Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-07-10
CTIAPTER LY.

The front windows of the Brightwater
cottage look out on n quiet green lane in
MiddleseX. which joins the high road within
a 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
AMI place OF residence are well ttoo welD
furnished, having regard to the limits OF a
building which Is a cottage In the s~trictest
sense of the word. Water-colOr drawings
by the old English masters of the art orna.
ment the dining-room. The parlor has been
transformed into a library. FIR m floor TO
ceiling all four Of its walls are covered with
books. Their old and well-chosen bindings
seen in the mass present nothing less than a
feast of color 10 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 In need of a little ready money
was this victim of gambling-tacitly per-
mitted or conveniently ignored By the auda-
cious hypocrisy OF a country which rejoiced
In the extinction Of Baden, and which still
shoulders at the name OF Monaco-that he
was ready to let his pretty cottage for no
longer a term than ore month certain; and
he even allowed the elderly lady. who drove
the hardest OF hard bargains with him, to
lessen by one guinea the house-Tent paid for
each week. He took his revenge by means
OF an ironical compliment, addressed 10
Mrs. Pres'y. What a saving il would be
to the country, nam, If you were chancel-
Tor of the e%Xchequer!' With perfect gravity
Mrs. Presty accepted that well-earned tri-
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 of the time when they
had left the hotel at Sydenham Catherine
and her little family circle had taken posses
sion Of the cottage.
The two ladies were sitting in the library,
each occupied with a book chosen from the
well-stocked shelves. GATHERINGS reading
appeared 10 be more than once interrupted
by GATHERINGS thoughts. Noticing this cir
cumStance, Mrs. Presty asked il any remark
able event had happened, and II il was
weighing heavily on her daughters mind.
Catherine answered that she was thinking
of Kitty, and that anxiety connected with
the child did weigh heavily on her mind.
Some days hau passed (she reminded Mrs.
Presty) since the interview at which Herbers
LiDley had hidden her farewell. On that
occasion he had referred TO her proposed
marriage (neyer to he a marriage nowD in
terms of foTbearance and generosity, which
claimed her sincere admiration. Ii might
be possible for her to show a grateful appre-
citation of his conduct. Decidedly fond Of
his little daughter, he must have felt acutely
his long separation from her; and II 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
L was impossible 10 think of without re-
morse, and which il was imperatiyely nec-
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 ii TO yon"-and returned to
her reading.
Catherine could not feel that she had de
served such an answer rs this. did | plan
the deception she asked. Did | tell the
lieg'
Mrs. Presiy was not in the least offended.
You are comparatively innocent, my dear"
she admitted, with All air of ~satirical indulge
ence. You only consented to the decep-
ton, and protited by the lie. Suppose we
own the truth. You are afraid"
Catherine owned the truth in the plainest
terms: Yes, | am afraid"
And you leave it 10 me?'
II leave il to YOU"
Mrs. Presty complacently closed her book.
VI was quite prepared to hear it," she said;
''all the unpleasant complications since your
diyorce-and heaven only knows how many
of them have presented themselves--have
been left for me to unravel. Ii so happens
though | was too modest 10 mention il pre-
maturely-that l have unrayeled this conf
plication. IL you only have eyes TO see II,
there is a way out of every difficulty that
can possibly happen" She pushed the book
that she had been reading across the tablet
TO Catherine. Turn to page $40" she said.
There is the WAX out"
TIC title of the book was Disasters at
Sea" and the page contained the narrative
of a shipwreck. On evidence apparently ir-
resistible, the drowning OF every soul on
board the lost vessel had been taken for
granted-when q remnant OF the passengers
ana 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.
II can't say that 1 do"
The old lady's excellent temper was not in
the least ruffied, even by this.
"Quite ihexcusable on my part,n she ac-
acknowledged; II ought to have reElem-
bered that you don't inherit your mothers
vivid imagination. Age has left me in full
possession OF those powers OF invention
which Used to amaze your poor father. He
wondered how II was that never wrote q
novel. Mr.. Presty's appreciation OF my in
teilect was equally sincere; but he took a
different view. Beware, my dear no said,
of tritiing with the distinction which you
now enjoy; you are one or the most remark
able women in E~ngland-you have never
written a novel; Pardon me; l am wander
ing into the region Of literary anecdote.
when | ought 10 explain myself. Now pray
attend to this; ! propose to tell Kitty that
have found q book which Is sure to interest
hes; and l shall direct her attention 70 the
lamentable story which you have Just read,
She Is quite sharp enough there are sparka
OF my intellectual ere in Kitty 10 ask II tho
friends OF the poor shipwrccked people were
not very much surprised to see them again,
TO this ! shall answer; Very much, indeed,
for their friends thought they were dead
All. you dear dull clild, Jon see n nowr
Catherine saw II so plainly that she was
eager to put the first part Ut the experiment
u an Immediate trial.
Kitty was sent for. and made her appear
ance with a fshing-iOd over her shoulder.
"t'm going 10 tllo brook ahe announced;
expect some tsh Toy dinner to-day"