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

NlluuItacN, WHICH joins lnc nlSl lOdu WlIlllu
a few miles of the market town OF UXbridgc.
Through the pretty garden at the back runs
n little brook, winding its merry way TO a
distant river. The few rooms in this pleas
ant place of residence are well ttoo welD
furnished, having regard to the limits of u
building which is n cottage in the ~strictest
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 II library. Frm 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 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 IN need of a little ready money
was thls victim of gambling-tacilly per-
mitted or conveniently ignored by the auda-
cious hypocrisy OF a country which rejoiced
In the extinction of Baden, and which still
shudders at the name OF MOnacO-that lie
was ready to let his pretty cottage for no
longer Il tenn than one month certain; and
he even allowed the elderly lady, who drove
the hardest of hard bargains with him, o
lessen by one guinea the housc-rent paid for
each week. lie took bis revenge ~ means
of an ironical compliment, addressed I o
Mrs. PrcS'y. what a saving it would be
to the country, nam, if you were chancel-
lor of the c%Xchequcr!' With perfect gravity
Mrs. Presty accepted that well-earned tri-
butte of praise. "You are quite right, sir; l
shAnll Ian tlhn first ,nt,,.l ..tar,. IH,,,,,,, D.,
the history of England who took prOperc 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 book chosen from the
ell-StOcked shelves. GATHERINGS reading
appeared to be more than once interrupted
by GATHERINGS thoughts. Noticing this cir
cumStance, Mrs. Presty asked II any remark
able event had happened, and If 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 HAD passed (she reminded Mrs.
PreSty) since the interview at which IIerberi
Linley had hidden her farewell. On that
occasion he had referred to her proposed
marriage mever to be a marriage nowD in
terms Of forbearance and generosity, which
claimed her sincere admiration. 1t 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 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
Il was impossible TO think of without re-
morse, and which it was imperativcly 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.
Pr,sty 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. Did | plan
the deccption?' she asked. did | tell the
lie?"
Mrs. Presty was not in the least offended.
'You are comparatively innocent, my DEAR"
she admitted, with an air Of %satlrical lndulg;
ence. You only consented to the decep-
ton, and prOiited by the lie. Suppose we
own the truth. You are afraid"
Catherine owned the truth in the plainest
terms: YES, | am afraid"
"ATu you leave ii TO me?'
81 leave il to you"
Mrs. Presty complacently closed her book.
81 was quite prepared to hear it," she said;
''all the unpleasant complications since your
divorce-and heaven only knows how many
of them have presented themselves-haye
been left for me to unravel. 1t SO happens
though was too modest TO mention it pre-
maturely-that | have unraveled this com
plication. If you only have eyes TO see il,
there is a way out Of every difficulty that
can possibly happen" She pushed the book
that she had been reading ~(across the table,
to Catherine. Turn to page 240," she said.
There is the way out"
The title of the book was Disasters al
Sea, and the page contained the narrative
of a %shipwrcck. On evidence apparently ir
resistible, the drowning OF every soul on
board the lost vessel had been taken fol
Grandchildren a remnant of the passenger,
and crew had been discovered on a deser
island, and had been safely restored 10 theil
friends. Having read this record of suffer
ing and suspense, Catherine looked at hel
mother and waited for an explanation.
Don't you see it?' Mrs. Presty asked.
IL can't say that / do"
The old lady's excellent temper was not In
the least ruificd, evenly this.
"Quite ineXcuSaDle on my part she &C
acknowledged; IL ought to have remem
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. III,
wondered how it was that | never wrote
novel. Mr.. Presty's appreciation of my in
tellect was equally sincere; but he took
different view. Beware, my dear he said
of triting with the distinction which yOl
now enjoy; you are one OF tue mos1 remark
able women In England-you have neyeI
written a novel Pardon me; | am wander
ing into the region Of literary anecdote
when | ought to explain myself. Now pra.
attend to this: ! propose to tell Kitty That
have found a book which Is sure TO interes
het; and | shall direct her attention to thu
l~amentable story which you have just read
She is quite sharp enough there are sparks
of my intellectual fire in Kitty to ask II thu
friends of the poor shipwrecked people wer'
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 child, you see 1t now!"
Catherine saw it so plainly that she wa
eager to put the first part of the experiment
TO an immediate trial.
Kitty was sent for, and made her appear
ance with a f%ishlng-rod over her shoulder
"Im going TO tho brook" She announced
''expcct some fish for dinner to-day"