho inquired, with a note of solemnity. “Where?” Ariel had not risen. “To the library.” “Of course.” she said, beaming upon him. “I was about to ask you if you wouldn’t speak to the Judge for me. This Is such a comfortable old friend, this chair.” “Speak to him for you?” repented the nonplused Eugene. She nodded cheerfully. “If I may trouble you. Tell him certainly I shall be glad to see him.” Eugene went. There was nothing else to do. And he wished with every step that the distance to the portals of the library might have been greater. In whatever guise lie delivered the summons, It was perfectly efficacious. A door slammed, a heavy nnd rapid trend was heard In the hull, and Ariel without otherwise moving, turned her head and offered a brlllinnt smile of greeting. “It was good of you,” sho said ns the doorway filled with red, imperial wrath, “to wish to have a little chat with me. I'm anxious, of course, to go over my affairs with you, and last night after my journey I was too tired. But now we might begin, not In detail, of course, Just yet. That will do for later when I’ve learned more about business.” The great one had stopped on the threshold. “Madam,” lie began coldly, "when I say my library I mean m.v”— “Oil, yes,” she Interrupted, with aqfinble weariness; “I know. Yon mean yon keep all the papers and books of the estate In there, but I think we’d better put them off for a few days”—

“I’m not talking- about the estate!” he exclaimed. “What I want to talk to you nbout la being seen with Joseph Louden!” “Yes,” she nodded brightly. “That’s along the line we must take up first.” “Yes. it Is!” He hurled his bull bass at her. “You knew everything about him and his standing in this community! I know you did, because Mrs. Pike told me you asked nil about him from Mamie after you came last night, and. see here, don’t you”— “Oh, but I knew before that,” she laughed. “I had a correspondent In Canaan, one who has always taken a great Interest in Mr. Louden. I asked Miss Pike only to get her own point of view.” “I want to tell you, mndnm,” he shouted, coming toward her, “that no member of my household”— “That’s another point we must take up today. I’m glad you remind tne of it,” she said thoughtfully, yet with so magically compelling an intonation that he stopped his shouting In the middle of a word, stopped with an apoplectic splutter. “We must arrange to put the old house In order at once." •‘We’ll arrange nothing of the sort,” he responded after a moment of angry silence. “You’re going to stay right here.”

“Ah, I know your hospitality,” she bowed graciously. “But of course I must not tax It too far. And about Mr. Louden? As I said I want to speak to you about him.” “Yes," he intervened harshly, “so do I, and I'm going to do it quick! You’ll find”— Again she mysteriously batlled him. “lie’s a dear old friend of mine, you know, anil I have made up my mind that we both need bis help, you and I.” “What!” “Yes,” she continued calmly, ‘’in a business way, I mean. I know you have great interests in a huudred directions, all more important than mine. It isn’t fair that you should bear the whole burden of my affairs, and I think It will be best to retain Mr. Louden as my man of business. He could take all the cares of the estate off your shoulders.” Martin Pike spoke no word, but he looked at her strangely, and she watched him with sudden keenness, leaning forward in her chair, her gaze alert but quiet, fixed oil the dilating pupils of his eyes. He seemed to become dizzy, and the choleric scarlet which had overspread his broad face and big neck faded splotehily. Still keeping her eyes upon him, she went on: “I haven’t asked him yet. and so 1 don’t know whether or not he'll consent, but I think it possible that he may come to see me this afternoon, and if he does we can propose It to him together and go over tilings a little.”

Judge Pike recovered his voice. “He’ll get a warm welcome,” he promised huskily, “if he sets foot ou my premises!” “You mean you prefer I shouldn’t receive him here?” She nodded pleasantly. “Then certainly I shall not. Such things are much better for offices; you are quite right.” She swept lightly and quickly to the door, where she paused, gathering her skirts. “I shall not detain you another instant! And if Mr. Louden conies this afternoon I’ll remember. I’ll not let him come in, of course. It will be perhaps pleasanter to talk over my proposition as we walk!” There was a very faint, spicy odor, like wild roses and cinnamon, left in the room where Martin Pike stood alone, staring whitely at the open doorway.

Ito be continued !

"It's one of those simpler Oriea tliinjs.