The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1900-09-10
(Copyright. 1907, by Annie French Hec
tor. All rights reserved)
CHAPTER NIX.


tor. All rights reserved)
CHAPTER XIX
Meantime the Ravenscleugh family
Were i'm a state OF ferment-
The same post which brought North
and Forester the letters mentioned In
the last chapter brought others to Erie
and Madeleine which changed the face
OF affairs considerably
To Erie came a thick one with a deep
black border announcing the death of
General Blair His widow wrote in sin
cere sorrow.
when l mar-ie-i him." she said. at
was 1 confess chiefly from motives OF
prudence. and at Iirst he often rubbed
ms. the wrong way ] ought to put IL we
rubbed each other the wrong way. but
as / grew TO know him better 1 learned
60 like and respect him for his common
sense aud fmpartialIty. SO approaching
and understanding him better. 1 could
manage him more successfully lie bore
much suffering braveiy and patiently.
and my best consolation Is 10 think IL
was "A comfort to him ut any rate Tor
the greater part Of our married me
am feeling very wrotched and lonely
but OF course this will pass. At least
earnestly hone il Will After some de-
tails OF her husbands last moments she
proscs,latl. Il believe. my dear conn.
YOU know IL was always my WISH 10
ssIopt Madeleine. first because loved
the child-She would he a daughter Ia
me-: secondly. because she Is burden
&C. you a burden you lid not Ike. th"ush
Won bore il fairly well l ssve not seen
you together for many Years. nut L
fancy vou cannot synpaihize much. be-
ing - .iissiuiiar by nature Vow that L
am alone. ] am very anxious Tor Made
l.iu,,-s rnmpanioaship. and l think ! can
rrak.. her happy and comfortable
Thanks To- the generals prudence ana
good mana cement am with the heip
~ my rAerlsiurb. fairly well OF ara nope
- max. savings. 80 as not TO leave my
adopted daughter pennies VIII you
therefor. send her t. me AS soon as pos
sil,Ieg some. friends IT mine-Coionel
and Mr. Siuclair-havc been auariered
al CoIesburs, ana Will - coming home
aI,out tn. end - July They will. know.
T.. pleased 40 take charge OF Madeleine
II You will take her Ia th-m- ! VIII
write To- Mrs Sinclair by this post-you
will ,ir,f "A check inclosed. etc. etc Why
do you not send Dolly too / should
help Won To- place her Al good schooi
and take care ~ her Shall you send
Jim to school In cape TOWN. As he Is TO
l.. a south African il might he as well.
Give the irclosrd 10 Madeleine and tell
her Co come Sp1u. soon"
To her sister AIRS Blair wrote with
more emotion. and tears OF gratitude
Sur..ur 80 Nld.isiue's eyes as she read
her aT~ctioultc invitation
Il suupuS.. you Will accept. Made
leiu.-~ said John Erie when he watch Il
her reading h.r Iester in silence until she
dropped thu hand which held II i'm her
lap
ives. of course II is my duty to go
wm-aHh 10 ~
Kitty. hut Oh. IL is hard 10 part with
the children VIII you let Dolly come
with me. john Il would b. delightful
Tor mc. and good for her.
E.rle sIiI not answer Immediately. and
then H. said. not very patiently
-.You are "a good girl Madeleine. your
head NAV b. wrong. sometimes. and full
a silly fancics but your heart Is right
Made'rin.'s improved prospects throw
q heautffvtng IiEh; on her moral and men
-aI qualities. moreover the prospect ~
fcsiu- her opened her brothers eyes 10
her value as "a c"mpa ui"n aud teacher
But no." resumed Erie after a pause. II
cannot ST. my li'tls Dolly -e vr- awhile.
\ girls education is not ~ 50 much i'm
rprtanre. Mrs- sutton will teach her 20
b. useful which Is thu great object II .
woman-s life out here-up. Madeleine. 7
cannot part with dolly vet. Tut we must
ascertain what those friends ~ KI;ty's
nre going 20 do mean what time they
start"
They will write. 10 doubt Now J must
- away and think. Johns for / feel quite
dizzy AMI urlalrl. - regulate my thoughts
pp unr tell rho children today If thav
nr-s sorry. and 7 thinl, they Will be- 7 shall
no- know how IN tear myself away"
That IS mere sentimentaliry." ne re-
turned hastily. such an offer is not 20
b had every day and it means a pro-
vision for life. I could not allow YOU 20
hesitate fpr a moment. Eo ana write n
k--tv 80 once and TX the mIttcr-we'll
say nothing n Doll and Jim az present.
such was the condition ~ things when
ForTester reached Ravensc. eueh. To his
disgust he had been obliged to spend two
nights ou the road between thr happy
hunting ground" where he had lef;
NHr.h and the abode II his lady love.
Iie could uu- account for the feverish
eagrrU..-s tn press um. aEi the oVcrxhc Helm
in= sense of fatigue which alternately
urged him 81 exertIon and depressed hirn
T. ferhienaSS-
During these three weary days Of travel
uo news 20 amy KIND reached him from
rs pleasant genial comrade and imasi-
nation tormentei him with an ever chang
ing succession OF picture North sturi-
he,i. before he was well a~ake-No-;h
danger prevented from fsllowiue. the i'm
stiuct - self-prrServa ton by the iuabil-
Ity to move. the difficulty Il hr.athsna
further iead-niug his faculties.
What awaited him fFsrr-stcrl in IN.
future, should ne hear at Ravenscleuga
that his l-s-i rival had been swept from
his psith bv au uutuwari ac..I -rt2 ANIL
that the future l1y before him stcep~l
Ga the suuShiu.. pf sI'cceSs-sipWins with
ia. sqieu,ior 81 wrrlth. luxury. distinc-
tfuuT- flow was ir tuaf DE- f-lt So irr.ta-
BILE. 50 Internally restless and depressed,
IL was surely not going te be- a wea @.
Terliteur idiot az this time ~ day2
Iu this un-um.urtaa.e uuud he reached
Iszvcuscleuch. where hc learned that
Nun sII h.d already started on hss
return Journey to his mas;er-that haas
had ridden - with the stranger baas
and THAT 30 one WAS in the house bui
vrou Sutton
Forester was by m means disposed
;0 endure her company. hut a desperate
need for a nip 81 brandy drove him In
doors. where he found the active house
keeper ia the kitchen inspecting tho
cleaning Of some copper saucepaus which
had bseu neglected.