The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-10
HIS S TEPMOTHER
BY MARY ANGELA DICKENS.

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the door as one who locks out the world,
the flesh and the devil, and flung himself
into an easy chair.
II was little hard certainly. Lady Laura
Kellie, had been the daughter of a Scot
tish family which was poor enough. If
any one thought she had been brought 10
marry the worthy and rich old Mr.. Car
stairs when she was twenty-nne. by pres
sure on the part OF the imDecunious head
of her family, no one said so. quite suit
able" was what they said. And when Mr..
Carstairs died. leaving her well provided
for, they were ready enough to acquiesce
in her sudden plan for spending some time
with her steDson. Evelyn Carstairs. in
his country rectory. VERY suitable" they
said this time.
wilmington was pretty village in the
Midlands-not too far from London, but
far enough 10 meet Lady Laura's wishes
for quiet. if she had such.
And her stepson had felt he was doing the
right thing in according the temporary
shelter of his roof and his position to his
fathers widow He, too had thought it
suitable" for a time. That time was now
over; ended, as he said 10 himself-he was
inclined TO be wordy in soliloquy as in
sermons-"by her own act and deed alone"
What in the world to do now3' he
calculated. II can't send her away, and
she says she doesn't want to go. What is
to cut the knot, heaven knows! only
know this can't go one"
II.
The Rev. Evelyn Carstairs was walking
home across the fields 1t was a peaceful
June evening, and anything less in har-
mony with the atmosphere about him than
was Mr.. Carstairs's expression it is i'm
possible to imagine. A few hours previous
ly. Mr.. Jones, the invaluable schoolmaster
who had taught the young idea of Will
mington to satisfy an exacting inspector
for the past ten years, and given in his
resignation. 1t had been given in a man
ner half brusque, half hang-dog; II had
been accepted with uncompromising Sc
verify. And now, in his first leisure mo-
ment since the interview, Mr.. Carstairs was
reviewing the position with an intensiica-
ton of his feelings Of the previous evening
which brought them to the point of des-
peration.
There won't be a man left In the place
as far as 1 can see,' he said to himself,
hercely, as he strobe along. It's terrible,
and in a member Of my household it's-its
improper. Who'll be the next? What a
frightful question to have to ask oneself,
and yet after all what serious question
it isl
He was walking along at a swinging
pace on a high path overlooking another
field through which ran little stream. He
lifted his eyes with something like a groan,
as though calling to heaven and earth to
answer his question, and then stopped short
with a gasp. Earth, at any rate, had re-
sponded with extraordinary promputude to
the appeal. There below him, about two
hundred yards away, he saw a graceful
figure in grey which he knew only too well.
And close beside it, bending over it in a
manner which made Mr.. Carstairs posi-
lively blush, was tall man. The answer
could hardly be considered a satisfactory
one. inasmuch as the tall man was en-
tirely unknown to Mr.. Carstairs. But as
he knew, by sight at least, every inhab-
liant Of the country for some miles round
he was able on a principle Of negative ar
gument, aided by the clear-sightedness of
fiery indignation, to localize the stranger
fairly accurately.
lone of the Manor House party he NUT
tered to himself. NOW, how in the world
good heavensi She'd find someone to fiirt
with If she were on desert island alone!"
He turned his back to the shocking spec
tacle before him, and, retracing his steps,
marched down a path which led over a
steep bank into the high road. The energy
of his evaporation led him to take the
last few PAGES at flying leap, and as he
landed in the road he was received with
a soft. startling exclamation. which made
him turn his eyes hastily in the direction
from which it came. 1t seemed to him as
he did that he was face to face with
the exact counterpart of the figure he had
beheld a few moments before down by the
stream. Female figures were differentiated
for Mr.. Carstairs solely by certain vague
outline and the hue of their dress. The
figure by the stream had been slight in
contour and grey in hue. This figure was
slight in contour and grew in
hue Therefore, at the first blush,
they appeared TO him exactly
alike. But even as he lifted his hat with
a word of apology, Mr.. Carstairs reproached
himself for his first hasty impression. This
was also a woman of 'about thirty"-but
her appearance was striking, not so much
in itself. as because everything about her
was unusual. She looked as if she had
stepped out of a picture, and yet she was
not. strictly speaking, picturesque. But
there was something about her that did
not belong to, or accord with, this hurry
ing day of ours. Her fair hair was worn
very plainly under a wide black hat and
in the belt of her very simply made sum-
mer dress some China roses were tucked.
Everything about her was neat. Her face
had no striking features. though all were
regular and pretty; If Lady Laura had only
remotely resembled this sweet and gentle
| looking woman, Mr.. Carstairs thought,
with an inner sigh. how different life would
| have beeni
I'm afraid startled you," he said.
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