The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1897-07-13
81 4. CONAN DOYLE
as he looked questioningly at his daugh-

as ne looked QueStlOnlngly at his dauSh-
ter.
Dear papa, you shall not be alone.
It will re years before Harold and |
think . marrying, and when we do
you must come and live with US"
''NO, no, dear. I know that you mean
what you say, but I have seen some
thing of the world, and I know that
such arrangements never answer There
cannot be two masters in house, and
yet at my age freedom is very neces-
sary to me-.
but you would be completely free
mo, dear, you cannot be that if you
are guest in another mans house.
Can you suggest no other alternative?'
THAT we remain with YOU"
mo, no. That is out of the question.
Mrs Westmacott herself says that a
woman's first duty is to marry. Mar
riage, however, should be an equal
partnership, as she points out I should
wish you both to marry, but still 1
should like a suggestion from you,
Clara, as to what [ should do"
"But there is no hurry, papa. Let us
wait [ do not intend to marry yet"
Doctor Walker looked disappointed.
''Well, Clara, if you can suggest Moth
ing, [ suppose that I must take the in
itiative myself" said he
Then what do you propose, papa?"
She braced herself as one who sees the
blow which is about to fall.
He looked at her and hesitated. "How
like your poor dear mother you are,
Clara he cried. LAS [ looked at you
then it was as if she had come back
from the grave" He stopped toward
her and kissed her t'There, run away to
your sister, my dear, and do not trou-
bic yourself about me. Nothing is set
tied yet, but you will find that all will
come right"
Clara went upstairs sad at heart for
she was sure now that what she had
feared was indeed about to come to
pass, and that her father was going to
take Mrs. Westmacott to be his wife
In her pure and earnest mind her moth
er's memory was enshrined as that of
saint, and the thought that any one
should take her place seemed a terrible
deSecration. Even worse, however, did
this marriage appear when looked at
from the point of view of her fathers
future. The widow might fascinate him
by her knowledge of the world, her
dash, her strength her unconvention-
a1ty-all these qualities Clara was will
Ing to allow her-but she was convinced
that she would be uncomfortable as a life
companion. She had come to an age
when habits are not lightly to be
changed, nor was she woman who was
at all likely to attempt to change them.
How would a sensitive man like her
father stand the constant strain of such
a wife, woman who was all decision.
wit
in her nature? 1t passed as a mere ec-
centricity when they heard of her stout
drinking, her cigarette smoking. her
occasional whifs at a long clay pipe, her
horsewhipping of a drunken servant.
and her companionship with the snake
Eliza, whom she was in the habit of
bearing about in her pocket. All this
would become uncomfortable to her faith
er when his first infatuation was past.
For his own sake, then, as well as for
her mothers memory, this match must
be prevented. And yet how powerless
she was to prevent it! What could she
do? Could Harold aid her? Perhaps. Or
Ida? At least she would tell her sister
and see what she could suggest
Ida was in her boudcir, a tiny little
tapestried room, as neat and dainty as
Imari plaques and with pretty little
Swiss brackets bearing blue Kaga ware,
or the pure white Coalport china In
low chair, beneath a red-shaded stand
ing lamp, sat Ida, in a diaphanous even
ing dress of mousseline de sole, the rud-
dy light tinging her sweet, child-like
face, and glowing on her golden curls.
She sprang up as her sister entered,
ho1,
Dear old Clara Come and sit down
here beside me. l have not had chat
for days. But, oh, what troubled face!
What is it then?" She put up her fore
finger and smoothed her sisters brow
with it.
Clara pulled up a stool, and sitting
down beside her sister, passed her arm
round her waist. Il am SO sorry to
trouble you, dear Ida" she said. but
l do not know what to do
There's nothing the matter with
Harold?"
"Oh no, Ida"
Nor with my Charles?"
mo, no."
Ida gave a sigh of relief you quite
frightened me, DEAR" said she 4'You
can't think how solemn you look. What
is it, then?'
Il believe that papa intends to ask
Mrs. Westmacott to marry him.
Ida burst out laughing. What can
have put such a notion into your head,
Clara?"
1T is only too true, Ida. I suspected
it before, and he himself almost told
me as much with his own lips tonight.
I don't think that it is laughing mat
ter
ssReaIIy T could not helm II IF xro,,