Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-05-19

/ ening visage; then he let his nand las'
and stared blankly across at his wife.
Its from that fellow! and its about
the child. he said uneasily
"What fellow? What child? Not
mine! Give it to me quickly, Cecil.
How slow Won are!'' And she snatched
the telegram from his unresisting hand.
Hastily she scanned the words, her
breath coming in gasps. her fingers
trembling so that she could scarcely
hold the paper 1.-The child is dying.
| Come at oncer That was all, and the
message was signed Nesbit Thorne.
Short, curt, peremptory, as our words
are apt TO be III moments OF intense
emotion: bald fact roughly stated.
For a moment Ethel Cumberland sat
stunned, with pallid face and shaking
hands. from which the message slipped
and fiuttered TO the carpet Then she
sprang to her feet in wild excitement, an
instinct aroused in her breast which
even animals know when their young
are in danger.
"Cecill' she cried sharply, don't You
hear? Ny child. My baby is dyingl
Why do you stand there staring at me-
must go--you must take Inc to him
now, this instant. or it will be too late.
Don't you understand? My darling-my
boy is dying" and she burst into pas
sion of grief, wringing her hands and
wailing. Col send for carriage.
Tbara'c r,o+ :. moment ~ lcsa Nh INV
baby.-my babyr
"You can't 90 out in this storm. It's
sleeting heavily. and I've been i'll.
can't let you go all that distance with
only maid. aud how am | to turn out
in such weather." objected Mr. Cumber-
land, who, when he was opposed to a
thing, was an adept in piling up obsta-
Giles. II tell you it's impossible, Ethel
It's madness on such n night as this.
Who cares for the Storm" raved
Ethel, whose feelings. if evanescent,
were intense. II will go. Cecil don't
want You, III go by myself. Nothing
shall stop me. If it storlned fire and
blood | should go all the same. III
WAIKIKI crawl there before / viii stay
here and let my boy die without me. He
is my baby--iny own child. tell you.
Cecil!-if he isn't yours.
OF this fact Cecil Cumberland needed
no reminder. It - a thorn that pricked
and stung even his dull nature-for the
child's father lived TO a jealous tenn
permanent it is CALLING to be reminded Of
a predecessor in wites affections, even
when the grave has CLOSED over him: if
the man still lives il is intolerable
He was not brute. and he knew that
he must yield to his wifes pressure that |
he had no choice but 10 yield; but he |
stood for moment irresolute. staring
at her with lowering brows. hearty |
curse on living father and dying child |
slowly formulating in his breast
As he turned to leave the room to give \
the necessary orders carriage drove
rapidly TO the door and stopped, and |
there was vigorous pull at the bell.
Thorne had provided against all possible
delay. Then the question arose Of who
should accompany her. and they found
that there was not single available wo-
man in the house. IL was impossible to
let her go alone, and Cumberland. with
he curses rising from his heart TO his
lips, was forced, in very manhood, to 90
with her himself.
In Brooklyn Mrs. Creswell met them
herself at the door. and appeared sur
lrised-as well she might-to see Mr..
Cumberland. She motioned Ethel To-
ward the staircase, and then with
ormal inclination Of the head ushered
Ter more unwelcome guest into a small
Dmlor, where there was fire aud
amp burning, Here she left him alone.
Her house was in the suburbs. aud there
vas nowhere else for hmm 10 90 ut that
lour of the night aud in thar terrible
torn.
The room was warm aud cheerful. a
hild's TOYS lay scattered on the floorand
ofa, "A little lat and coat We're on the
able beside a cigar case and a crumpled
ewspaper. There was nothing for the
lan TO DO save to stare around and walk
he floor impatiently. longing for death I
o hasten with his work. so that the false Z
osition might be ended
Guided by uneiTing instinct. Ethel 2
rent straight to the chamber where her
hid lay dying perhaps already dead
lutside the door she paused with her "
and pressed hard on her throbbing heart.
II was a piteons sight that met her
lew as the door swung open. rendered
oubly piteous by the circumstances. A
ixurious room. a brooding silence. a '
my white bed on which little child
y. slowly and painfully breathing his = =
fe away.
CHAPTER XXL o
u q