The Dickinson press., 1895-03-30
Katherine BloQnt'S hove.
aY THD Duchess.
CHAPTER v.
The Step IL Taken.

CHAPTER v. -
The Step is Taken.
When October had come and was
well-nigh gone. Katherine Blount MAJ.
ried Sir Mark Warrenne, and went for
a three months wedding tour Of Italy,
Day by day as it seemed to Sir
Mark anxious gi.e-he being perfect
~ ignorant Of the fatal attachment
existing between his promised wife and
BlackWOod Craven-she appeared to be
slowly but surely sinking into confirm
ed tl-health. So he pleaded earnestly
Tor an early wedding.
Miss Blount. in the usual listless
manner that had Of late become ha-
bitual to the ono gay little beauty.
consented.
Harriet Charters alone, guessed ex-
actly how matters stood. and would
have striven with all her might to com.
fort and console the girl she so well
loved, had not Miss BlOunt's 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 magnificently restored during
their absence, things having gone more
or less to decay, during all those years
that he had spent wandering in Italy
and elsewhere.
Mrs. Charters was delighted to find
her friend considerably changed for the
better. She had gained flesh. had
brought back a brighter color in her
fatr face. and would have been
quite the Katherine of old but for her
eyes. In them lay perpetually a weary
dissatisfied hopeless expression. that
told but too clearly how c0mfOrtless
was the heart within.
1t SO happened that two weeks after
their return Sir Mark had occasion to
60 to London for a day. katherine, not
caring to accompany him, he went on
his short journey alone; and, as he was
strolling leisurely down Regent street
to execute some trifing commission for
his wife, whom should he meet, face to
face. but Blackwood Craven, looking
changed and careworn beyond des-
cription.
The two men met with IN expression
of cordially that on one side was by
no means genuine. although Sir Mark,
who was naturally Of a most kindly,
| o%pen-hearted disposition. was unfeign-
eddy glad to meet his old acquaintance
again.
"Why, Craven" he exclaimed, heart
lily who would have dreamed of seeing
you here! I heard from Blount that you
were stationed somewhere in the
South.
Il got q few weeks leave" Blackwood
returned listlessly, "and having moth
ing better to do. thought I would knock
about London a bit and see some of my
old friends"
I'll tell you what to do said Sir
Mark. Come down with me to the
Hall, and I will promise you as good
shooting as YOU eve had-you cannot
do better. And my wife will be de-
lighted to see you; you and she were
always so intimate, you know"
His wife!" Blackwood's face paled
In the old manner, and he WINGED al
most p%erceptiGly. Ills wife," ''Glad
to see him!" Had she, then. been dis
cussing his misery? Could she really be
so indifereHt :" Ia; IS all that?'
'Thank y0u,'' he said, coldly, "but I
don't fancy 1 can manage it,"
"Ch. nonsense" Warrenne broke in,
Hospitality. "You can manage it easily
enough; so say Yes at once. and meet
me at the down train this evening, and
We will take Katherine by surprise and
make her happy-seeing you will re-
mind her of old times. Besides, the
change Of air will do you all the good
in the world
Every word thus unconsciously utter.
ed was q stab to the bleeding heart Of
EUHfR Uy0nN Gvpn unn mud ts,r,n N4r11- t@
writhed under Sir Marks comments
with an agony beyond all physical pain.
Old times. old memories, tender by
gone scenes, rose up before him, oniy
to give place to the remembrance that
she was his no longer, but the happy
contented wife of this man who stood
waiting for his answer; and then Il wild
half-frantic desire to see her once more
lin her new home. in her character Of
a married wOman-took possession of
him, driving away all other wiser
thoughts and resolves.
"Wel thank you" he decided. sud-
denly; Eyes, I will come. You are
right; 1t will do me an infinite amount
OF good to see all my favorite haunts
again; so you may expect to see ME at
the station"
''That's right" Sir Mark answered,
rea. pleasure shining in his handsome
blue eyes. as he contemplated Rather
ines establishment and delight. Good.
BY, then, for the present; and do not be
late, old man, whatever you do"
So 1t came to pass that Blackwood
Craven actually started that night to
spend some days under Katherine
Warreenne's roof. The weather was
bitterly cold, frost and snow lying heay.
lily upon the ground. as they drove
along to Warrenne Hall, but he scarce
ly seemed to heed it; the whole Jour-
ney appeared to him like some eX-
citing drsa1n that would vanish pres
emily and leave him in his OWL quar-
tiers in London. far enough from the
Hall. and its inhabitants.
1t was not until they drew up at the
Hall door, and Sir Mark advised him
to alight, unless he had a fancy for
being frozen to DEATH" that he fully
awoke to the reality of the situation.
"Come along" Sir Mark exclaimed,
eagerly, when the servant informed
him where her ladyship was to be
found. "COme along" Craven; Barnet
will see to your %gun-case."
At this juncture Blackwood's heart
began to fail him horribly. How would
she meet him? he asked himself, hur-
Iiedly. Would she faint? Would she
show any agitation? Or would She
"Warrenne.", he said, stopping short,
and en%deavoring to speak with uncon-
Germ, 'wonki it not be better, perhaps,
to tell Lady Warrenne that-that I am
Gomez"
ooh. nonsense. man." returned Sir
Mark. with a half smile of astonish.
ment, pausing to contemplate his COM
panion unsMspicuously. You do not
suppose she requires the news to be
broken to her, do you-you, who were
almost a brother? Come on"
SO after this. there being no help for
It, Craven. with a smothercd groan,
followed his guide. into a small. ele-
end, sat busiiy embroidering the WON
IN he loved. Lady Warrenne did not
| perceiYe him until she had returned