The Red Cloud chief., 1900-08-10
CHAPTER vi.

was even adorned with a few flowers,
and some colored prints hung upon
the walls. A woman and q child were
sitting together in the one large chair
that the room possessed. The woman,
slight, still young, and astonishingly
beautiful; the child, n OF those
brown. curly-haired children, with blue
eyes, who have sprung from parents
Of different nations. The woman's
face we have seer before. Now the
only alteration In It, and one 1t was
hat did not affect her beauty, was a
great sadness, except when she spoke
% the child. and then her whole face
changed.
ut is such q great city," she was
saying-"such a great city. ! did not
know 1t would be so difficult TO ma
any one. | thought that when once
| got TO England 1t would all be well,
and now | have been in England more
than a year. and | have not seen him.
And yet | 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 | shall forget
everything once | feel his arms round
me again."
There was a step on the stairs. Ver-
mica listened. She had grown more
womanly In these last four years, and
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 I'M" and Hutchinson entered.
Good afternoon" she said, but
showed no pleasure at the sight OF
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's
face as he spoke, and noticed that
she flushed slightly. II saw you go
into a music shop, and l followed you
some the other day, and l made n
1ote Of the road and the number, and
aere | 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 oonfded in your father? 1t
would have saved you a great deal
II you had"
you are not my father" said Yer
onica quietly, you told me so your
self"
"Why quarrel about an expression?
I 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
2 Alan's name to him. She knew OF
= the hatred that Hutchinson had fol
t him, and even now she did not know
what to say. How do you know?'
she asked at last. who told your
: "He told me himself" said the
. nan, watching the agitation tina
: Veronica betrayed. Il should no
have known unless
when did he tell you?" she asked
: her lips almost refusing to utter
sound.
: About two months ago"
3 Veronica sprang up. He Is here
0 in London. Two months ago! oh
4 take me to him, Let me see him a
y once! Why did you not tell nj be
q fore?"
How could IL" the man said dry
a ly. II tell you you should have ha
more confidence. / did not know yo
h were his Wife
s. How was he looking?" cried Vel
onica. "Oh. my darling, my darling
Did he speak of me two months ago
I think we shall die of happines
when we come together again."
a No doubt" said Hutchinson. Doe
Dr. he know of the boy"
II mo. The boy was born five month
t, after the s%hipwreck. have told yo
N was so i'll after the wreck that l lo
A.. my reason for a time"
r pity" said Hutchinson. reflective
a iy, that when you told me SO muC
n you did not tell me ALL"
Veronica did not answer. Somethir
ed In the mans tone awakened her su
n p%icions. Are you sure" she aske
a after a little silence. that you
IS not want to hurt him?"
tn why should IL" asked Hutchi
mt son. mo, what | want to do is
Al make money out of him. He will n
ng be able to deny me anything when
OF restore him his wife and child"
ais That sounded possible. Veroni
pie smiled, and let herself be happy
the thought that what she had
longed for and worked for for yea
le, was about to come to pass.
,oi my darling, my darling!" she m,
of INJURED. Hutchinson looked at
ed c%uriously.
"You seem fond OF him" he ga