Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-03-18
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P A.c0N4N DOYLE


wish you both to marry. but still I
should like suggestion from you.
Clara. as to what I 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, I suppose that must take the in
ftiative 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. 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
- SsAAASs anu Tic lIlouSIL lHdl dIlS ouS
should take her place seemed terrible
dissertation. 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-
ality-all these qualities Clara was will
ing to allow her-but she was convinced
that She would ho 10 a 20
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 sensitive man like her
father stand the constant strain of such
WIFE, woman who was all decision,
with no softness. and nothing soothing
III her nature? 1t passed as mere &C.
centr1ctty when they heard of her stout
drinking. her cigarette smoking, her
occasional whifs at long clay pipe, her
norsewhipping of drunken servant
ana her companionship with the snake
Elza, Whom she was in the habit Of
bearing about in her pocket All this
would become uncomfortable to her faith
er "hen his first infatuation was past
ror MS own sake, then, as we'll as for
aer mothers memory, this match must
oe prevented. And yet how powerless
she was to prevent it! What could she
40: Could Harold aid her? Perhaps. o.
Aoa AT least she would tell her sister
ana see what she could suggest.
1oa was In her boudoir, tiny little
tapestried room, as neat and dainty as
herseiI' with low walls hung with
mari plaques and with pretty little
SWISS brackets bearing blue Kaga ware,
or the pure white Coalport china. In a
10" cna1r, 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
| race, and glowing on her golden curls
she sprang up as her sister entered.
| ana threw her arms around her.
Dear old Clara! Come and sit down
| mere beside me. I have not had a chat
Tor days. But, oh. what a troubled face:
| what is 1T them" 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. "I 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?'
! ooh, no, Ida
Nor with my Charles?"
mo, no."
Ida gave sigh Of relief. "You quite
frightened me, DEAR" said she.. 'You
can't think how solemn you look. What
| is it, them"
Il believe that papa intends to ask
Mrs. Westmacott to marry him."
Ida burst out laughing. What can
have put such notion into your head.
Clara?'
| 1T is only too true, Ida. I suspected
1t before, and he himself almost told
me as much with his own lips tonight.
1 don't think that it is laughing mat
| ter"
Really, I could not help it. If you
had told me that those two dear old
ladies opposite, the Misses Williams,
were both engaged. you would not have
surprised me more. It is really too
funny"
Funny, Ida! Think of anyone TAX
ing the place Of dear mother"
But her sister was of more practi-
cal and less sentimental nature. II am
sure" said she, that dear mother
would like papa to do whatever would
| make MIN most happy. We shall both
be away, and why should papa not
please himself?"
But think how unhappy he will be.
You know how quiet he his in his ways
and how even a little thing will upset
him. How could he live with wife
who would make his whole life series
Of surprises? Fancy what whirlwind
! she must be in a house. A man at his
age cannot change his ways. am sure
he would be miserable"
Ida's face grew grayer. and she pom
dered over the matter for few min
utes. II really think that you are right
as usual" said she at last. II admire
Charles aunt very much, you know,
and I think she is very useful and
good person, but I don't think she
would do as wife for poor. quiet
papa
But he will certainly ask her. and ]
really think that she intends to accept
him. Then it would be too late to in
terfere. We have only few days at
the most. And what can we do? How
can we hope to make him change his
mind?"
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