Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-09-08
CHAPTER XII.

with a very ferocious snap. he could see
that she was furiously angry, and, feel
ing that his presence was by no means
soothing to her, he picked up one of his
gloves, which had fallen to the floor, and
prepared to take his leave, satisfied that
she would not ask him to prescribe for
imaginary ailments again. But she was
too angry to be wise. Instead of letting
him go with few curt words, according
to her first impulse. she stopped him
when he was at the door by saying:
You are a great admirer of Mrs. Cros-
mont's. l see"
II was considering Mrs Crosmont from
the point of view of doctor, rather than
an acquaintance. She looks i'll, unhappy"
"And l do not. So my troubles get no
sympathy"
"From the doctors point of view. no.
But as a man who has been received by
you and Lord Kildonan in the kindest
manner, /"
"Oh, yes, or, yes, of course. You are
overwhelmed with concern for Lord and
Lady Kildonan's mutual happiness. But
yoI would like to prescribe for Mrs. Cros
mont"
II should, indeed"
sand pray. as a doctor or an acquaint-
ance, would you see any fault in the
stolid unconcern with which she bears her
husbands difficulties. difficulties which
drive me, who am merely his old friend,
nearly mad with desperation to think
that, with all the money which is nomi-
nally mine, l haven't SO much as a five
pound note really my own, to help the
poor boy out of his troublesY'
She was passionately in earnest, most
sincerely and heartily distressed Arma-
thwaite was touched. She really did care
for this man, then. "Stolid unconcern"
were curious words to use in connection
with Alma Crosmont: but he let that pass
That's very hard, certainly" he said.
You see, | daren't ask my husband for
him. because If he thought his own agent
was in money difficulties, he would get
into dreadful state, and thinx poor Ned
managed his Affairs as badly as he has
lone his own
"Yes, 1 suppose he would" said Arma-
thwaite.
"And that's not true at ALL" continued
she. taking up Crosmont's cause warmly
''He has speculated with his own money,
l believe, but know that he is even ia
natically scrupulous about his employers.
Why, he won't even let me have five
pound note if beg for it. when he's got
the rents in his own hands ready to be
paid into the bank at Liverpool!
Armathwaite was rather puzzled. zone
would have thought a man might be sa fe
from the speculation mania here" he
said.
''Oh, people send round prospectuses of
mines and companies and things. You
know; and then. l suppose, the poor boy
gets seized with the idea that he car
make his fortune in a week"
But don't You use your influence to
persuade him that 1t is fOolish?'
'Oh, my influence, what Is it? ! be-
lieve his wife encourages him In these
things, and that, of course, weighs down
the scale.
The young doctor began TO look more in
credulous than ever. Lady Kildonan, who
had not sat down again, but was wander
ing restlessly about the room. stopped and
thrust out her hands before her.
Look" she cried. eff l really had any
influence over hm. ought not this to be
enough to restrain him-the fact that
have sold the very rings off my fingers to
help him? tell my husband don't care
to wear jewelry-he thinks what trinkets
1 once had are locked up In my dressing
case. But they are not. They were sold
long ago, to pay Ned's debts"
"But how did you manage to dispose of
them without your husbands knowl-
edge?"
"Oh, Ned goes to Liverpool once
month, sometimes oftener, on my hus.
bands business He sold them"
ITO pay his own debts! 1t was an in
famous thing to dor
"Don't tell him l told you," she said.
frighte ned by his tone. ut is all right
now. I assure you 1t is all right now. ]
only told you this to show that l am
not the heartless creature you seemed TO
think me. But now, now can't you under
stand how 1t Is l want to get away, ont
of this wicked deceit l am forced TO prac-
tice, this life of little lies and excuses,
which makes me ashamed to look my hus-
band in the face? In few minutes he
will be here. He always comes to me be-
fore eleven to wish me good morning.
Can't you persuade him that If he would
only take me away somewhere, to Paris
or the south Of France, he would get quite
well and strong himself, and l should eat
and sleep again as well as ever, and we
could come together again, and end by be
ing a regular Darby and JOAN"
"If you can't persuade him to do what
you wish, Lady Kildonan, l am afraid
nobody can. As for your husbands
health, seriously think you have the care
Of that IN your own hands If you were