Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-09-02
CHAPTER XIII.

CHAPTER XIII.
''Now. in the first place" said Lord Kill
DOMAIN. as soon as he had closed the doar.
did she. when she sent for you this morn
ing, mention any symptoms which would
support my idea about heart disease"'
'.Not one. Lord Kildonan, and | think
you may safely dismiss the notion alto
gether from your mind. Lady kidonan's
physical health appears to me to be per-
fectiy sound. and the only thing that
seems to be wrong with her is slight
tendency to ennui, and a spirited craving
for a little more excitement than life in
the country can give her. l think shop
ping expedition to Liverpool would make
her all right again, or the trip to London
she seems so anxious for"
did she say that to you right out, in
70 many words?s'
well, yes, at last"
Nh! It is generally her health, or my
health, or something like that. and not
Please take me away, am dying of dull
mesa And she il not dull. That Is the
strAngest part of it. She il AZ gay as
lark, day after day. entering into all the
pleasures Of the country rs If there were
no others, and then suddenly there comes
| change, and she gets one of these rest
less fits, in which nothing will please her
but something she hasn't got and can't
get. If you could tell me the reason of
this, and how to cure her, you would do
me the greatest service any one has rem
Aered me yet"
Armathwaite said he would do his best,
I'D he thought there was no need for
Ord kildonqn to worry himself over the
natural capriccs Of lady accustomed to
the instant qualification Of her wishes.
But he remembered the flashes Of fierce,
feverish longing in her eyes, and thought
Of DR.. Peele and his secret. After listen
ing to his assurances, Lord Kildonan said:
''Well, should like to comfort myself
with the belief that you are right. You
will understand my fear better II ! show
you letter / received from her father q
few days before her marriage. There is
1aly one passage need trouble you with;
have read It again and again"
There was little necessity for this ex-
PLANTATION; the letter itself betrayed the
fact. Worn In the folds 80 that it scarce
" held together. the old letter, which Lord
Kildonan took from case In his breast
pocket, showed evident signs Of the num-
her Of times he had taken 1t out to pore
over its meaning. The particular passage
which he pointed out to the doctor ran
thus:
n ''There are two injunctions which, be-
fore you marry Aphra, wish particular
II to impsess upon you. The one 10 to
let her live always in the country, an ar
rangemefs4 which will, know, cause you
E., l. tn ~
cordance with your own tastes. From her
earliest childhood this has been impressed
upon ine BY the medical men who have
seen Aphra, for they point out to me that
her buoyant health and spirits are not
such sign of a robust constitution as
we should like to think, and that in the
vitiated air and distracting excitement Of
1 town. she would pine and die. beseech
you not to be coerced by her girls crav-
ing for amusements into doing anything
20 hurtful to her 40 residing in town
would be, particularly great city like
London or Liverpool. The second thing
L wish to impress upon you IL said not in
her Interests, but in the interests of the
estates which viii after my death be in
your care: Buy her everything in the
world she wants, in reason, but pay for
,it Yourself. Do not let her have any
command Of money, for living in the coun-
try where there ID nothing to buy, the
reckless generosity Of her nature will
cause her to become the prey of every
scamp and idle baggage who chooses to
appeal to her, and encourage the pauper-
Ism which It has always been my endea-
yor to supprcss. earnestly enjoin you
% follow my advice in these two things,
- believe you will do absolutely in con-
,eideration Of the entire confidence have
placed n you, Of the Importance Of the
trust make over to you, and of the hap
piness feel In the knowledge that my
dear child and everything else care for
in this world, will be in the charge Of a
man respect and esteem 40 do you.'
That 81 the passage" said Lord Kill
.dcnaI. when Armathwaite had rot a. far
- this. II read 1t quite simply when 1
tirst received It. Bat since then the fire.
QUEST recurrence Of her dts OF feverish
mslancholy has made me wonder whether
thef1 Was not . deeper meaning in her
father's words whether, IL fact, the del
fcaey % which he REFERRED was not really
= disaase. which might carry Of my wife
1t my moment II she were exposed to the
strain Of undue excitement. Now. doesn't
1t strike yOu In that lightT'
1 1T is certainly possible interpreta-
tion to put upon It. On the oths! hand,
you snssAt make allowance for 1ae exag-
1erated sentiment Of father with an
1nly child; especially ~ you see from the
other clause, his far-fetched fear that a
little indiscriminate charity would breed
pauperism, to what Wild ideas hSs morbid
asensIbklity could lead him."
Yes, yes, that ID true; that notion 10
Car fetched. Of course. Yoa." After q
.nauae he raised his head. sDr. Arma-
xhwaite, you have given me great COM
tort. Young blood like yours 10 sanguine,
and yOu see things In truer, alesiier
light than we old fogeys, who Groom over
our reaa and imaginary troubles. Yes,
,3es: far-fetched, that's what it is-far-
fetched. might have had the sense to
$50 that for myself"
And nOw let me venture upon word
Tor yourself, Lord Kildonan. Get her lady
ship to take ron ont with her on her long
ldrives. md give up your night work, and
I1oa will be different man.
81 40 Ai1arenf a,.anf AZ if,a no LATE