The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-05

| kenzie, the son of the man who drank himself
| mad, and shot the sentry at Mallow'"
| 'You are cruel TO the last degree-cruel to re
duce yourself to this degraded position--cruel 10
| creep into this house-crue to me az you
| were cruel when yen were q boy-as your father
| was before you.' said Clara Daruel. beside her
| self with the agony of her fears, you have no
| right in this house, where there are only good
| people, people who fear God and respect them
selves. You do neither. | say you have no right
| here"
'.And I tell YOU that wherever my mother is
have right to be. ! suppose you have kept my
existence secret. Your swell husband does
| not even know there is such a person. but by
| heaven he shall know"
He spoke in q hoarse, muffled voice, which
| grew louder with his indignation against fate
| and his mother. At any moment that sound of
voices might awaken Sir Allan in the next room.
| Glare hurried to the door Of communication. 1t
was shut She drew velvet curtain
| which draped the door. and which would help TO
keep out the sound of those agitated voices.
| HE knows that had a SON." she said, but
when married him believed that you were
dead, that you had been lost in the Erl King.
| Although all the happiness OF my life depended
| upon that marriage would not have married
| him had known that you were living. No, by
! heaven, | loved him too well to bring such a
curse upon him as a stepson with your vices.
| well he has and my vices and he and
you had better make the best of me. What are
you going to DO for me, mother?" the tender
! name was uttered with cynical laugh.
| What can do If give you money you
| will throw it away on a racecourse or at a ganlb-
| ling table, whatever do for you it all comes 10
the same thing. You will drink, squander, and
degrade yourself to the condition in which you
come to me tonight, the condition of a beggar."
Because you never give me enough money.
| Give me round sum-three or four hundred
| pounds for inStance-that would start me IN a
new country"
How often have you talked of starting
! afresh, promised to begin new lfeE' question
| ed his mother bitterly. Il gave you hundred
| pounds to furnish an apartment in Paris. You
We're to study art, you were to live as other
| students live there-cheaply, unpretentiously,
| till you could earn your own maintenance For
! few months things seemed TO be going well with
| you. L hoped you were living comfortably on
| the twenty pounds month which sent you.
| Then came long story of difficulties, debts of
| honor, mysterious ENHANCEMENT which might
| lead to exposure in the newspapers, and had to
| send another hundred pounds You have drain
| ed me of the income my generous husband set
| tied on me, and which L told him was three
times too much for my wants. I have been
sneered at, talked about, for spending so little
money, for dressing less handsomely than other
| women In my position dress"
You look an object of compassion at this
moment" said her son, Surveying her with
| dlabolica sheer.
| Her plainly made black satin dinner gown, be-
coming in its severe simplicity, seemed to him
| the height Of luxury. 1t was not for him TO know
| that the gown had been worn two winters. Men
| of his stamp always think a woman is we'll
! enough dressed so long as her gown holds to-
| gether The wives of such men are supposed to
! have no right of complaint while their clothes
| are wind and weather proof.
Lady Darnel took her portemonnaie from her
| pocket.
Here are six soveregns and some silver Val
entine,' she said, offering him the contents; all
have in the world, or am likely to have, until
| Christmas"
| He took the money carelessly. indfferently.
| ut will be very little good, he said, beyond
| getting me weeks lodging, a slop suit in which
| | shall look little worse than in these rags !
| tell you that what | want-the only thing that
can do me any goods round sum of money.
! | know of a splendid opening A friend of mine
| owns vineyard near Cadlz 1t only wants
working to produce as fine sherry as the best
| that is made in the district. And he would take
me into partnership if l could give him three or
| four hundred on the nail, and could pledge
| myself to produce as much more year hence.
! That would mean, not beggarly plttance. but a
| trade, fortune. You would not be ashamed to
own a wholesale dealer in Spanish wines for your
! son. The trade is reputable, even if the wines
| are doctored. Come, mother don't tell me you
| can't find this money. You have but to ask Sir
Allan"
Il will not ask him. No, Valentine, even if
| believed in the possibility of your redemption
! would not ask that generous man to give me
more money, when, of his own accord, he has
| given me three times too much for all my reason
| able requirements. But | have no hope of your
| reform. | know that if gave you three hundred
pounds tonight it would go just as the other
| money has gone The utmost | will do for you,
| the uttermost that duty constrains me to do is
! to provide you with the means of living decently
from week to week. That | will do. and no more.
| And even to do that shall have to borrow money.
| Your demands have completely exhausted my
| resources
| VERY good. Then I must have recourse to
| someone else. There is lady in this house
upon whom my claim is second only to my claim
| upon YOU"
IA lady in this house?' repeated Clare, aghast
| with wonder
"Grace Darnel is my affianced wife. believe
man has some kind of claim upon the woman
who has promised to marry him."
My step-daugher Grace, affianced to you, to
YOU Valentine Mackenzie! You must be mad
to say such thing"
| The statement may sound preposterous, but
| it is true Miss Darnel took it into her head to
work at the Louvre just at the time | was work
| ing there. You think very likely that | never
| did so work, that my art education was alto
gether sham But there you belle me.
worked honestly enough till got sick Of an i'm
| possible profession. No matter. / was at
tracted by the young lady's appearance was
! able to pay her some small attention. and saw
! that she pleased with | contrived to
| question her duenna. | heard that she was
Miss Darnel, of Darnel Park an heiress. The
| imbroglio became interesting, and | determined
| to try my chances with Miss Darnel, whom |
really admired more than any girl had seen for
| an age"
! What an honor for Grace!"
| II contrlved to get upon confidential terms
| with her, and soon found the key to her heart
| She is generous high-spirited girl, full of ro
nance. just the girl to think the world we'll
| lost for love- We were desperately in love with
each other. A sharp attack of-of--an old com
plant OF mine brought me to deaths door"