Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-09-22
NO. 225
INCORRIGIBLE.
Continued from yesterday.)

"Mr. Birley will never come at this
time of night, Kate. What is the use Of
your waitingp You'd better come up stairs
and dress, or you'll be sure to keep us at
the last" .
"Oh dear must l goP- said Kate,
wearily."
well, you know you promised, and
mama will be disappointed, aud so will
Mrs. Delaney besides. set my heart on
us going to this affair together" So there
was nothing else tor it.
IL never saw Kate look 10 such disad-
vantage" whispered Mrs Stewart in
Maud's ear. as the group entered Mrs.
Delaney's drawiDg-roOm.
Now the group included Lord Paul, by
the-way, and he seemed to see no fault in
Hates looks, Yet there Is some truth in
what her stepmother says. The poor lit
tie lass is pale As her smock,' - and the
spotless robe that is gathered up to her
slender throat makes her look like q lily or
a snow-drop. At least so thinks Lord
Paul Nethercliffe. You see it was the very
first time in their three years of betrothal
that Edgar had tailed to keep trust with
his dear love. '-'
Toward midnight Mrs. Delaney's rooms
began to ''fill." That is to say, you began
to find it difficult to move about, and oc-
casionally had to stand with your arms
pinned down to your sides. as il you were
"a trussed chicken. So Kate, attended by
Lord Paul, sought refuge on broad land
ing where groups OF Towering plants and
diinly burning colored lamps made quite
a little fairy-land. As they gladly linger-
ed in this cooler atmosphere. and while
Kate was thinking longlngly Of her quiet
room al home, and IN imagination wriung
to Gar" to know what kept him from
her side at the appointed hour, two men
standing in the doorway near which she
was seated, began to talk of something
that had happened that afternoon in the
city. "The poor fellow looked like
DEATH" said one, land the crowd behaved
as London crowd always does, abomin-
ably crushing about US so that we could
hardly get him up from the pavement.
Fortunately, Feversham, OF 81. Bartholo-l
news, was with me. and seeing the case
to be a duced bad one-heart or some
thing OF that kind-he grew peremptory
so we got the fellow into cab, and Few
ersham went home with him.
Then you found out who he was r.
chimed in the other. "That was lucky, I
must say"
yes; and wasn't 1t odd, he turned OFT
to be son Of that old Birley Who went
to the dogs two or three years since, and
whom my father knew intimately at one
time" While this man was speaking,
Lord Netherciffe :elt hand grasp his
arm convulsively saw white face raised
as II in protest against some agonizing
blow and in moment he was standing
by Katie's side, and supporting her on his
arm. BY mighty effort she recovered
herself from momentary Inconsistencies
and shrinking back, covered her eyes with
her hands. Then after moment or two
OF silence, during which he had shielded
her IRON the observatio Of others, Kate
looked up at him and spoke. Lord Paul."
she said, you have always been very
kind to me--ever since knew you-and
now | want you to do something for me.
viii you wait ut the cloak-ruom door
while get my cloak ? aud then--I want
you TO lake me somewhere, to see--a-
iriend-who is ill. must CO." she added
seeing the astonlshment he felt written on
his face, land ii you won't take me, |
must go alone f
But had not better 60 and find Mrs.
Stewart or your sister ?"
| "NO--no--no," said Kate, holding
tightly to his arm, and trembling, as he
could feel, from head to loot. Either do
as ask you-and may God be with you
in your own hour OF sorrow ii YOU door
leave me--and let me 20 alone.'' Five
minutes more and they were speeding
along eastward. Ms fast as q hanson could
carry them. Twice only had Kate spoken.
Once to give the address Of Edar's home,
and again to say. under her breath, "TeTl
him TO drive fast, please" N+sf" 81
Then she leaned her head against the side
of the cab, and oh the awful fixed look of
agony upon her poor little dead-w hite face!
Her hands. clasped one In the other, lay
upon her lap, and writhed and twisted in
an anguish OF impatience. There was such
passion, such pathos. in the girls silent
might of suffering, that Lord Paul Nether-
cliffe was held dumb by reverential pity.
such as In all his life before he had never
felt for any human being!
He dared not ask her one single ques-
! ton any selfish hopes that he had with
re gard to her died out utterly; he recog-
nized that she was woman who loved
passionately and intensely some other than
himself. and that that loved one lay sick,
perhaps-who might say--uuto death. To
help her, to comfort her, that was all he
hoped for now. In silence they traverse
! tno Ss'h icntiSSo wy, tpo VII thde ucNct
seems to sleep; and at lsst-at last--the
goal of Kale's agonized longing was
reached. 1t was small house in a narrow
street, and lights moved about in the
rooms, as you may always see when sud
den Illness, or a still more CHASTITY visitant
is present. Some one rang the bell then
the door was opened by Edgar's youngest
sister, Jessie She gave little pititul cry
at the sight of Katie standing there In all
the grandeur OF her floating rube. with
Jewels glitering in her coronal OF hair, and.
without word. led her up the narrow
stair.
Lord Paul Nethercliffe dismissed the
cabman with iare that opened the mans
eyes TO their fullest extent, and sent him
homeward jubilant; and then he waited in
the little dingy parlor. where his own sa-
gacity, in default OF any other guide. had
learnt him to penetrate. Indeed there was
nothing for 1t but to wait, until it pleased
some one TO remember his existence. He
! could hear from the room above the sound