The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-24

am wicked. too I thought that a girl who was
refined and good would hate such man from in
stinct But I-mamma, i do not bate him. I do
not; never have hated him from the first"
Her mother drew her into her arms upon the
pillow beside her.
'Tell me about it, Nell. !" she said as softly AS
If she were soothing child. "You know I will
understand, darling. We have always under
stood each other. It will be better for you to
speak"
YES said Nell, ut will be better. And
told myself tonight, after what happened. that |
would not deceive myself or you any longer. /
used to deceive myself at first I hated every
thing heard of him. and thought disliked
him, too. / told myself he was bold and pre-
suming but, mamma. if he were not what he is
we should not call him so because-because he
would not give up withouts struggle. the woman
he loved! We should not condemn him because
he tried to be near her, because he had beautiful
eyes and they followed her always. Those are
not crimes mamma"
mo, dear; no." tenderly.
"But tried to think them so at first" Nell
went on. II have always treated him coldly
and disdainfully. / would never hear him. /
never will hear him; but do not hate him.
And if he were not Jack Hamilton all he has
said to me would be just and true"
And he has said -w said her mother.
He has said he loves me. He has said have
been cruel to him. He has said / ought to tell
him why hate him. He has said he suffers
been crnel. He io suffering now. He did not
lie to me about that. I saw it in his facew
And you have said-T put in the mother
again.
Il have said that we have no words to say TO
each other. / have said that he is less than
nothing to me. have said that it is not only
hatred feel for him, but contempt. And,
despise me, mamma-be ashamed of me. for /
am ashamed of myself-it is not true!"
But it was best, Nell, dear-it was best. said
brave and in the right when you did it. It is
true that you hate his wickedness 1t is-it is
what he might have been that you care for"
Oh" said Nell. hidden upon her shoulder,
"do you-do you think it isl"
Eyes, DEAR
''And you are not-not ashamed Of me- NAM
maj"
Mrs. Huntingdon kissed her hair in rather a
hesitating way, as if to give herself moments
time.
"Nell," she said, 81 could not be without be-
ing ashamed of myself too. IL must confess,
also. my dear" rather meekly, II am older than
you, and 1t has been against my principles, but
but have liked him, too"
There was a start and Nell lifted her face.
No light was needed to tell her mother that it
was flooded with warm color
"Oh, mammal" she cried, 'darling!" and she
clasped her in her arms and kissed her again
and again, her soft tears falling.
Think kindly Of him if you can" she said
because may not"
The day after, North Brabant was surprised
by rumor that the Huntingdon cottage was
closed. and that the mother and daughter had
gone away. This rumor Mrs. Maria Hunting
don received in . spirit of severe disbelief.
1T is impossible" she said. They never
mentioned it to me-" And making visit Of
inquiry and finding only servants at the house,
she returned to Owlet's Nest dumb with proper
indignation at not having been consulted.
ut was quite sudden, ms'am, said the woman
she saw. miss Huntingdon had been quite un-
well. Mrs. Huntingdon was anxious and
thought she needed change That was the
reason"
They did not return to North Brabant. Their
friends heard of them occasionally as being some
times at one mountain resort, sometimes at an
other. They did not seem to remain more than
few days anywhere.
"Are you fleeing from some pursuer, NeIlg"
Hester Beverly wrote once. Marion and have
decided that you are in hiding as Jack Hamil-
ton was when he was in London. It seems that
Professor Chatterton recognized him, when he
was here. as young man who had done some
thing so dshonorable when he was in London
that he barely escaped the penalty of the law
through his cousins efforts, and But forgot;
you don't like to hear Of it."
1t was very late in the season. The last scar
let, yellow and brown leaves had duttered to the
ground and disappeared, when the Huntingdons'
town house was opened, and at first there was
some doubt as to whether it would not soon be
closed again, as Mrs. Huntingdon had spoken Of
q half formed plan of going abroad. Miss Hunt
ingdon was not exactly strong, and the voyage
and change might be beneficial to her. But this
plan was abandoned when Donald Huntingdon
announced his intention of coming home.
1t was an intention announced quite suddenly,
and the letter containing the news ended by say
ing that he might follow on the next steamer.
A year before, Nell's pleasure at hearing this
would have amounted to delight. but now, when
her mother closed the letter and looked up at her
she saw a new shadow in her eyes. She under
stood its meaning LATER when in the course of
the day Nell, standing near the fire with her back
towards her, said:
Mamma, you are very clever, you know. You
can always arrange things"
us there anything to arrange, NellP
Eyes, if you will Will you arrange it that
Donald shall not speak of-that person. or tell
any of the stories about him when can hear
themg I should not like to hear them, mamma. "
II will arrange it. Nell, )" her mother answered.
That was ALL They rarely referred to what had
passed. The next few days Nell found album
dance of occupation. She undertook the ar
rdDgemeHt OF 00r Or0t09rS rOOmS. ono maze
many changes in them and many additions to
their adornments. She made pigrimages to
town and filled every hour The rooms were
very charming and complete when she had fin
ished, and. indeed. the whole house wore an air
of greeting.
NAs the arrival might be expected almost any
day, it was her habit each day to spend half an
hour in the lower rooms arranging fresh flowers
in the jars and so it happened that one after.
noon. about week after the receipt Of the let
ter she was in the parlor when a servant, who
did not know she was there. opened the door and
ushered in a visitor.
She turned, her branch of yellow roses in her
hand; the servant had retired without seeing
her; the visitor himself did not soc her until he
had advanced toward the fireplace There hs
stopped with . start, quickly putting his hand
on the back Of the chair he had been about to sit
down in. and turned toward her the agitated
face of Jack Hamilton.
1t was even more agitated than it had been
when she had seen it last; and there was, as he