Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-06-18

able to speak. Stella's mother never
had very high opinion of my abilities.
She now appeared to consider me the
stupidest person in the circle of her ac-
quaintance.
care you a little deaf, Winterfeld"
she asked.
"Not that 1 know Of"
"Do you understand me?"
"Oh, yes"
"Then why can't you say something?
want mans opinion of our prospects.
Good gracious, how you fidget Put
yourself in Romayne's place and tell
me this. If you had left Stella"
~ should never have left her, Mrs.
Eyrecourt."
"Be quiet. You don't know what
you would have done. I insist on your
supposing yourself to be weak, super
stitious, conceited, fanatical fool. You
understand? Now, tell me, then
could you keep away from your wife
when you were called back to her in
the name of your frst-born child ?
Could you resist that ?"
Most assuredly notw
contrived to reply with an appear
ance of tranquility. 1t was not very
easy to speak with composure En-
vious, selfish, contemplate no Ian
guage is too strong to describe the turn
my thoughts now took. l never hated
any human being as hated Romayne at
that moment. "Hang him, he will
come backp There was my inmost
feeling expressed in words.
In the meantime Mrs Eyrecourt was
satisfied. She dashed at the next sub
ject as fluent and as confident as ever.
"Now, Winterield, it is surely plain,
to your mind that you must not see
Stella again, except when L am present
to tie the tongue of scandal. My
daughters conduct must not allow her
husband-if you only knew how de-
test that man must not, say, allow
her husband the slightest excuse for
keeping away from her. If we give that
odious old Benwell the chance he will
make a priest of Romayne before we
know where we are. Did Stella tell
you that he actually shook Romayne's
belief in his own marriage? All, un-
derstand; she kept that to herself, poor
dear, and with good reason, too"
thought of the turned-down page in
the letter. Mrs. Eyrecourt readily re-
vealed what her daughters delicacy had
forbidden me to read, including the
monstrous assumption which connected
my marriage before the registrar with
her son-in-law's scruples.
"Now, tell me, Winterfeld," she con-
tinued, "don't you think-taking the
circumstances into consideration-tha that
you will act like thoroughly sensible
man, if you go back to Devonshire
while we are in our present situation
What with foot-warmers in the carriage
and newspapers and magazines to amuse
you, it isn't such very long journey.
And then Beaupark-dear Beaupark-
such remarkably comfortable house
in the winter; and you, you enviable
creature, are such popular man in the
neighborhood. Oh, go back go back"
l got up and took my hat. She patted
me on the shoulder. I could have
throttled her at that moment. And yet
she was right.
"You will make my excuses to Stella?"
I said.
"You dear, good fellow, I will do
more than make your excuses; 1 will
sing your praises, as the poet says"
In her ungovernable exultation at hay
ing got rid of me, she burst into ex-
travagant language. "I feel like
mother to you." she went on. as We
shook hands at parting, az declare |
could almost let you kiss me-"
There was not single kissable place
about Mrs. Eyrecourt mpaintcd, IN
dyed or unpowdercd. / resisted temp
taton and opened the door. There was
still one last request that l could not
help making
"Will yoi let mo know" I said,
"when you hear from Rome?"
"With the greatest pleasure" Mrs.
Eyrecourt answered, briskly. "Good-
bye, you best of frionds-good-
write these lines while the servant
is picking my portmanteau. Traveller
knows what that means. My dog is
glad, at any rate, to get away from
London. I think 1 shall hire yacht
and try what voyage around the world
will do for me. 1 wish to God had
never seen Stella.
10Th February. News at last from
Mrs, Eyrecourt.
Romayne has not even read the letter
that she addressed to hint has ac-
tually been returned to her by Father
Benwell. Mrs. Eyrecourt writes,
naturally enough. in state of fury
Her one consolation, under this insult
ing treatment, is that her daughter
knows nothing of the circumstances.