Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-02-01
CHAPTER XVI.

NEARING THE END.
Now that Gordon could convey ms
tbonphts without pulling up 1.-THE mlddleoi
each sentence to find words to express them,
/ 10 hecame much more communicative, ana
indy feeling rapidly expanded into genu-
inc friendship He liked TO talk about MS
sweetheart and he found me an attentive
and svmpathetic listener. | wanted 10
tnow all about Judith Bell was eager TO
sound the depth of their mutual attach
mont and ascertain the probable outcome
If this love affair. The aspect of kavanaghs
nlan for kidnapping Gordon was consider
ably altered by its bearing upon judith.
We had agreed that Gordon himself would
,yillinoly accept the part assigned him. But
tbasa ARGUMENTS seemed to lose their force
~, that another was concerned. Knowing
how should feel the loss OF Iaras could
NOT he Indifferent to the anxiety and pam
IA he inflicted on GorLon's sweetheart, even
though that anxiety light end so soon
But for all that never wavered IN the De
termination to play out my part No con
sideration of friends or self could turn me
from my purpose
Gordon saw Kavanagh frequently, but he
had little to report except that the detec-
tives were closely watching kndersdori,
who as yet had not left the neighborhood
of Shadwell, where he had taken lodgings
Whether this WAS true or not had no
means of knowing, for kavanagh sun Kept
away. though a week had passed since our
last interview. The suspense OF these days
was hard to bear, but incidentally learned
a fact from Gordon, which explained and
excused his postponing the final act TO the
last moment possible.
.Do YOU see Miss Bell very oftenY
asked Gordon one day.
Not half SO often as should like TO,
assure you be replied, and then, rather in
consequently, rs il seemed to me. he added,
won see. she's such a brick of girl"
us that any reason why you should not
see her if she's engaged to your"
though the colonel doesn't. You ladies art
.uch lot sharper than we at seeing right
into things She knows that If this last
venture Of her poor old dads breaks down
he must learn the truth, and-well, she's
got bit Of the colonel's pride in hel
straight back, too, bless herr and She won't
marry me before she is certain that ! an
not to be saddl a with her father. It's con
founded nonsense of course-we're bound
TO marry because we couldn't love anybody
else-but honor her for IL, you know. she
is a brick"
but still, If you love each other, it SEEM
natural that you should want TO see each
other sometimes, even If you can't marry.
said. thinking of Taras.
"Oh. WE do sometimes, brS not every day
not even once a week. II isn't practica
BILE. because, don't you know, Judith isn't
exactly free Knowing the critical state OF
their pecuni2ry resources, she took an en-
gagement as nursery governess; that viii
show you what a capital sort Of girl she is
This is quite between you and me. for the
colonel. with his awfully narrow ideas
about class and that sort of thing would ht
Mortified at the notion Of his daughter earn
ing her living
But how is it kept secret from himF
"Oh. that's easy enough He supposes
that she is staying at Sydenham ON visit
with Mrs. havanagh. who isan old friend. ~
Mrs. Kavanagh" ! exclaimed in aston
ishment.
Mrs. Charles kavanagh-B Barry Kaya
nagh's sister-in-law." he explained.
II did not know that be had any rela
tives living in London"
That's not bit surprising Kavanagh's
such an awfully rum, taciturn fellow IN
some matters You never know what he
feels or thinks or knows or does or any
thing about him. must have known him
r. couple of years and with some degree OF
Intimacy before discovered and then by
accident that his mother was living"
rs she living nowF'
"Oh dear, yes. She resides with the fam.
ily at Sydenham. It's odd, isn't itf One
would think he had no one dearer to him
/, than Taras and me- 1t seems so natural 70
talk about people you love, and believe
Barry's most devoted son and brother
know he spends a couple Of days week at
Sydenham. ! suppose it's the logical out
come of his confounded rationalism."
After hearing this could not expect that
Kavanagh would take the final step one
moment before Rudersdorf's patience had
been stretched to the utmost limit
One morning,i il must have been the 9th
I of November. Taras looking Mt the paper.
said; There's to be a large display of fire
, works at the Crystal palace tonight. Shall
we go and see itt"
/ acceded joyfully to the proposal.
"Then III knock off at lunchtime." said
he, going to the window and looking out.
Z I'VE may as well take advantage of this
| sunny day. We may not get many more
To my oversensitive ear there was some
= thing terribly prophetic in that phrase, and
: indeed there seemed 70 be "A touch Of sad
/ ness in his voice as If some sprrowful prog
nostic were passing through his mind
looked forward to our spending the
afternoon and evening together alone, but
G Taras, finding Gordon with me when he
= came down from his work, asked him 70
! stay to lunch and go with ms. doubtless
thinking 10 add TO my pleasure. Gordon
, accepted the invitation with vexatious
alacrity. hated him for coming between
me and Taras, but my vexation wore of
before we reached the palace
: | had never been there before, and the
: beauty of the grounds. the flowers and
creeping plants in the building and the
music charmed my senses and quite re
stored my good temper. Gordon was par
t ticularly good humored and lively. and hi.
4 mirth was infectious; the solemn diners
y and severely correct walters seemed quite
scandalized by our gayety at dinner.
We saw the fireworks from the uppei