The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1899-02-04

CHAPTER NU.-(ContinuedD

CHAPTER XII.-(Continued
''You look distressed, tired. | believe
you are frettng about this" says Lady
Baltimore, with little kindly bantering
laugh. Don't be a silly child. Nobody
has said or thought anything that has not
been kindly of you. Did you sleep last
night? No. | can see you didn't. There,
lie down and get little rest before lunch
con. ] shall send you up glass OF cham
pagne and biscuit; don't refuse 1t.
She pulls down the blinds and goes soft
~ out of the room to her houdoir, where
she finds Beauclcrk awaiting her.
He is loungng comfortably on satin
fautcuil, looking the very beau ideal of
pleasant. careless life. He makes his sis
ter n present OF 4 beaming smile as she
enters.
"Ah. good morning, Isabel; l am afraid
we gave you rather a fright, but you see
it couldn't be helped. What an evening
and night it turned out! | thought the
water works above We're turned on for
good at last and forever We felt like
the Babes in the Wood, abandoned, lost.
Poor, dear Miss kavanagh. | felt 50 sor-
ry for her. You have seen her, | hope
his face has now taken the correct lines
VI NCtbIpuS tplItlliJ Slt 10 nv W. -
tiguedT'
''She looks tired, depressed" says Lady
Baltimore, regarding him seriously. Il
| wish. Norman, you had come home last
evening"
What! and bring Miss Kavanagh
through all that stOrm!'
"No, you could have left her at Fall
ing. | wish you had come home"
Why" with an amused laugh. Are
you afraid | have compromised myself!'
Il was not thinking of you. am more
afraid" with Il touch of cold displeasure,
''of your having compromised Miss Kava-
nagh. There are such things as Sossips
! in this curious world. You should have
| left Joyce in Mrs. Connolly's safe keeping
! and come straight back here
ITO be laid up with the rheumatism for
the whole of the coming winter. Oh.
most unnatural sister, what is it you
would have desired of me?'
| You showed her great attention all this
| summer" says Lady Baltimore.
Il hope ! showed a proper attention to
all your guests"
you were very specially attentive to
| her"
ITO Miss Kavanagh. do you mean?'
with puzzled air. "Ah! well, yes. Per
| haps | did give more of my time to her
and to Miss Maliphant than to the 9th
crs"
"Ah, Miss Maliphant, one can under
stand that" says his sister, with an into
nation that is not entirely complimentary
Can one? Here is one who can't. at
all events. | confess | tried very hard to
bring myself to the point there, but | fail
cd Nature was too strong for me. Good
girl, you know, but-er-awfulr'
I'VE are not discussing Miss Maliphant
we were talking of Joyce" icily.
"Ah, true," as if just awakening to a
delightful fact. And A far more charm
ing subject for discussion, it must be al
lowed. Well, and what of Joyce-you call
her Joyce"
BE human, Norman" says Lady Ralti-
more, with a sudden suspicion of fire in
her tone. Forget to pose once in n way
And this time it is important. Let me
hear the truth from you. She seems un-
happy, uncertain, nervous. | like her
There is something real, genuine. about
her. | would gladly think that Do You
know" she leans toward him, Il have
sometimes thought you were in love with
her"
Have you? Do yOu know, so have l."
with frankness very admirable. ''She is
one of the most agreeable girls of my ac-
quaintancc. There is something very spe-
cill about her. I'm not surprised that
both you and | fell into 4 conclusion of
that sort"
Am to understand by that"
"Iust one thing. / am too poor to mar
ry."
The man who cannot afford to marry
should not afford himself the pleasures of
firtations," says Lady Baltimore, with
decision.
No? Is that your final opinion? Isa-
bel, what Il brow, What Il terrible glance.
IT," smiling, you favor Baltimore with
this style of thing whenever you disap-
prove of his smallest action | don't Won
der he gibcs so often at the matrimonial
collar You advised me to think just now:
think yourself, my good Isabel. now and
then, and probably you will find life
easier"
He is still smiling delightfully."- He filings
out this cruel gibe indeed in the most
careless manner possible.
"Ah, forget me" says she, in a manner
as careless as his own. If she had uui
cred beneath that thrust of his. at all
events she has had strength enough to
suppress all signs of it. 'Thnk-not of
her-I dare say she will outlive it-but of
yourself"
What would you have me do. them"
demands he. rising here and confronting
her. There is good deal of venom in his
handsome face, but Lady Baltimore
braves II.
Il vould have you act as an honorable
man says she, in a clear. if icy, tone.
''You go pretty far, Isabel very far.
even for a sister" says he, presently. his
face now white with rage. Il give you
more now. Attend to your own affairs,
which by all account require looking af-
ter. and let mine alone"
He is evidently furious. His sister
makes little gesture toward the door.
Your taking it like this does not mend
matters" she says, calmly, "it only makes
them. if possible, worse. Leave me"'
CHAPTER Mi.
It is seven O'Clock; Miss Kavanagh,
on her way upstairs to dress for dinner,