Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1900-09-21
CHAPTER VI.

poor, scrupulOusly neat and tidy. IL
was even adorned with few flowers,
and some colOred prints hung upon
the walls. A woman and child were
sitting together in the one large chair
that the room possessed. The woman
slight, still young. and astonlshlngly
beautiful; the child. one of those
brown, curly-haired children, with blue
eyes, who have sprung from parents
of different nations. The womans
face we have seen before. Now the
only alteration in it, and one it was
that did not affect her beauty, was
great sadness, except when she spoke
to the child, and then her whole face
| changed
ct is such a great city," she was
saying-'such great city. ala not
know it would be so difficult to find
| any one. l thought that when once
I got to England it would all be well,
] and now l have been in England more
than a year. and | have not seen him.
4 And yet l am so longing to see him
/ once again. and TO show him our boy.
| Oh, how happy he will be. How happy
we both shall be, These weary years
will be as naught, and l shall forget
everything once | feel his arms round
me again"
There was a step on the stairs. YER
onica listened She had grown more
womanly in these last four years, ana
she looked more thoughtful. Sorrow,
the great master, had taught her
MANY things. Now she did not look
unhappy, but eager and anxious She
evidently recognized the footsteps on
the stairs, and it did not bring her
any pleasure. She was shrinking to-
gether in the chair with the child
when the door opened TO her call
Come in" and Hutchinson entered
Good afternoon" she said, but
! showed no pleasure at the sight or
him. How did you find me out?'
How? 1t is always easy to find
any one when you have a mind to-,
and when you have any sense IN
your head" He scanned Veronica 5
face as he spoke. and noticed that
she flushed slightly. L saw you go
into a music shop, and | followed you
home the other day, and L made a
note of the road and the number. and
here | am"
What do you want of me?' asked
Veronica. rather hopelessly.
My dear girl''-Hutchinson spoke
airily-"my dear girl, why could you
not have confded in your father? 1t
l .lp n
if you had
You are not my father" said Yer
onica quietly, you told me so your
self"
why quarrel about an expression
| am the man who brought you up.
Veronica. why did you not tell me
that you had married Alan Mackenzie
and that this is his child?'
Veronica gave a great start. She
knew why she had not mentioned
Alan's name TO him. She knew OF
the hatred that Hutchinson had fol-
him. and even now she did not know
what TO say How do you know?'
she asked at last. Who told you?
He told me himself" said the
man. watching the agitation that
Veronica betrayed. 4 should not
have known unless.
When did he tell you?" she asked
her lips almost refusing to utter d
sound.
About two months ago"
Veronica sprang up. He is here
in London. Two months ago, Oh
take me to him, Let me see him al
once, Why did you not tell me be-
fore?''
How could I?' the man said dry.
ly. II tell you you should have had
were his wife"
How was he looking?" cried Yer
onica. "Oh, my darling. my darling!
Did he speak OF me two months ago
/ think we shall die of happines:
when we come together again.
mo doubt" said Hutchinson. Doe.
he know of the boy?"
NO. The boy was born five month.
after the shipwreck / have told you
l was so ill after the wreck that los
my reason for a time"
PITY" said Hutchinson, reflective
ly, that when you told me SO mucl
you did not tell me ALL"
Veronica did not answer Something
in the mans tone awakened her sus
picions. Are you sure" she asked
after a little silence. that you d.
not want to hurt him."
why should -" asked Hutchin
son. mo. what | want to do is tt
make money out of him. He will no
be able to deny me anything when
restore him his wife and child"
That sounded possible. Veronic;
smiled. and let herself be happy il
the thought that what she had 81
longed for and worked for for year
was about to come to pass.
"My darling. my darling." she muir
INJURED Hutchinson looked at he
curiously.
You seem fond of him. he said
She gave a glance of contempt at tn
way he expressed himself. She caugh
the child up in her arms.
MY darling" she said. my littl
Alan, you are going TO your fathe
at last"
Hutchinson was thinking He ha
difficult task before him. He ha
allowed Alan to get married, and ha,
given him some weeks of Happiness
before he began his work of destruc
ton; now he had to make sure o