The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-03-08
[Continued.l
CHAPTER XVI.


shelves which Marianne had requested
permission to let stand until her broth
er's return. 1t was the story of "Ivan-
hoe and while he read the overseer' S
son had felt the impulse to do high things
and to be knightly gentleman pulsing
hotly through his veins.
Betty, with her pronounced toilet,
her strident tones and reckless sugges-
ton of slang, came as disagreeable in
terruption.
She had been out driving. She drove
every day. She declared her intention
of driving into the inner circles of APP
plegate society behind that team. She
had been gone longer than usual today,
getting home just in time for their late
dinner. She asked that question of her
brother with a teasing laugh while she
was drawing off her gloves. Whitney
looked at her through sullenly narrowed
lids.
"What thing have you reference to,
Betty?''
"This Wholesale plan of yours for
getting even with everybody and WHIP
ing cut all the old aristocrats who af-
fronted you in the happy days of yore. !"
"Wby do you ask?''
"Well, have asked, SO answer
"Years upon years. Sometimes it
seems as if my whole life has been one
long thirst for revenge. "
'tAnd you are pretty dry yet
She laughed and tapped him sharply
on the shoulder with her folded gloves.
ooh, you diplomat, you strategist.
you infant in the arms! Dennis, my
lad, you should have sent for Betty
Grosvenor years ago. She would have
steered you straight into the haven of
revenge in half the time you have been
skirting al around it. -
"Tho war interrupted all my plans.
| had to wait until that boy was old
enough to make legal transfer. The
rest has been taken out of my hands by
destiny -
Ibid destiny take your legally mar
ried wife out of your keeping, Or was it
cid Madam Bascom? Did destiny rob
you of the child that might have been
softening your heart all these years, or
was it old Madam Bascom?"
"For Gods sake, Betty, what do you
mean?'
"You coward! You miserable coward!
I am ashamed to own the blood must
share with you
All the laughter was gone out of her
face now. She was looking at her broth
er with whitening scorn. Then she
added:
81 don't care to have any of your su-
perb lackeys dropping in on what have
to say, so it can wait until after dinner. "
Whitney got up mechanically to lead
the way to the dining room. What could
she have heard since leaving the house
that morning and from whom could she
have learned things which he thought
known only to himself and the dead?
He laid OBTAINING hand on her shout
der.
"I should like to ask you one ques-
ton, Betty he said.
"You needn't. IF I can be kept out
of your confidence half lifetime, you
can wait for mine during one dinner"
He thought he had never known her
show such deliberation in disposing of
her food.
She read his anxiety in his darkening
eyes and laughed with restored malice.
CHOW that we are ladies and gentle
men of elegant leisure, Dennis, we do
not gulp our food as if we were listen
ing for the plantation bell to start us
back to work. -
"Betty, sometimes think you are
possessed of devil "a
1.-THE family allowance ought to be
half dozen. You may well spare me-
one. &"
He pushed his chair away from the
table and left her to drink her coffee
alone. She came to him fully an hour
later, looking very handsome in the soft,
trailing house gown of silk she had ex-
changed her carriage dress for.
81 have had rather an eventful day, "
she said, throwing herself into chair
opposite him, ''and If l had any one
else to talk to should enjoy making
you suffer awhile longer
QCn see WuaG uds st1rIeu you w
wrath against me.
"Then will have to enlighten you.
Today in the most accidental manner
have heard things about you that
ought to have known when I was a
girl. I never would have left you out
i'll the cold that way, Dennie.
"You mean about my marriage?"
"I do
1.-THE secret was not mine alone
"You played the very mischief let
ting there be any secret at all. But let
me tell you about my day"
Gas you please. should like, though,
to ask that you come to the point as di-
rectly as possible. -
81 will, but I don't think you in the
least suspect what that point will be. "
Whitney closed his eyes and leaned
back with lighted cigar between his
lips. This sudden bringing up of the
past for discussion was more painful
than Betty could surmise. The one pure,
idoIatrous love of his life had been his