The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1897-01-09

II feel inclined to agree with you, he said
to Herbert. sit does seem hard to recall Miss
Westerfield to the miserable life that she has
led, and to do it in the way of all others
which must try her fortitude most cruelty.
At the same time"
"Oh, don't spoil what you have said by
seeing the other side OF the question: cried
his bro her. 'You have put it admirably;
leave it as it is"
AT tie sam time," Randall gently per-
sisted, II have heard no reasons which sat
isfy me that we have o right to keep Miss
Westertield in Ignorance of what has hap
pened.''
This serious view of the question in debate
highly diverted Mrs. Presty. Il do like that
man" she announced, pointing to Randall;
she always amuses me. Look at him nowl
He doesn't know which side he is on, him
self"
''He is on my side,n Herbert declared.
mot her'
Herbert consulted his brother. "What do
you say yourself?:"
II don't know" Randall answered.
"Therew cried Mrs. Presty, "What did /
tell you?'
Randall tried to set his strange reply in the
right light. Il only mean,'' he explained,
tltt l. WaHl II lllllc lllnc 10 luillk.
Herbert gave up the dispute and appealed
to his wife. You have still got the Ameri-
can newspaper in your hand" he said.
"What do you mean to do with it?'
Quietly and firmly Mrs. Linley answered:
~ mean TO show it to Miss Westerlield.n
against my opinion? Against your moth
er's opinion?" Herbert asked. Have we no
influence over you? Do as Randall does
take time, my dear, to think"
She answered this with her customary
81 am afraid / must appear obstinate; but it
is indeed true That | want no time TO think;
my duty is too plain to me-"
Her husband and her mother listened to
her in astonishment Too mniable and too
~happy-and it must be added too indolent-
to assert herself in the ordinary emergencies
of family life, Mrs, Linley only showed of
what metal she was made on the very rare
occasions when the latent iirmness in her
nature was stirred to its lmlermost depths.
The general experience of this sweet-tcm-
pered and delightful woman, ranging over
long intervals of time, was the only expert
ence which remained In the memories of the
persons about her. In bygone days they
had been amazed when her unexpected read
mess and tiTnlness of decision presented an
exception to n general rule-just as they
were amazed now.
Herbert tried a last remonStrance. us it
possible, Catherine, that you don't see the
cruelty OF showing that newspaper to Miss
Westerfieldp"
Even this appeal to Mrs. Linley's sympa.
thies failed to shake her resolution. "You
may trust Inc to be careful was all she said
in reply; II shall prepare her as tenderly for
| the sad news from America as il she was q
daughter of my own
Hearing this, Mrs. Presty showed a sudden
interest in the proceedings. when do you
mean to begin?' size asked.
AT once, mamma
Mrs. Presty broke up the meeting on the
spot. wait till l am out OF the way" she
stipulated. do you object to Herbert Civ
ing NE his arm? Distressing scenes are not
i'll his way or in nine"
Mrs. 1inley made no objection. Herbert
resigned himself (pot at all mwillingly) to
circumstances. Arm in arm he and his wife's
mother left the room.
Randall showed 10 intention of following
them; he had given himself time to think.
I'VE are all wrong, Catherine" he said;
land you alone are i:ght. What can | do to
help you?"
She took his hand gratefully. always
kind! Never thinking of yourself! l will
see Miss Westerfe!d in my own room. Wait
here, in case l want YOU
liter a much shorter absence than Randall
anticipated, Mrs. Linley returned. HAS it
been very distressing?' he asked, seeing the
traces uf tears in her eyes.
''There are noble qualities" she answered,
sin that poor ill-nsed girl. Her one thought,
as so0n as she began to understand my mo-
tive in speaking to her, was not for herself,
but for me. Even you, II man, must have
felt the tears in your eyes, If YOU had heard
her promise that | should sniler no further
anxiety on her account. You shall see no
distressing change i'll me- she said, when
we meet Tomorrow All she asked was to
be left in her room for the rest of the day. |
feel sure OF her resolution to control herself;
ana yet l should like to encourage her if /
can. Her chief sorrow {as 1t seems to me)
must be-not for the mother who has so
shalnefully neglected her-but for Tie poor
little brother, q castaway, lost in a strange
land, Can we do nothing to relieve her
anXiety?"
" can write" Randall sail, 'to Il maii
whom | know in New York; q lawyer in
large practice"
"'The very person we wantl Write-pray
write by to-day's postn!'
The letter was dispatched. 1t was decided
and wisely decided, as the result proved
to say nothing to Sydney until the answel
was received Randals correspondent wrote
back with as little delayas possible. He haG
made every inquiry, without success. Not q
trace of the boy had been found, OF Gin the
opinion of the Dolice) was likely to be found
The one event that had happened, since the
appearance OF the paragraph in the New
York journal, was the confinement of James
Bellhridge imam asylum as a mailman undel
restraint without hope of recovery.
Mrs. Presty had net very seriously exag
gelated the truth. when she described he
much-indulged granddaughter as "a clilt
who had never been accustomed to wait TO
ANYTHING since the day when she Was horn ,