, 1899-04-21
CHAPTER XIV.

lying painting, laughing and playing with
the dog at his fathers feet.
"Bertie," says his mother, turning to
the child, "do you know this, that your
father is going to leave you"
"Going?' says the boy, vaguely, for
getting the dog for moment and glancinR
upward. "Where%
away. Forever"
"WhereT" says the boy again. He
| rises to his feet now, and looks anxiously
at his father; then he smiles and filings
himself into his arms. "Oh, nor says he,
in a little soft, happy, sure sort of a way.
"Foreyeri Forever! repeats Isabel, in q
curious monotone.
Take me up" says the child, Juggling at
his fathers arms. What does mamma
mean? Where are you goingY'
ITO America, to shoot bears" returns
Baltimore, with an embarrassed laugh.
How near to tears it is!
"Real live bearsp'
Eyes"
'"Take me?' says the child, e%xcitedly.
"And leave mammal"
"Oh, she'll come, too" say BERTHE, con-
fdently. She'll come where l CO."
Where he would go-the child! But would
she go where the father went? Baltimore's
brow darkened.
"I am afraid 1t Is out of the question:"
he says, putting BERTHE back again upon
the carpet, where the fox-terrier Is bark
Ing furiously and jumping up and down
In a frenzied fashion as il DESTROYS of de-
~vouring the child's legs. "The bears
might eat you. When you are big and
strong"
"You will come back for me-? cries
BERTHE, eagerly.
Perhaps"
"He will not" breaks in Lady Balti-
more, violently. "He will come back no
more. When he goes you will never see
him again. He has said so. He Is going
foreverw These last terrible words seem
to nave sunk into her soul. She cannot
cease from repeating them.
Let the boy alone" says Baltimore
angrily.
The child is looking from one parent to
the other. He seems puzzled, expectant,
but scarcely unhappy. Childhood can
grasp a great deal, but not all. The more
unhappy the childhood, the more it can
understand of the sudden and larger ways
of life. But children delicately brought
up and clothed in love from their cradle
| uHu IL AdIo W LII bhab al ~ ~ thNhA
happiness can ever come.
"rell me, papa" says he at last, in
vague, sweet little way.
..What.is there to AllY' re- r4aspz
er, with a most meager laugh, Except
that | saw Beecher bringing in some fresh
oranges half an hour ago. Perhaps he
hasn't eaten them all yet. If you were to
ask him for one"
UTyI G-l ill.,, ~ a,;oe Dort;o 1.soL+Ir
forgetting everything but the present mo-
ment. "Come, Trixy, come" to his dog;
you shall nave some, too"
"You see, there won't be much trouble
with him. says Baltimore, when the boy
has run out of the room in pursuit of or
anges. at will take him a day, perhaps,
and after that he will be quite your own
If you won't sign these papers to-day you
will perhaps tomorrow. l had better go
and tell Hansard that you would like to
have a little time to look them over"
He walks quickly down the room, opens
the door and closes it after him.
He has not. however, gone three yards
down the corridor when the door is again
opened, and Lady Baltimore's voice calls
after him:
"Baltimorel" Her tone is sharp, highly
agonized-the tone of one strung to the
highest pitch of despair. 1t startles him.
He turns to look at her. She is standing,
framed in by the doorway and one hand
is grasping the woodwork with a hold so
firm that the knuckles are showing white.
With the other hand she beckons him to
approach her. He obeys her. He is ever
so frightened at the strange, gray look in
her face that he draws her bodily into the
-ooD, o.o;, ahrttip0 thu door with a praS-
sure of the hand he can best spare.
what is it?" says he, looking down at
her.
She has managed to so far overcome the
faintness that has been threatening her as
to shake him off and stand free, leaning
against a chair behind her.
Don't CO." says she, hoarsely.
1t is impossible to misunderstood her
meaning. 1t has nothing whatever to do
with his interview with the lawyer wait
ing so patiently down below, but with
that final wandering of his into regions
unknown. She is as white as death.
"How is this, Isabel?' asks he. He is
as white as she is now. do you know
what you are saying? This is a moment
of excitement; you do not comprehend
what your words mean"
"Stay! Stay for his sake!'
as that all?" says he, his eyes search,
ing hers.
"For mine, then"
The words seem to scorch her. She COW
ers her face with her hands and stands
before him, stricken dumb, miserable
confessed.
"For yours!'
He goes closer to her, and ventures to
take Der hand. 1t is cold-cold as death.
His is burning.
"You nave given a reason for my stay
ing, indeed" says he. But what is the
nearing of it?"
''Dhis!' cries she, throwing up her head,
and showing him her shamed and grief
stricken face. 81 am a coward! In spite
of everything / would not have you go
! SO far"
"Isee. Understand" he signs, heavily.
"And yet that story was a foul lie! 1t is
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