The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1897-07-03

lVi lluSti Y lOSh lAC -uUUi hStlll, i lOIu
him, she won't like that; and what do you
think he said? He said: 'Good-by, KittieT
Wasn't 1t funny. He didn't seem to know
opinion, mamma, | think the sooner YOU 20
to him the better"
Catherine hesitated. Mrs. Presty on one
side and Kitty o the other led her between
them into the house.
CHAPTER LII.
Capt. Bennydeck met Catherine and her
child at the open door of the room. Mrs.
Presty, stopping a few PAGES behind them,
waited in the passage, eager to see what the
captains face might tell her. 1t told her
nothing.
But Catherine saw a change in him. There
was something in his manner unnaturally
passive and subdued. 1t suggested the idea
OF Il MAJ whose mind had been forced into
an effort at self-control which had exhausted
its power, and had allowed the signs OF de-
pressien and fstigue to find their way to the
surface. The captain was quiet, the captain
was kind; neither by word nor look did he
warn Catherine that the continuity of their
intimacy was in danger of being broken
and yet her spirits sank when they met at
the open door.
He led her to Il chair, and said she had
coma to him at q time when he especially
wished to speak with her. Kitty asked il
she might remain with them. He put his
hand caressingly on her head. mo, my dear;
not now"
The child eyed him for a moment, con.
scious of something which she had never no.
ticed in him before, and puzzled by the dis
corery. She walked back, cowed and silent,
to the door. He followed her and spoke to
Mrs. Presty. Take your grandchild into
the garden; we will join you there in a little
while. Good-by for the present, Kitty"
Kitty said good-by mechanically-like a dull
child repeating a lesson: Her grandmother
led her away in silence.
Bennydeck closed the door and seated him
self by Catherine. II thank you for your let
ter he said. "If such a thing is possible, 1t
has given me a higher opinion OF You than
any opinion that l have held yet"
She looked at him with a feeling of sur
prise so sudden and so overwhelming that she
was at a loss how to reply. The last words
which she expected to hear from him when
lie allude to her confession were the words
that had just passed his lips.
You have owned to faults that you have
committed and receptions that you have
sanctioned" he went on-''wlth nothing to
gain and everything to lose by telling the
truth. Who but a good woman would have
done that?:'
There was a deeper feeling in him that he
had ventured to express. 1t betrayed itself
by a momentary trembling in his voice.
Catherine drew a little closer to him.
You don't know how you surprise me,
how you relieve me-" she said, w%armly-and
,>raSSad hSe baud J> $ha ar r ~ bar
gratitude, in the gladness that had revived
her sinking heart, she failed to feel that the
pressure was not returned.
what have 1 said to surprise you?" he
asked. What anxiety have / relieved,
without knowing it?.'
II was afraid you would despise me-"
why should 1 despise your
Have l not gained your good opinion UNI
der false pretcnses? Have not allowed you
to admire me and love ne without telling
you that there was anything In my past life
which l had reason to regret? Even now
can hardly realize that you excuse and for.
give me; you who have read the confession
and my worst faults; you who know the
shocking inconsistencies of my character
Say at once" he answered, that l know
! you to be a mortal creature. Is there any
human character, even the noblest, that is
always consistently good?"
"One reads OF them sometimes she sug.
gested, I'm books"
yes" he said. TN the worst books you
could possibly read-the only really immoral
books written in our time"
why are they immioral?'
"For this plain reason, that they deliber.
ately pervert the truth. Claptrap, you in
nocent creature, to catch foolish readers
! When do these consistently good people ap,
pear IN the life around us. the life that We
all see? Neverl Are the best mortals thai
ever lived above the reach Of temptation to
do i'll, and are they always too good to yield
to il? How does the Lords prayer instruct
humanity? 1t commands us all, without eX.
ception, to pray that we may not be led into
temptation. You AVE been led into temp
tation. In other words, you are a human
being. All that a human being could dc
you have done-you have repented and con
tessed. Don't ! know how you have suffer
cd, and how you have been tried! Why
what a mean pllarisee / should be i'll pre-
sumed to despise youv'
She looked at him proudly and gratefully
she lifted her arm rs if to thank him by al
embrace, and suddenly let it drop again a
her side.
Am | tormenting myself without cause?'
she said. "Or is there something that look.
like sorrow showing itself to me In you
face?n
You see the bitterest sorgow," he an
swercd, TINT l have felt in oil my sad life.
SIS it sorrow for me?" she went on, tryin,
to speak calmly.
mo. Sorrowfor myself"
Has it come to you through me2 Is it N,
fanlt?:"
at is more your misfortune than YOU
fault"
"Then you cal feel for mel"
81 can and do"
He has not yet set her at ease.
II am afraid your sympathy stops some
where" she said. Where does it stop?"
For the first time he shrank from directl.
answering her. VI begin TO wish 1 had fol
lowed your example, !" lie owned. ut nigh
have been better for both of US II l had an
swered your letter in writing"
Tell me plainly" she cried, losing al
fear OF him In her anxiety to know wha
was in his mind-"telI me plainly, is Their
something you can't forTiyeP"
There is something 1 can't forget"
.'yYhat is it? Oh, what is it! When m,
mother told poor little Kitty that her fathe
"sso 1SoA ~ JoAS NSh c0khJ th'nsA 4 Nt
that l allowed it? Arc you even NOR
ashamed Of me than l am OF myself?'
mo. l regret that you allowed it; but
understand how You were led into that Ell
ror. Your husbands intidelity had shake
his hold on your respect for him and you
sympathy with him. and had so left 20
without your natural safeguard against Mrs
Presty's sophlstical reasoning and bad exam
pie. But for that w%rong-doing there is
remedy left. Enlighter your child as 20
have enlightened me-; and them have n
personal motive for pleading Mr.. Herbel
Linley's cause, after what l have seen o
him-and then, acknowledge the father
claim OH the child.'
DC you mean his claim to see fer?2"
What else can l mean? Yes! let him Sc
her. Do God help me, now when It's to
late y do what you ought to have done. 0
, that accused day which will be the blackes
day In my calendar, to the end Of my life.
What day do you nleanY'