The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-02-01

I should be elevated to your level. And
perhaps at last, when long years had OBJ
literated"--
"Well, had blurred, Mr.. Vansittart "
eyes, had blurred the pain of memo
ry, we might come to see, to understand,
how what once seemed SO distressing
was really. i'll spite of its sadness, the
necessary condition for the perfect de-
velopment of two human lives.
For few moments we sat in thought.
Then Mrs. Lawrence observed, Good
SO often comes out of suffering, doesn't
it?''
"It indeed seems to be the way of the
world
ga woman placed as you describe,
Mr.. Vansittart, would feel, I'm sure,
so deep, so strong a gratitude for the
man who had nobly dedicated his life
to her that as time wore on she would
give to him an affection, different in
kind perhaps, but not inferior in inten-
sity to that which she had felt for the
man who first won her heart.
"That would be the only reward I
should hope for," said I.
DO t1GU, III UlO Guu, SuOulu 1c0l-
it would be borne in upon me that this
man was my real, my true, my only
At this point Mrs Lawrence stopped
abruptly, for a shadow fell between us,
and on looking up we saw stout. elder
ly man, wearing a blue jersey, stand
ing just in front of u.s.
''Beg pardon, num-" said he, "but
are you the lady what asked Jim Dobb
about the gentleman what's out in the
boat?''
"About the-what? Oh, yes, sup
pose-oh, yes, I am."
"Well, you've no cause to be put out
about i'm, mum. He's just roundin the
point, and he'll be ashore in two min
utes' time"
''But Dobbs said it was very danger
ous," protested.
"Dobbs don't know everything, sir,
beggin your pardon. Anyways the gen.
tleman's safe enough. Glad of it for
your sake, num-"
'Thank you-thank you SO much."
said Mrs. Lawrence.
The elderly man stood looking at me
in such manner that took sixpence
out of my pocket and gave it to him.
To be frank, I have seldom grudged
sixpence more. Then the elderly man
passed on.
There was long silence. Mrs. Law
renee had mado quite a little pit in the
gravel walk. Once she looked at me,
and finding me regarding her rather
gloomily, believe. hastily turned away
again with blush. At last the silence
became ntolerable-almost improper,
in fact.
"What were we talking about when
that man interrupted us?' asked Mrs.
Lawrence, with a desperate assumption
of ease.
It is rule of mine to give plain
answer to plain question.
'We were talking" said I, ''of what
would have happened if Dobbs had
known everything" And having thus
said suddenly began to laugh.
Women are strange creatures. Mrs.
Lawrence leaped up from her seat and
stood over me. Her eyes flashed with
Indignation, and she positively BRAN
dished her parasol at me-
oa AO1t4o, llOll4Q ivy p1l0 Gl1Cu.
"My dear Mrs. Lawrence pro-
tested.
you've made me talk as if r.
''It was mere hypothesis, plead
ed.
GAS if I-oh! Anyhow, if my hus-
band We're drowned Thousand times
over, I'd never speak to you"
$50 you say now," said I composed
ly, "but you know you were quite taken
with the prospect little while ago."
"Mr. Vansittart, you wicked! How
can go and tell my poor, dear Rob-
bie?'
81 don't insist on your telling him, 4"
said I in a conoiliatory tone.
perhaps you think I don't care for
him?" she cried defiantly.
''The hypothesis was that you did, !"
said I. "That's what made it SO inter-
esting."
81 shall sit somewhere else at dinner
tonight" Mrs. Lawrence announced
haughtily.
''If you 60 on like this" observed
warningly, 81 shall end by being"-
"You can be just what you like"
"By being glad," concluded.
"Glad! Glad of what?'
''Glad, said I, "that see your hus-
band walking toward US in perfect
| health. F"
AS 1 spoke he came within speaking
distance.
"Hello, Georgia. he cried to his
wife. Here I am; had a bit of blow,
though"
him. I took the liberty of following.
"Vansittart been looking after you?"
asked Lawrence, with smile.
"Oh, my darling Robbie, cried Mrs.
Lawrence. "I've been imagining all
sorts of things about you "
''Foolish childP' said he fondly.
"Did you think was going to be drown
ed?"
"We didn't exactly think It," broke
in. ''We assumed it by way off,
''Please, Robbie, will you take me
into the house?" said Mrs. Lawrence
hastily.
Mrs. Lawrence did sit elsewhere at
dinner, but Lawrence said to me as we
played billiards afterwards;
"Tell you what, old chap, if fel.
low wants his wife to be extra pleasant
to him, he can't do better than risk his
life on this beastly lake, and he smiled
most contentedly.
1t was merely penitence, of course.
But l let him alone.-Idler.