The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-10-11

: exclaimed, striding towards the dooi
s ".As yon please"
Kate watched them q moment-he
S standing by the open door OF the TIN.
' greenhouse which led from the dining
. room, look of pain and trouble o.
r his face; she, her chair pushed bacl
from the table, her whole bearing
sullen and defiant; Miss Hamblin had |
l shrewd idea that she held the key Q
the situation, which her brother wa
, trying to hide from his wife. What wa
she to do?
Kate Hamblin had been mother ant
sister and friend to her only brother
too long not to understand hin
thoroughly. She loved him too wei
to have harbored any small Jealousy
towards the wife he had chosen; and
thanks to her tact, the menage
trois had always till now rolled or
oiled wheels. But Kate had not spent
six months in her .sister-in-law's SO
ciety without gaining some insight
into her character. She knew that
Valerie was fonder Of her husband
than she herself realized, but that
hers was not q nature which easily
forgave, and she felt that If this
grievance were allowed to take root In
the girls mind it might be productive
of serious trouble hereafter. After
a seconds hesitation, Miss Hamblin
| followed her brother into the green
house.
When, after few minutes, she re-
| Vo1 IN fhn n
position, only her face was a little
harder, her lips little more set.
My dear Valerie" she said, putting
a hand on her shoulder, will you
listen to me?'
Excuse me. Kate" replied Mrs
Hamblin; ''you are very kind, but this
is a matter between Rex and me, and
no one else has anything to do with
it."
''Oh, yes. they have. And I'm going
to tell you how. Now, my dear little
sister, am such a very old woman
next to you, that you must listen to
me- have wanted Rex to tell you
about it long ago, but he was afraid of
hurting you, and"
''Oh, know, we are not supposed to
concern ourselves about our husbands
past; but to think, Kate, that we have
not been married a year, and she writes
to him!"
There was a tremble in the voice
which touched Kate.
MRS. Lascelles? Oh, but she hasn't
much to do with the matter"
The tears which had been gathering
in Valerie's eyes dried suddenly as she
gave an ugly little laugh.
''Of course not! That's why Rex
wouldn't show me the letter.
Would you like to see it?' asked
Miss Hamblin, quietly, holding out the
scented paper Valerie put out her
hand eagerly.
Let me tell you something first"
urged Kate, but the girl had already
seized it and was reading it.
DEAR MR. HAMBLIN: have to consult YOU
on q very delicate matter. Your brother-in-
law has lately been constant visitor at my
house we are fond of q little baccarat, in
which he often joins us; last night he was un-
lucky and lost eight hundred pounds to me;
this morning he sent me your cheque for the
amount He has frequently settled these little
ture is quite familiar to mo, and am little
puzzled by the one on the cheque in question,
which seems to me curiously unlike the others
will you come and see me about it as soon as
you can. Yours sincerely,
STELLA LASCELLEs"
Valerie read the let ter through twice
and then turned bcwildered face to
her companion.
Il don't understand it; what does it
all mean?"
my poor child, it means a very seri-
GUS thing"
But what has Guido to do with it?'
my dear. Guido has got into a bad
set in London; he knows too many
women like Mrs. Lascelles; he has lost |
terrible sums at cards since he has
been here"
"But how could he? Guido is poor"
Eyes, but Rex is rich; he has helped |
him. You see what that woman says:
my brother has paid debt after debt |
for Guido until, at last. the other day,
he said he would pay no more"
But this cheque of eight hundred |
pounds them"
That cheque was not signed by |
Rex; Guido must have tried to imi-
tate"
Kate" cried Valerie. understand
ing at last, and starting to her feet
Guido has done thatl Oh, how terri
BILE. What will happen to him?"
Nothing! You don't suppose that |
Rex would allow anything to happen
to anyone you care for? Valerie, don't
you understand that my brother loves
you?"
But Valerie had left her side; she
was hurrying towards the greenhouse,
and she threw herself into her hus-