Dodge City times., 1890-05-02

vitation, Miss Henley returned to accom-
pany him to the inn.
Iris put the inevitable question to Hugh
as soon as they were out OF the Doctors
house-'.What do you say OF Mrs Vimp-
any nowy"
Il say that she must have been once an
actress" Mountjoy answered: "and that
she carries her experience OF the stage
private life"
"What do you propose to do nextr
VI propose to wait and see Mrs. Vimp.
any's husband to morrow"
"Why,"
"Nrs. Vimpany, my dear, Is too clever
for me. u-Observe, please. that l 90
her the justice of putting it in that way
II she is really Lord Harry's creature, en-
ployed to keep watch on you. and to IN
form him of your next place Of residence
in England, own that she has complete.
ly deceived me- In that case, it Is just
possible that the husband ID not such
finished and perfect humbug as the wife.
may be able to see through him. can
but try"
Iris sighed. 81 almost hope you may not
succeed she said.
Mountjoy was puzzled, and made no
attempt to conceal it. II thought you
only wanted to get at the truth" he an
swered.
my mind might be easier. perhaps,
perverse way Of thinking has set ul my
poor opinion against yours. But l am
getting back to my better sense. l be-
lieve you were entirely right when you
tried to prevent me from rushing to con-
clusions: it is more than likely that have
done Mrs. Vimpany an injustice: On.
Hugh, l ought to keep friend-I VINO
have so few friends-when have got one!
And there is another feeling in me which
j must not conceal from you. When re-
member Lord Harry's noble conduct In
trying to save poor Arthur, l cannot Oe.
lieve him capable Of such hateful deceit
as consenting to our separation, and then
What monstrous inconsistency Can any.
body believe itt Can anybody account fof
ftp"
81 think can account for it, Iris, il you
will let me make tho attempt. You are
mistaken, to begin with"
"How am mistaken"
"You shall see. There is no such crea-
ture as perfectly consistent human be-
ing on the face Of tue earth-and, strange
as it may seem to you, the human beings
themselves are not aware OF it. The rea-
son for this curious state Of things is not
far to seek. How cen people who are 1g-
norant-as we see every day-of their own
ting the characters IL others, Onr good
English readers are charmed with the
men, the woman, or the child who ID In
troduced to them by the kind novelist as
being without faults. Do they stop to
consider whether this is a true picture OF
humanity, 1t would be terrible day
for the book, If they ever did that But
the book is in no danger. Tho readers
would even fail to discover the falseness
of the picture, il they were presented to
themselves as perfect characters. We
mustn't say SO. but how wonderfully like
usp There would be the only impression
produced. / am not trying to dishearten
you: 1 want to encourage you to look at
humanity from wider and truer point
of view. Do not be too readily depressed
if YOU find your faith shaken in q person
whom you have hitherto believed to be
good. That person has been led into temp
tation Wait till time shows you that the
evil influence is not everlasting. and that
the good influence will inconsistently re-
new your faith out of the very depths OF
your despair. Humanity, in general, is
neither perfectly good nor perfectly wick.
ed: take it as you find it. Is this a hard
lesson to learn, Well, it's easy to do what
other people do, under similar circum.
stances. Listen to the unwelcome truth
to-day, my dear, and forget it to-mor.
row."
They parted at the door of the inn.