The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1892-09-30


plete with warm goodwill toward his
fellows And now this 6ne and whole
some loving kindness in him was beina.
taught the sternest of disiIIuzioning
lessons 81 may have doubted many of
them" he told himself, f'but at least I
firmly trusted Phil Wen, wen, what /
asked him to do was perhaps better left
undone- at least I can do it more ca
pably than he need no enissary,
III 60 TO her myself, and face the worst
He Went that same evening He did
not ask Tor Mrs KeuuaiEd, but that lady
chose to receive him He instantly saw
that her demeanor was formal, and
even a trihe austere-
Il am 50 sorry that poor Kathleen has
a horrid headache this evening" she
soon said land is lying down Pray
accept me, viii you not, as her substi-
tute?" Alonzo was quietly desperate,
He. looked the speaker straight in the
eyes as he answered, feeling that the
air bristled with coming discord: MY
dear Mrs, Kennaird, you are the most
charming of persons, if you viii permit
me to frame such q commonplace. But
I must be frank and inform you that for
Kathleen there can be, to my thinking,
no possible substitute"
He watched her eyelids culver a little
and her large form slightly stifeu.
''3ut you viii show mercy 70 my poor
chiId's headache" she returned, with q
smile that seemed just to edge her lips
enough on that account, I am sure, to
make the best of me under the circuIn-
stances"
Alonzo gave his head short negative
shake. II can't. I want Kathleen,
headache and all"
''Oh, but you're Presumptuous."
That's just what you force me to
become"
mot at all"
Then allow Kathleen to appear"
''She is too much indisPosed, as told
you"
II would like to learn that, if you
please, from her own lips"
BLESS me- said Mrs. Kennaird, lift
ing her shoulders for a moment and put
ting up her glasses You're ru1der-
than thought you knew how to be"
''Say more decided. And I'm com
PEELED to add this: If Kathleen is forbid
den me I neither can nor shall accept
You as her proxy"
mop" replied his hostess, with hard
ening face. 'But suppose my daughter
desires just that arrangement?"
''She does not desire it"
''You speak with a delightful conf
dence, really"
ssOh, madam, let rs end this" cried
Alonzo, feeling himself grow pale. "If
You attempt to keep Kathleen from sec
ing me your effort can only produce
transient results"
Mrs. EIennaird threw back her head a
little, as though on the verge of a scorn-
full laugh. But either she checked her
self or something in the visitors look
checked her Like a flash her whole
visage changed; not that it became soft
er, but that it surely lost in expression
both subt!ety and restraint.
My dear young gentleman" she
said, I'm very sorry Tor you, because l We
always liked you But the truth may
as yveu be told without another instant
of delay. Your engagement to my
child must cease, and You know why"
80, then, it's open war" returned
Aionzo- 81 prefer that"
ct isn't war at all; it's wOrldliness-
any bad name you're bent on calling
'Iu call it the same spirit, then, that
made you try to entraP into a marriage
with her that crippled young English
/ Lord
/ He had hit, and with poignant thrust,
/ the heart of wound that had never
| healed. She frowned, and the color
| left her tightening lips. While she
/ stared at him he went on;
/ "Oh, Kathleen has told me. But she
] never knew what love meant, then, and
] "
4 hands It's altered with her now; your
rule isn't what it once was. If it had
been you'd have kept her from writing
! me those letters I've offered to release
Z her but she has refused The terms Oi
/ her refusal have seemed to carry with
them n certain tang of yourself, Per
/ haps I've judged her wrongly"
Now he rose and went toward door
which led into the other apartments OF
] sTrG g b
hand the curtain draPed across this dooI
and drew it slightly aside. Its not YOU
opposition 1 fear it's the thought thai
she may be Influenced by it. know
you've done all you could to dissuadJ
her. But she must come to me scornins
ives, that's the Woodworking sucI
odious arguments as you've doubles.
addressed to her, or she shall not come
at ALL
At this point he drew the little cur
tain still further aside, and knowing
that his voice needed only to be raised
key or so above the ordinary to maxi
it reach the furthest room of the suit
he called with clear accents:
'sKathleenl Kathleenl / am here
and wish to speak with you VIII yol
not come to me for at least n few mo
ments?"
An exasperated cry broke from Mrs
Kennaird, who had now gained he
feet.
you're insoIent," she cried. ''Vou'r
outrageous! I told you my daughte
was i'll And now, sir, I command yo1
to leave these apartments"
But Alonzo scarcely heard this voice
for another, faint, sob-brolzen, ant
somewhat distant, had fallen On hi
ears He still held the curtain side
ways when Mrs. Kennaird spraug to
. ward him and tried to wrest it from hi
grasp.
'Do you call yourself gentlemanP
she gasped, as he thwarted her at
tempt.
DO you call yourself "a mother?" h
replied. And then Kathleen glide
quickly through the open doorway
pale and trembling though quite teaz
less.
Alonzo at once recsded. From tina
, instant his mien and voice became iudi
cial in their calm It was he VIII
broke silence after the trio had thu
! met.
Tell me" were his first words I
= Kathleen. why, when 7 came here di
{ / you permit your mother TO meet me i
3 yOur placer