The Dickinson press., 1894-05-12
CHAPTER vi.
In Peril.


CHAPTER VI.
In Peril.
Nina Bennington was Il slhrewd girl,
and she had seen. on her first meeting
with Cicely that morning. that the lat
ter had passed a troubled night. vi
| course, she knew that the trouble was
in some w.lv conf >ttci with Radstucl,
and guessed that there had been Il try
ing scene before he was got rid of; but
she had the tact not to allude to the
subject even when the two ladies We're
left together.
At last the unhappy young wife took
| refuge in the nursery: and there. hang
ing Over the innocent babies, she did
find some bitter-sweet comfort. But
| when the luncheon bell rang, she had
again to face Minna With her searching
eyes and busy wits; and when the meal
was ended, Ciccly Went into the drawing
room with her Sisterin-law. following
their usual custom. For she knew that
she must make an effort to carry OIL
life as If no frightful break had Oc-
Cured in its level monOtOny. So they
sat down together, the n with her
embroidery, the other to the making Ut
q dainty muslin pirafOre; and with her
fingers busy Cicely found that II dull
rest came to her thoughts. But shu
was not mt ease. When the front door
bell rang loudly she started up with
wildly beating heart. the shadow Of
some new calamity already d%arkcning
her face.
Then Il telegram was brought in, and
Ciccly took it, and held it in her hand
afraid to open the envelope. The SER
vant was waiting, Salver i'll hand. TO
know whether there was an answer.
Minna rose, ard touched her sister-in-
laws arm gently.
Now, dear. you lad better read 1t.
You have to know what it says at
! some time or other whispered the girl
coaxingly.
Ciccly opened the telegram. which
she had crumpled up in her hand.
The message was this:
"Shall call on you this afternoon. Be
at home. WILLIAM BEl.ltlNGTOS."
Cicely re-read it aloud, with aStonish-
ment and some relief.
ut is from Dukes uncle, isn't it,"
she said.
''Ye.es." answered Nina obviously.
1t was clear that she did not share
the faint satisfaction the other felt.
You don't know Uncle William, do
you!" she asked rather ;nXiously
while her siStcr-in law sat still. regard
ing the paper With II CLEAN Of hope
in her eyes.
NO. Why do you ask like that:"
''Bccause-wcll. because you seemed
glad to hear he was coming"
And arc not you:"
Minna shook her head cmphatically.
No"
HE is-dreadfully good; so good that
he turned his son adrift for something
quite trivial.H wanted Duke to marry
his daughter and take his sons place
to him; but to do him justice, Duke
wouldn't"
'Of course not said Ciccly warmly.
ut was a temptation, though. They
say Uncle William will leave Il quarter
Of Il million when he dics-'cut up Well
is, l believe, the correct term. Aud
now he hates Duke for getting OH with
out his money. and for living in Il man.
ncr @ doesn't approve. He's very re-
ligiOus, you Know
Cicely's face frightened again. Her
own father and mother were religious.
and the words suggested to her simpli-
city of life and manners, kindly con-
s%ideration for others: with a touch of
harmless Puritanism.
Minna had not been left by herself
more than half an hour when the door
bell rang again.
Very reluctantly she stepped through
the French window on to the lawn;
and resisting the temptation to linger
in the neighborhood. strolled away
among the trees toward the fishpond,
just us she heard the drawing-roonl
door open to admit her uncle.
Mr.. Bennington was a stout man, of
the middle height with a narrow fringe
of black hair round Il perfectly bald
crown. and IL face which was shrewd
hard and rather vulgar. He glanced
round the room with small, brigl,
black eyes, which took in every detail
and he pressed his lips together with
mere and more Misrepresentation as III
did SO.
II POOR Cicely had Only known it
she would have spared herself the
trouble of putting on, to do honor II
her husbands uncle, the very pref
!, test gown she possessed. Mr.. Rerring
toms aesthetic susce ptil ilities were no
keen, and the dainty embroidered mus
lin she wore was q fresh offence, com
bining as it did the maximum Of eX
pense with the minimum of ostenta
tfous show. Nor had her persona
beauty. dimmed as it was by her trou
] BILE, the power to mollify him. H
stared at her critically rs she came fol
ward. and just suffered her to shak
hands with him.
Cicely's heart sank a little. She ha
, expected %sternness, but it was til
ofnruop1nsc ~ %1,0 foil Slim xryoI1 s7,,OeSn
uncle of the novels and plays, with q
aquiline nose and an deliberately coul
teOus manner. and not this Dharisa
cal, stodgy self-sufticiency.
Duke is not here to Introduce u
uncle" she began, with Il nervous, tel
tative smile. But l may call 70
uncle muy ] not:'
You may call me whatever 70
please, ma5am.' answered Mr.. Berlin,
ton, in Il stif1y discouraging name
without meeting her eyes.
And I'm sorry to have to come on
very unpleasant errand now" he salt
But that is Marmadukc's fault, nt
nine."
Cicely began to tremblc.
= II have a question to ask you, mat
am, and I'm urc you will give me
> straight forward answer" And h
looked ut her with an expression fu
: Of suspicious penetration. where
Joseph Ieadstock?"
"Whcre is Joseph Radstock?' repea
: ed Mr. Berrington's hard voice mor
~imperatively than before.
Cicely nervcd herself by a strong g
fort to the ordeal of meeting the COLI
inquisitive eyes.
u have inquired at the Office" h
said. "4na / nnu TIA, hr mas not bee
there to-day. He came here last night,
pursued he, speaking mere slowly an
watching very iintcntly the effect {
his words on the lady's face, land til;
is the last l can hear of him."
There was a pause. Ciccly had S
: far lost the mastery of herself that sl
did not know what she was doing.d d
, not know that she stared out ove til
hard mans shoulder ut the trees Q
: the lawn with u face quivering wit
l. anguish. MIR. Bennington, more suspi
ious than sympathetic, watched Ii.
lfNcn TRYING ot,,op,,,or,slv IN I;coor,, 1,,S,.