Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-05-06
T'hG Evil Genius.
ADOMESTIC STORY.
BY WILKIE COLLINS.
XXIII.

In cottage on the banks Of one Of the
Cumberland lakes two ladies were seated at
the breakfast table. The window of the
room opened on a garden which extended to
the waters edge, and on a bOathOuSe and
wooden pier beyond. On the pier little
girl was fishing, under the care of a maid.
After prevalence of rainy weather the sun
was warm this morning for the time Of year,
and the broad sheet of water alternately
darkened and frightened as the moving
masses of cloud now gathered and now part
ed over the blue beauty of the sky.
The ladies had finished their breakfast.
The elder of the twO-that is to say Mrs.
Presty-tOok up her knitting and eyed her
silent daughter with an expression of impa-
tient surprise.
Another bad night, Catherine%'
The personal attractions that distinguished
Mrs. Linley were not derived from the short
lived beauty which depends on youth and
health. Pale as she was, her face preserved
its fine outline; her features had not lost their
grace and symmetry of form. Presenting
the appearance of woman who had suffer
ed acutely, she would have been more than
ever lin the eyes of some mem a woman to
be admired and loved.
81 seldom sleep well now," she answered,
patiently.
"YOu don't give yourself a chance" Mrs.
Presty demonstrated. ''Here's fine morn
ing-come out for a sail on the lake. To-
morrow there's concert in the tOwn-let's
take tickets. There's want of what | call
elastic power in your mind, Conference.-The
very quality for which your father was so re-
markable; the very quality which Mr. Presty
used to say made him envy Mr. OrmOnd.
Look at your dress! Where's the common
sense, at your age, of wearing nothing but
black? NObOdy'S dead who belongs to us,
and yet you do your best to look as if you
were in mourning"
81 have no heart, mamma, to wear cOlOrS"
Mrs. Presty considered this reply to be I'M
worthy of notice. She went on with her
knitting, and only laid it down when the
servant brought in the letters which had ar
rived by the mornings post. They were but
two in number, and both were for Mrs. Lin
ley. In the absence Of any correspondence
of her own, Mrs. PreSty took possession of
her daughters letters.
Zone addressed in the lawyers handwrit-
ing" she announced; land one from Randall.
Which shall | open for you first?'
"RandaPS letter, if you please"
Mrs. PTeSty handed it across the table.
"Any news is relief from the dulIness of
this place." she said. eff there are no secrets,
Catherine, read it out"
There were no secrets on the first page.
Randall announced his arrival in London,
from the continent, and his intention of stay
ing there for a while. He had met with a
friend formerly an officer holding high rank
in the navy whom he was glad to see again
"a rich man, who used his wealth admirably
in the interests of the poor and helpless fel-
low-creatureS. A home" established on a
new plan, was just now engaging all his at
tentiOn; he was devOting himself so unremit-
tingly to the founding of this institution that
his doctor predicted injury to his health at
no distant date. Ii it was possible to per-
suade him to take a holiday Randall might
return to the continent as the travelling COM
paniOn of his friend.
"This must be the man whom he first met
at the club" Mrs. Presty remarked. "Well,
Catherine, L suppose there is some more of
it. What's the matter? Bad news?"
Something that [ wish Randall had not
written. Read it yourself-and don't talk of
it afterWard."
Mrs. Presty read:
Il know nothing whatever of my unfortu-
nate brother. If you think this a tOO-indul-
Shamefully wrOnged you, let my conviction
that he is already beginning to suffer the
penalty of his crime plead my excuse. Her
bertS nature is, i'll some respects, better
known to me than it is to you. l am per-
suaded that your hold on his respect and his
devotion is Sha6en-not lost. He has been
misled by one of those passing fancies, dis
aStr0uS and even criminal in their results, to
which men are liable when they are led by
no better influence than the influence of their
senses. 1t is not, and never will be, in the
nature OF women to understand this. l fear
may offend you in what am now writing,
but must speak what / believe to be the
truth at any sacrifice. Bitter repentance-if
he IS not already feeling it's in store for
Herbert when he finds himself tied to a per-
son who cannot bear comparison with you. I
say this, pitying the poor girl most sincerely,
when | think of her youth and her wretched
past life How it will end cannot presume
to say. / can only acknowledge that do
not look to the future with the absolute de-
spair which you naturally felt when l last
saw YOU"
Mrs PreSty laid the letter down, privately
resolving to write to Randall and tell him to
keep his convictions for the future to himself
a glance at her daughters face warned her,
If she said anything, to choose new sub
1ect.
The second letter still remained unnoticed.
''Shall we see what the lawyer says?' she
suggested-and opened the envelope. The
lawyer had nothing to say. He simply in
closed letter received at his office.
Mrs. Presty had long passed the age at
which emotion expresses itself Outwardly
by change of color She turned pale, never
theleSS, when she looked at the second letter.
The address was in Herbert Linley's hand
writing.
XIV.
When she was not eating her meals or
asleep in her bed absolute silence on Mrs.
Presty's part was circumstance without
precedent in the experience of her daughter.
Mrs. Presty was absolutely silent now. Mrs.
Linley looked up.
h1 a. 4hn in