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

L am sorry 10 near III SAID.
care you thinking of the Lorings?" ?"
she asked.
"I don't even know the Lorings.
can think of nobody but you"
I was still looking at her, and I am
afraid my eyes said more than my words.
If she had doubted it before she must
have now known that was as fond OF
her as ever. She looked distressed
rather than confused. 1 made an
awkward attempt to set myself right.
"Surely your brother may speak
plainly" 1 said.
She agreed to this. But, neverthe-
less, she rose to go with friendly word
intended las 1 hoped) to show me that
| had got my pardon for that time.
"Will you come and see us to-mor-
row." she said. "Can you forgive my
mother as generously as you have for
given me? will take care, Bernard,
that she does you justice at last"
She held out her hand to take leave.
How could reply? If l had been a
resolute man might have remembered
that it would be best for me not too see
too much of her But 1 am q poor
weak creature. 1 accepted her invita-
tion for the next day.
30h January. have just returned
from my visit.
My thoughts are in state of indie
scribable conflict and confusion, and
her mother is the cause of it, L wish
had not gone to the house. Am 1 a bad
man, I wonder, and have I only found
it out now?
Mrs. Eyrecourt was alone in the
drawing-room when l went in. Judging
by the easy manner in which she got
up to receive me the misfortune which
has befallen her daughter seemed to
have produced no SOLDERING change in
this frivolous woman.
"My dear Winterfeld," she began.
"I have behaved UNANIMOUSLY. I won't
say that appearances were against you;
I will only say I ought not to have
trusted appearances. You are the in.
iured person; please forgive me. Shall
we go on with the subject or shall
we shake hands and say no more about
it?"
I shook hands, of course. Mrs. Eyre
court perceived that was looking fol
Stella.
"Sit down." she said, "and be good
enough to put up with no more attract
i've society than mine. Unless I sci
things straight, my good friend, you and
my daughter-oh, with the best inten
tions, will drift into false position
You won't see Stella to-day. Quite i'm
possible--and I will tell you why.
am the worldly old mother; 1 doh
mind what I say. My innocent daugh.
ter would die before she would confess
what l am going to tell you. Can ]
offer you anything? Have you had
lunch?"
l begged her to continue. She per.
picked, am not sure that she did not
even alarm, me.
every WE'LL" she proceeded. You
may be surprised to hear it, but don't
mean to allow things to go on in this
way. My contemplate son-in-law shall
return to his wife"
This startled me, and I suppose /
showed it.
"Wait little" said Mrs. Eyrecourt
"there is nothing to be alarmed about
Romayne is weak fool, and Father
Benwell's hands are (of course) in both
his pockets. But he has, unless am
entirely mistaken, some small sense OF
shame and some little human feeling
still left After the manner in which
he has behaved these are the merest
possibilities, you will say. Very likely.
have boldly appealed to those posi-
bilities, nevertheless. He has already
gone away to Rome, and I need scarcely
add Father Benwell would take good
care of that = he has left us no address.
1t doesn't in the least matter. One OF
the advantages of being so much in
society as I am is that have nice ac.
quaintances everywhere, always ready
to oblige me, provided 1 don't borrow
money of them. / have written to Ro.
mayne under cover to one of my friends
living in Rome. Wherever he may be
there will my letter find him."
So far listened quietly enough, natu-
rally supposing that Mrs. Eyrecoult
trusted to her own arguments and per-
suasions. 1t was relief to me to feel
that the chances were hundred to one
against her.
This unworthy way of thinking was
instantly checked by Mrs. Eyrecourt's
next words.
"Don't suppose that I am foolish
enough to attempt to reason with him ?"
she went on. "My letter begins and
ends on the first page. His wife has a
claim on him which no newly-marriel
man can resist. Let me do him justice
He knew nothing of it before he went