Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-02-16
CHATTER LII.

%"Iiumpl,. Where did yor hear. that %
1--WE been lunrhing nj Lady Kynas-
'nn'S."
Tho speaker stood by the window of
one of thu large houses AT Princes Gate
overlooking the Horticultural Gardens.
Shr vas Il small. slight woman. with
FAIR. pale features and Il mass of soft vel
iow hair. ~ stranger would have guess
cd her 10 he Il girl barely out of her
icons Helen Romer was in reality five
ahd-'wcnty, and she had been IL widow
four years.
or her brief married life few people
could speak with amy certainty. All that
was known was that Helen had lived
. with her grandfather till she was nine.
.tccn: that ono fine morning She had walk
ed ont of The house and had been married
30 II man whom her grandfather disal-
proved of. and to whom she had always
mof.Sscd perfect indifference. Ii was
also Known that eighteen months later
-. her husband, having rapidly wasted his
existence by drink and other irregular
rourScN had died i'll miserable poverty:
:tnd .hdtN Helen. not hcing able TO SGT up
a home of her own had returned TO her
srandfntl.cr's house. where she had lived
ever since.
~ tS Ct'Ettll tlit Silr Mosil nOI nave
lived there could She have helped it. She
did not love old MIR. Hnrlowe. neither did
Mr.. Harlowc love her. a sense of abso-
lutte duty to his dead daughters child on
the one side, Il sense of absolute ncccs-
sity on the other, kept the two together.
Their natures were inharmonious. They
kept up n form of affection and intimacy
openly; i'll reality. they had not one sin
gle thought in common.
She stood at the window looking OH. ut
the waning light of the November after
noon. She was handsomely dressed in
dark-grccn velvet. with ~ heavy old-fnsh-
Toned gold chain around her neck; every
now and then She looked mt her watch.
and Il frown passed over her brow. The
Did man WAS bending over the fire behind
her.
Gone to Kynaston. is he. lIumpl.
that ia your fault: you frightened him
oT."
Did l SGT my cap AT him so palpably.
then?' said Helen. with IL short, hard
laugh.
You know very we'll what I mcan,''
answered her grandfather. sulkily. 'Sct
your cap! No. you only do that 10 the
men You know l don't approve of, and
who don't want YOU
Helen WINGED a little. You put things
very coarscly, g%randpapu." she said. and
laughed again. II am sorry ] havc been
unablc to make love to Sir John Kynas-
ton 10 please You. Is that what YOU
wanted inc to dog
II wan you to look after Il rcspccta-
he husband. who can afford to keep you.
What is the meaning OF that perpetual
going to Lady Kynaston's. then? And
why have you dragged me up to town ut
this COMPOUNDED time of the year. if it
wasn't for that? You have played your
cards badly, as usual. You might have
had him if you had clioscn.'
81 have never had the least intention
OF casting myself mt Sir Johns head
said Helen, scornfnlly.
You can east yourself. as you call it.
at that good-for-nothins young spend
thrills hcad fast enough. if you chose
TT
II don't in the least know whom you
mcan." she said. shortly.
The old man clucklcd. "Oh. yes. Won
know we'll cnougl-thc brother WHO
spends his time racing and betting. You
are a fool, Helen: he doesn't want YOU;
and il he did he couldn't afford to kccl
you.'
Suppose we leave Captain Kynaston's
name out of the discussion, g%randpapa,'
she said, quietly, but her face flushed
Are you not going to your study this
EVENING"
"Oh, yes. I'm going. fast enough. Yor
want me out OF the way. l suppose
Somebody coming to tea. ell? Oh. yes, Ill
clear ont. / don't want 10 listen to YOU
rubbish"
The old man gathered up his books AM
papers and shntilcd out of the room. nut
tering TO himself as lie went.
Th servant came in. bringing the lamp
ard drew the curtains. shutting out ,l,
light of day.
ANYONE to tea. ma'an:" he INQUIRED
respectfully.
One sentleman-no onc else. Brin:
up tea when he comcs.'
Very we'll. ma'am." And the scrv:,n
withdrew. Mrs. Romcr paced impatient
iy up and down the room. stopping agai,
and again before tho clock.
Late again. A whole half hour Inc
hind his time! 1t is insuffcrable that Ii,
should treat me like this. He would q,
quickly enough to soc some new face
some fresh fancy that had attracte,
him"
She continued 10 pace steadily up an,
down the room. The clock licked on. til,
minute HNHu ol tue WiIcl Crcpt eve
s%tcalthily forward over the woldcn dial
Suddenly she sank into an armchair, coy
cring her face with her hands.
oh, what a f%ool--what IL fool / am
she exclaimed aloud. why have l no
strength of mind to 20 out before Ii,
comes, to show him that ! don't care
Why, at least, can l not call up grandpa
and pretend l had forgotten he was com
ing? That would be the best way /,
treat him: the way To show him that
nm pot the miserable slave he thinks me
oh, il | only could bc proud, and pretend
10 not care! But 1 can't, l c%an't-thcre
z always this miserable sickening pain
AT my heart for him. and he knows IT,,
n ring at the bell made her spring ia
- feet. while u glad flush suddenly COW
her face. In another minute the
she loved was in the room.
rrly three-Quartcrs Of an hour