Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-08-13
CHAPTER VI.

Lali's recovery was not rapid. A
change had come upon her. With that
strange ride had gone the last flicker OF
the desire for savage life i'll her. She
knew now the position she held toward
her husband; that he had never loved
her; that she was only an instrument
for unworthy retaliation. So soon as
she could speak after her accident she
told them that they must not write to
him and tell him Of IT, She also made
them promise that they would give him
no news Of her at all, save that she was
we'll. They could not refuse to promise.
They felt she had the right to demand
much more than that They had begun
70 care for her for herself, and when
the months went by and one day there
was hush about her room and anxiety
and then relief in the faces Of all, they
came to care for her still more for the
sake Of her child.
As the weeks passed the fair haired
child grew more and more like his IA
ther, but if Lali thought Of her husband
they never knew by anything she said,
for she would not speak Of him. She
also made them promise that they would
not write to him of the child's birth.
Richard, with his sense Of justice and
knowing how much the woman had
been wronged, said that in all this she
had done quite right; that Frank, If he
had done his duty after marrying her,
should have come with her. And be-
cause they all felt that Richard had
been her best friend as well as their own
they called the child after him. This
also was Lali's wish. Coincident with
her motherhood there came to Lali q
new purpose. She had not lived with
the Armours without absorbing some OF
their fine social sense and dignity. This.
added to the native instinct Of pride i'll
her, gave her new ambition. As hour by
hour the child grew dear to her, so hour
by hour her husband grew away from
her. She schooled herself against him.
At times she thought she hated him.
She felt she could never forgive him, but
she would prove to him that it was she
who had made the mistake OF her life Ill
marrying him; that she had been
wronged, not he, and that his sin
would face him with reproach and pun
ishment one day. Richards prophecy
was likely to come true. She would de-
feat very perfectly indeed Franks IN
tentions. After the child was born, SO
soon as she was able, she renewed her
studies with Richard and Mrs Armour.
She read every morning for hours; she
rode; she practiced all those graceful
arts of the toilet belonging to the social
convention; she showed an unexpected
faculty for singing and practiced 1t
faithfully, and she begged Mrs. Ar
mour and Marion to correct her at every
point where correction seemed neces-
sary. When the child was two years old,
they all went to London, something
against Lali's personal feelings, but
quite in accord with what she felt her
duty.
Richard was left behind at Greyhope.
For the first time in l8 months he was
alone with his old quiet duties and rec
reations. During that time he had not
neglected his pensioners-his poor, sick,
halt and blind-but deeper, larger in
terest had come into his life in the per-
son Of Lali. During all that time she
had seldom been out Of his sight, never
out Of his influence and tutelage. His
days had been full, his every hour had
been given keen responsible interest
As If by tacit consent, every incident on
development Of Lali's life was infp-
enced by his judgment and decision. He
had been more to her than General Ar.
mour, Mrs Armour or Marion. Schooled
a. he was in all the ways Of tho world,
he had at the same time mind - SEN
sitive as Q woman's. an indescribable
geutleness, Q pefsuasive temperament
Since years before he had Withdrawn
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