Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-11-28
A DONIESTiC STORY.

was aS!nn'Sh"d hy tic appearance of her
Cr'r !..'.ldcr, entering on tiptoe from the
corridor, with i small paper parcel in her
hand.
''Whi>p'r. said Mrs. Presiy, pointing TO
the open door Of communication with Mrs
Linley's room. This is your birthday pres
cnt. You mustn't look at it till YOU wake
tomorrow morning" She pushed the parcel
under the pillow, ami instead O! saving
good-night. took chair and sat down
May show my present." KITTY asked,
''when 90 Ia mamma in the morning.
The prcScn; hidden under the pIp,r wIap-
per was siApcnny picturc-boo&. KITTY 3
grandmother disapproyed OF spending money
lavishy on birthday gifts to children. Show
il, of course, and take the greatest care of
It," Mrs. Pr>:y answered, gravely. But
tell me one thing, my dear, wouldn't YOU
like to see all your presents early in the
morning. ike mine.''
Still Smarting under &. recollection Of ;ler
interview with her son: claw, Mrs. PIcsty
had certain ends 20 :.ain in putting this idea
into the child's heal. / was her special OBJ
jcct 10 raise domestic q ,Stacles to a private
interview between the husband and wife
during the earlier hours of the day. II the
gifts usually presented ter the Nursery din
ner were pro'.r"c,i on this occasion after
breakfast t.i,rc would b. a period of delay
before any confidential conversation could
take place between Mr.. and Mrs. Lincy. In
this interval Mrs. Presty saw her oDnortuni-
~ or setting Linley's authority at defiance
by rousing the first jealous suspicion in the
mind of his wife.
Innocent little Kitty became her grand
mother acconplIce on the spot Il shall
ASK mamma to let Inc have my presents at
breakfast time" She announced.
And kind mamma will say yes" Mrs.
Presty chimed in. I'VE will breakfast early,
my precious child. Goodnight"
Kitty was half asleep when her governess
entered the room afterward, much later than
usual. II thought you had forgotten me-"
she said, yawning and stretching out her
plump little arms.
Sydney'S heart ached when she thought of
the separation that was to come with the
next day. Her despair forced its way to ex-
preston in words. Il wish l could forget
you" she answered, In reckless wrctched-
ness.
The child was still too drowsy to hear plain
ly. "What did you say?' SHE asked. sgd
ney gently lifted her in the bed and kissed
her again and again. Ktty's sleepy eyes
opened in surprise. ''II0w cold your hands
arer' she caid; land how often you kiss me-
l am going to make joke, Sgd. Which is
1t you are going to say to me-good-night or
goodbye
Sydney laid her down again on the pillow,
gave her last kiss. and ran out of the room.
In the corridor she heard Lnley's voice on
the lower floor. He was asking one of the
servants II Miss Westerfield was In the house
q In the garden. Her first impulse was TO
advance to the stairs and to answer his queS-
ton. In moment more the remembrance
Of Mrs. Linley checked her. She went back
10 her bedchamber.
The presents that she had received since
her arrival at Mount Morven were al laid
out 20 that they could be easily seen by any
person entering the room after she had left
the house. On the sofa lay the pretty new
dress which she had worn at the evening
party. Other little gifts were arranged on
either side Of IT. The bracelet resting on the
pedestal Of statue close by, kept morsel
Of paper in It's place-on which she had writ
tina few penitent words of farewell-ad-
dressed 70 Mrs. Linley. On the toilet-table
three Photographic portraits showed them
selves among the brushes and combs. She
sat down and looked first at the likenesses Of
4n Linley and Kitty.
Had she any right to make those dear faces
her companions In the future?
She hesitated: her tears dropped on the
photographs They're as good as spoilt
now" she thought; they're no longer fit for
anybody but me-" She paused, and abrupt
ly took up the third and last photograph, the
likeness Of Herbert Linley.
Was Il an Offcnse, now, even to look at his
portrait? No idea Ut leaving It behind her
was In her mind. Her resolution vibrated
between two miscrics tho misery Of preserv-
Ing her keepsake after she had parted from
him forever, and the misery Of destroying It
Resigned to one more sacrifice, she took the
card In both hands to tear 1t up. 1t would
have been scattered in pieces on the floor but
for the chance which had turned the portrait
side Of the card toward her instead Of the
back. Her longing eyes stole last look at
him-a frenzy seized her-she pressed her
lips 10 the photograph In passion Of hope
less love. "What does it matterr' she asked
herfelk "Pm nothing but the ignorant OBJ
Jet OF his kindness the poor fool who could
SO no difference between gratitude and love.
Where b the harm of having him with me
when am starving In the streets or dying In
the workhouseY' The fervid spirit in her
that had never known q mothers loving dis
eipline, never thrilled to the sympathy of q
aistcr-friend, rose in revolt against the evil
destiny which had embittered her life. Her
eyes still rested ON the photograph. "Come
70 my heart my only friend, and kill meW
A. those Wild words escaped her she thrust
the card furiously into the bosom of her dress
and threw herself on the floor. There was
something In the mad, self-abandonment of
that action which Knocked the innocent de-
spair Of her childhood on the day when her
mother left her at the cruel mercy of her
aunt
That night was night of torment I'm &C.
cet to another person at Mount Morven.
Wandering, In his need of self-is0lation,
mp and down the dreary stone passages In
the lower part OF the house, Linley counted
the hours, inexorably lessening the interval
between him and the ordeal OF confession to
his wife. As yet he had failed to find the
opportunity Of addr ssing to Sydney the only
words Of encouragement he could allow to
pass his lips; he had asked for her earlier in
the evening, and nobody could tell him
where she was Still In ignorance Of tho
refuge which she might by bare possibility
hope TO find in Ms MacEdwin's house, Sgd
ncy was spared the torturiny doubts which
now bcset Herbert Linlcy''s mind. Would
the noble woman whom they had injured al
low their atoncment to plead for them, and
consent to keep their miserable secret? Might
they still put their trust in that generous nat
urc few hours hence? Again and again
th0ee questions confronted Linley; and again
and again he shrank from attempting to an
swer them.
XIII.
They were all assembled ~ usual ct the
breakfast table.
Pickering the request suggested to her by
Nrk Presty. Kitty had hsstencd the presen-
tati0n Of the birthday gifts by getting into
her mothers bed In the morning and exact
ing her mothers promise before she would
S,ouaant m Spf 0s,f avain Rv hsr own eY-