The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-04-13

her, and you know the effect it had.
YES, but that was in the first hours
Of her distress. She will change"
"Then wait until she does SO. Let
them both have their own way; what
ever the result it will be better than
any we could bring about by thrusting
our wishes upon them"
Colonel Cuthbert was not much re-
lieved by this interview. but his friend
WAS
AFTER all it may not be necessary to
leave the place even temporarily" OBJ
served Mr.. Calthorpe complacently as
he looked out at the window.
CHAPTER XVI
DIVIDED LIVES.
The reply given to all inquiries after
the health of Miss Cuthbert during the
next fortnight was rapidly re over
ing" at the end of three weeks she was
able to see intimate acquaintance. and.
except that she was pale and evidently
| somewhat weak, no one would have
imagined that her illness had been more
than what she had called tritiing in
disposition. The accident of the birth
day dinner party having taken place
Immediately before she had been
obliged to deny herself to visitors
caused the report other illness to spread
rapidly, and gossps added their own
speculations to the simple statement
that she was suffering from the effects
of a sudden chill. The absence of
Maurice Calthorpe from the dinner
party had been observed at the time,
and his name was in mysterious ways
mixed up with an event which would
scarcely have attracted any attention
if the lady had not been an heiress and
a beauty.
Among the regular inquirers was Sir
Frederick Powell
At the end of month Miss Cuthbert
received callers. Those who saw her
for the first time were considerably sur
prised TO find her alking quite calmly.
and without the slightest symptoms of
there having been an thing particular
the matter. She was apparently I'M
moved even when some good -natured
ladies mentioned the Calthorpes, on the
pretext of acquaintng her with the
strange news that the ong-anticipated
ruin had come at last She displayed
nothing but the polite interest which
might be taken by any one in neigh
Dor misfortune.
"She never had thought of young
Calthorpe," was the general verdict,
and Sir Frederick Powell was convinced
that it was the right one. He was
aware that his own assiduOus attentions
ut this time were observed by the local
Argus, and he was proud that his name
should be associated in any way with
that of Mabel tuthbert.
A week later she returned number
of visits. Out-of-doors and indoors she
appeared to have taken up the ordinary
routine of her life, as if there had been
no interruption to its even tenor. The
only alteration in the establishment at
Hollyford was the appearance of a
stoutish. ruddy-iaced woman called
Mrs. O'Bryan. who was in public known
IMPLY as MabePs personal attendant,
but who was in private Mother o. Bryan,
the kind nurse and faithful friend. Mrs.
Harper was still the char eron and the
general superintendent of the house af-
fairs: but. without anything being said
or any unpleasantness. Mabel dis
pensed with her companionship in pri-
! vate as much as possible. The good
lady, oeing cutie unconscious of having
done anything to cause ofense, took
none; and en- Dyed the extra liberty AZ
forded her by the presence of Dame
OBryan.
The house reasserted its claim to rec
ignition as one of the most hospitable
in the county; numerous invitations
were re eived by the Colonel and his
daughter, and few were declined. At
first Mabel was perhaps not quite so
lively in society as she used to be: but
this being attributed to the weakness
resulting from illness, rendered her an
object of more interest than care. As
strength returned, however, she became
again one of the pleasantest compan ons
man could take in to dinner. She
would listen with flattering attention to
the intellectual. and to the stupid man
she would chatter of the things with
which he was lest acquainted, thus
aeording him opportunities of finding
occasionally something to say. Of the
two classes of men she seemed to pre-
fer the stupid ones.
Presently it was known that a house
had been taken in town and was being
furnished in such style as suggested
that the Colonel and Miss CGfhbert
thought of spending there a consider
able part of the year. There was moth.
ing in this to attract particular atten-
ton. and nothing in the cond ct of
either father or daughter to indicate
that an important crisis was being
quietly passed over In town and
country they were looked upon as re-
markably happy people. and their de-
votion to each other was shown bv their
constant conpanionship. The current
of their lives seemed to TOW on as
smoothly as il it had known no whirl-
pools.
Colonel Cuthhert and his daughter
had entered into simple compact,
namely, that there should be no ref
erence between them to Maurice or the
unhappy events associated with him.
$50 be it, Mabel" said the father,
tenderly; g if my silence can give you
any ease of mind you shall have it's
She kissed him. and that was all.
The struggle had been a hard one,
but it was over now. That letter from
Maurice had sett ed everything for her.
Mabel utbbert had extinguishel the
u Il