The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1897-07-17

Bennydetk, TO distress YOU by referring to
this. But if my brother is left under the
impression that your engagement will be fol-
lowed by your marriage, he Will refuse to
intrude himself on the lady who was once
his wife. There are the circumstances.
What is our reply to my request-yes or
no?'
Frankly and fairly the captain answered:
Yes"
CHAPTER Lv.
The front windows of the Brightwater
cottage look out on n quiet green lane in
Middlesex, which joins the high road within
Il few miles of the market town of uxbridge.
Through the pretty garden at the back runs
a little brook, winding its merry way to a
distant river. The few rooms in this pleas
ant place of residence are we'll (too welD
furnished, having regard to the limits of II
building which is a cottage in the ~strictest
sense ri the word. Water-coior drawings
by the old English masters of the art orna-
ment the dining-room. The pallor has been
transformed into q library. From floor to
ceiling all four of its walls are covered with
books. Their old and wcll-chosen bindings
seen in the mass present nothing less than u
feast of color to the eye. The library and
the works OF art are described as heir-looms,
which have passed into the possession'of the
present proprietor-one more among the
hundreds OF Englishmen who are ruined
every year by betting on the turf.
So sorely i'll need OF a little ready money
was this victim OF gambling-tacitly per-
mitted or conveniently ignored by the auda-
cious hypocrisy of q country which rejoiced
in the extinction of Baden, and which still
shudders at the name OF Monaco--that he
was ready to let his pretty cottage for no
longer II tenn than one month certain; and
he even allowed the elderly lady, who drove
the hardest of hard bargains with him, to
lessen by one guinea tile house-rent paid for
each week. He took his revenge by means
of an ironical compliment, addressed to
Mrs. Presty. What a saving it wonld DO
to the country, MAIN, if you We're chancel-
Tor of the eXchequcr!' With perfect gravity
Mrs. Presty accepted that well-eamed trl-
butte of praise. You are quite right, sir; l
should be the first official person known to
the history of England who took proper care
of the public money"
Within two days CT the time when they
had left the hotel at Sydcnham Catherine
and her little family circle had taken posses
sion of the cottage.
The two ladies were sitting in the library,
L w oNNN'i'Nu wan ~ pc'h iio'Nib " luO
well-stocked shelves. GATHERINGS reading
appeared to be more than once interrupted
by GATHERINGS thoughts. Noticing this cir
cuinstance, Mrs. Presty asked If any remark
able event had happened, and if it was
weighing heavily OH her daughters mind.
Catherine answered that She was thinking
of Kitty, and that anxiety connected with
the child did weigh heavily on her mind.
! S,u1a da We ln.{ ,,ocSaI fsha ra,nipIal NTre
Presty) since the interview at which Herber.
Linley had hidden her farewell, On that
occasion he had referred to her proposed
marriage (never to be a marriage nowD in
terms of forbcarance and generosity, which
claimed her sincere admiration. 1t might
be possible for her to show Il grateful appre-
citation of his conduct. Decidedly fond Of
his little daughter, he must have felt acutely
his long separation from her; and it was
quite likely that he might ask to see Kitty.
There was now an obstacle in the way of her
willing compliance with that request, which
It was impossible to think Of without re-
morse, and which it was imperatively nee
essary to remove. Her mother would under
stand that she alluded to the shameful false
hood which had led the child to suppose that
her father was dead.
Strongly disappearing of the language in
which her daughter had done justice to the
conduct Of the divorced husband, Mrs.
Presty merely replied: "You are Kitty's
mother; ! leave it to you'-and returned to
her reading.
Catherine could not feel that she had de
served such an answer as this. "Dfdl plan
the deception" she asked. Did | tell the
lie?"
Mrs. Prcsty was not in the least offended.
| 81 ~, N ,.A ., ,nN ~ -, no a, ~ ~, !,
she admitted, with an air OF %satlrical indulg-
ence. You only consented to the dccep-
ton, and protited by the lie. Suppose we
OWL the truth. You are afraid"
Catherine owned TIL, truth in the plaincst
terms: Yes, ] am afraid"
And YOU leave II to me?"
II leave it to YOU
Mrs. Presty complacently closed her book.
II was quite prepared to hear it." she said;
'ail the unpleasant complications since your
diyolcc-and heaven only knows how many
OF them have presented themselves-have
been left for me to unravel. 1t so happens
though was too modest to mention 1t pre-
maturely-that | have u%nrayeled this COM
piication. If you only have eyes to see ii,
there is a way out of every difficulty that
eau possibly happen" She pushed the book
that she had been reading across the table,
to Catherine. Turn to page 24O," she said.
There is the way OUT
The title of the book was "Dlsasters at
Sea- and the page contained the narrative
of n shlpwreck. On evidence apparently il
reslstible, the drowning of every soul on
beard the lost vessel had been taken for
granted-when a remnant of the passengers
and crew had been discovered ON a desert
Island, and had been safely restored to their
friends. Having read this record OF suffer-
ing and suspense, Catherine looked at her
mother and waited for an explanation.
Don't you see itY' Mrs. Presty asked.
81 can't say that 1 do
The old lady's excellent temper was not in
the least ruffled, even by this.
quite ineNcuSable on my part she ac-
acknowledged: u ought to have remein-
bered that you don't inherit your mothers
vivid imagination. Age has left me " full
possession of those powers of invention
which used to amaze your poor father. He
wondered how it was that never wrote a
novel. Mr.. Presty's appreciation of my ill.,
tellect was equally sincere; but he took a
different view. Beware, my dear he said,
of tritiing with the distinction which you
now enjoy; yOn are one OF the most remark
allie women in. England-you hnve never
written q novel; Pardon me; Ian wander
ing into the region of literary anecdote,
when l ought to explain myself. Now pray
attend to this: | propose to tell Kitty that !
have found a book which Is sure to interest
her; aud ! shall direct her attention to the
lamentable story which yOu nave just read.
She is quite sharp caoagl ttltsre are sparks
of my intellectual fire in Kitty to ask II the
friends of the poor shipwreckea people were
not very much surprised to sec them again.
10 this shall answer: Very much, indeed,
for their friends thought they were Dead
All, you dear, dull child, you see it now "
Catherine saw it so plainly that she was
eager to PIT the first part of the experiment
to an immediate trial.
Kitty was sent for, and made her appear
alce with a iisl,ing-rod over her shoulder.
SIN going 10 tic brook, = she announced;
expect some fish for dinner to-day