The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-10-26
CHAPTER v.
The Step Is Tnts

CHAPTER v.
The Step Is Taken.
When October had come and was
well-ngh gone. Katherine nlount mar
rieti Sir Mark Wtirenii.. an,, went for
three months wedding tour Of Italy.
Day by day as it seemed to Str
Marks anxious gaze-he being perfn.-
~ ignorant Of the fatal attachm.
eviSting between his promised wife =
Rlackwood Craven-she appeared to lsg
slowly but surely sinking into confirm
ed ill-hcalth. 50 he pleaded earnestly
for m earlv wedding
Miss Rlount In the usual lstless
manner that had Of late become ha-
blt1lal TO the once gay little beauty.
consented
Harriet Chartoris alone. guessed ex-
actly how matters stood and would
have striven with all her might 10 com
fort and console the girl she so well
loved had not Miss Blounts distant,
cold demeanor forbidden any attempts
at probing her hidden wound.
About the end Of January Sir Mark
and Lady Warrenne returned to the
Hall. which. by the baronet's orders,
had been magnifcentlv restored during
their absence. things having gone more
or less to decay. during all those years
that he had spent wandering ia Italy
and elsewhere.
Mrs Charters was delighted 10 find
her friend considerably changed for the
better She had gained flesh. hAal
brought back brighter color in
fair face and would have been
quite the Katherine OF old but for her
eyes. In them lay perpetuaIy weary
dissatisfied hopeless expression. that
told but too clearly how comfortless
was the heart within.
1t so happened that two weeks after
their return Sir Mark had occasion to
60 to London for Il lay. Katherine. not
caring to accompany him. he went on
his short Journey alone: and rs he was
strolling leisurelv down Regent street
to execute some tritiing commission for
his wife. whom should he meet, face 10
face but Black wood Craven. looking
changed and careworn beyond des-
cription.
The two men met with an expression
OF cOrdiality that on one side was ny
no means genuine. although Sir Mark,
who was naturally of most kindly,
open-hearted disposition. was unfel2h-
edly glad TO meet his old acquaintance
again.
"W'hy. Craven" he exclaimed. heart
ily who would have dreamed or seeing
You here, heard from Rlount that you
were stationed somewhere IN the
South.
Il got few weeks leave, BlackWood
returned listleSSly, and having noun
ing better to do thought would Knock
about London q bit and see some OF my
old friends
.Ill tell you what to do said Sir
Mark Come down with me TO the
Hall, and | win promise you as goon
shooting as you ever had-yo'l cannot
do better. And my wife VIII pe ue-
lighted to see you, yon ana she were
always so intimate YOU Know.
.His wife, Rlackwoo1's face naied
in thc old manner. and he WINGED a.
most percepthly His Wife. Glad
to see him." Had she. then. been dis-
cussinc his misery? Could she really De
SO Indifferent to him rs all that!
..Thank YOU" he said, coldly, 'Dut
don't fancy | can ma1age 1t
.Ch. nonsense" Warrenne broke IN,
hosnitably. "You can manage II easily
enough: so say Yes At once. ana me-.
mo al Tive down train this evening, a'5.
we will take Katherine by surprise alAi
make her happy-seeing you WIZ ~
mind her of old times. Besides, Tue
change of air will do you al the e""u
in the world ..o.
Every word thus unconsoionslv ",'el.
cd was a stab to the bleeding heir' %
Elackwool Craven. and inWafdlS ne
writhed under Sir Mark commeu,s
with an agony beyond all physlc'l paln'
Old times. old memories. tehder =,
gone scenes. rose up before hiha' ohls
to give place to the remembrance ~.
she was his no longer, but the iElpp.
contcnted wife Of this man VINO s,una "a
waiting for his answer ana theli VIZ.
holffrantic desire to see her once NV
in her new home, in her character - -
. married woman--took possession -
him. driving away all other "isei
thoughts and resolves. .,aa s,d-
Wei thank you he decided, snu,
denly; yes. will come. ion nnt MT
right. 1t will do me an liiilil''e ,.n ,.,,.,,s
of good to see all my favori'e naun =,
again; 50 you may expect to see me -
the stat N. ,, onswored.
That's right" Sir Marx answered.