Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-12-12
The Evil Genius.
DON.,>:lI STORY.
BEFORE THE STORY.

p -
t. ~ hardly caH>riol- of the kind reception
wl.cA dia Il h,.-i - -; hcg 1t her ease.
AM iil.,.r" We tu" inst words that
escaped Lrr on ru,.l '.-, TIE room. Treasured
l., the answer. she tanned back L. the door;
,a-,'r 10 hurry upstairs 10 Kitty ; bedside.
Mrs. linlels gentle hand detained her.
The doctor had left certain instructions,
vAIni,,-. the mt'ther Ia guard against any ac-
cidrlt that might remind Kitty of tie day on
which sydney Lad lett her. At the time of
that bitter parting the child had seen her gov
ernc>s in tie same walking dress which she
Wore now. Mrs. linley removed the hat and
cloak and laid them on a chair.
"Thcrr is on other precaution which we
must observe" She said; Il must ask you TO
wait in my room until | find that You may
show Yourself safely. Now come with me-
Mrs PrcSty followed ZEN, and begged
earnestly for leave Ia wa! the result of the
monentous experiment al the door of kitty's
bedroom Her self-asScIting manner had
vanished: she was quiet, She was even hum
bic While the last chance for the childS
life was fast becoming a matter OF minutes
only the grandmothers better nature sho@-
ed itself on the surface. Randall opened the
door FOR tht III ii, the three went out together.
lie was in that state of maddening anxiety
about his poor little niece in which men OF
his imaginative temperament become morbid
and say strangely inappropriate things. In
the same breath with which he implOred his
sister-in-law to let him hear what had hap
pened, without an instant OF delay, he start
led Mrs Pest, b., one of his familiar re-
l.lalas on the Inconsistencies in her character.
"You dsagrecabe old woman" he whisper
ed as she passed him, you have got heart
after all
Left alone, he was never for one moment
In repose, while the slow minutes followed
each other In the silent house.
He walked about the room. he listened at
the door, he arranged and disarranged the
furniture. When the nursemaid descended
from the upper regions with her mistress
message for him, he ran out to meet her, saw
the good news in her smiling face, and, for
the first and last time in his life, kissed one
of his brothers female servants. Susan-a
well-bred young person, thoroughly capable
in ordinary cases of saying For shame, STRIP
and looking as If she expected to feel an arm
round her waist next-trembled with terror
under that astounding salute. Her masters
brother, a pattern of proprieiy up to that
d
to be incapable of kissing a woman unless
she had right to insist OH it in the licensed
character of his wife, had evidently taken
leave of his senses. Would he bite her next?
No; he only looked confused, and said (how
very extraordinary that he would never do
1t again. Susan gave her message gravely.
Here was an unintelligible man; she felt the
necessity of being careful in her choice of
words
miss Kitty stared at Miss Westerfeld-
only for moment, Sir-as If she didn't quite
understand, and then knew her again direct
ly. The doctor has just called. He drew up
the blind to let the light in, and he looked,
and he says: "Only be careful" Ten
der-hearted Susan broke down and began to
cry. II can't help it, sir; We are all SO fond
OF Miss Kitty, and we are so happy. Only
be careful those were the exact words, if
you please, and / answer for her life Oh,
dear! what have l said to make him run
away from mey'
Randall had left her abruptly and had shut
himself into the drawing-rOOm. Susan's ex-
perience of men had not yet informed her
that trne Engishman is ashamed to be
seen with the tears in his eyes.
He had barely succeeded in composing
himself when another servant appeared this
time MANI with something to say to him.
II don't know whether have done right,
sir" Malcolm began. There's stranger
downstairs among the tourists who are look
ing at the rooms and the pictures. He said
he knew you. And he asked if you were not
related to the gentleman who allowed travel
ers to see his interesting old house."
''Well?'
'Well, sir, l said Yes And then he
wanted to know IL you happened to be here
at the present time"
Randall cut the mans story short "And
you said Yes again, and he gave you his
card. Let me look at it."
Malcolm produced the card and instantly
received instructions to show the gentleman
up. The name recalled the dinner at the
London club-Capt Bennydeck.
XIX.
The fair complexion of the captains youth
full days had been darkened by exposure to
hard weather and extreme climates. His
smooth face of twenty years since was scored
by the telltale marks Of care; his dark beard
was beginning to present variety Of color by
means of streaks of gray, and his hair was in
course Of undisguised retreat from his strong,
broad forehead. Not rising above the middle
height the captains spare figure was well
preserved. 1t revealed power and activity,
severely tested perhaps at some former time,
but capable even yet Of endurance under trial.
Although he looked older than his age, he
was still personally speaking an attractive
man. In repOse his eyes were by habit sad
and little weary in their expression. They
only caught a brighter light when ne smiled.
At such times, helped by this change and by
his simple, earnest manner, they recommend
ed him to his fellOw-creatures before he open
ed his lips. Men and women taking shelter
with him, for instance, from the rain found
the temptation to talk with Capt Bennydeck
irresistible; and, when the weather cleared,
they mostly carried away with them the
same favorable impression: Zone would
like to meet with that gentleman again."
Randal'S first words Of welcome relieved
the captain of certain modest doubts Of his
reception, which appeared to trouble him
when he entered the room. Il am glad to
find you remember me as kindly as remem-
Der you" Those were his first words when
he and Randall shook hands.
"You might have felt sure of that" Ran
dal said.
The captains modesty still doubted. 'You
me. We met at a dull dinner, among weari-
some, worldly men, full of boastful talk
about themselves. 1t was all L did this and
Il said that'-and the gentlemen who were
present had always been right; and the gem
tlemen who were absent had always been
wrong. And, oh, dear, when they came to
politics, how they Dragged about what they
would have done if they had only been at
the head Of the government; and how cruelty
hard to please they were in the matter OF
winel Do you remember recommending me
to spend my next holiday in Scotlands"
Perfectly. My advice was selfish-it real
ly meant that I wanted to see you again."
"And you have your wish, at your BROTH
ers house! The guide-bOOk did it First 1
saw your family name. Then read on and
discovered that there were pictures at Mount
Morven, and that strangers were allowed to
see them. like pictures. And here am"
This allusiOn to the house naturally re-
minded Randall of the master. II wish l
could introduce you to my brother and his
wife," he said. "Unhappily, their only
child is ill"
Capt. Bennydeck started to his feet. II
am ashamed of having intruded on YOU" he
began. His new friend pressed him back In
70 his chair without ceremony. ION the
contrary. you have arrived at the best of all
possible times-the time when our suspense
Is at an end. The doctor has Just told us
.llat Ills poor little patient Is out of danger.
You may imagine how happy we are"
And how grateful to GOdr' The captain
said those words in tones that trembled-
speaking to himself.
handai was conscious Of feeling momen-
tary embarrassment The character Of his
visitor had presented itsaIf in N non. li~lx