New-York tribune., 1902-12-15

surroundings by the voice of her maid. Fanchon.
There is a telegram for madam on the table.
she said Denise picked it up; 1t was addressed to
Mrs FTelden.' which was unusual She was
known to the London world and her fsiends as
Mime. Elena" She opened it sharply. II was
brief and the point
think it right to let you know that the ney Is
seriously Ill H"AOhh<>h@N
Unconsciously she crushed the message In ner
hand and her thoughts few to the Lincolnshire
village where 1t had been written She saw again
the fat fen-land, the long stretches Oh empty
wastes which she had grown TO loatne. almost 10
fear all the grayness and barrenness "nieh "eie
so antagonistic to her gay. beauty loving nature
Then the scent of the smote her Sharply sne
saw the luxury of her own surroundings. the signs
of taste and money everywhere. and turning 10 'ne
maid she cried:
Bring A. B. G. and pack Dag aiii
going into the country.
Shall / attend, madam?
mo: 1 don't know how long 1 shall be away
will write" Her lips twitched as she thougnt oi
the fashionable French maid in the bare manor
house with old Hannah for company.
'I wonder If he is really very i?' she pondered
as she sat in the train. II think Michael would
scarcely have sent for unless he were. The
meeting will be awkward and uncomfortaole
for him for Poor little Michael-what a
give a child? 1 wonder what he Is IKE
now? He was a pretty or interesting cnlid-
/ remember ne was always crying"
There was meet her when she ar
rived, but that she did not expect. though tne VIZ
Iage fly had been sent the station on the chance
of her coming.
After a drive of nearly hour she recognized
a familiar gateway; she remembered the old coat
ofarms cut in the stonework, though she could not
see it now with the motto, Il ivel diel Yes.
that was all the Ffeldens had been doing for gen.
eratons. 1t a decayins race and they had
not had the energy, or, perhaps. the power to
stop the ruin that creeping on ther1' and the
man who lived there had grown sour and bitter
with his banked life.
Master is upstairs" old Hannah said dfstantly'
in reply to Denise's greeting. He hoped you
would him coming down, but the chiio Is
very restless tonight. and can't well be left IL
you will please sit down and take something
will tell him you are here" And she opened the
door of a room where frugal meal was laid
.I don't want anything thank you,'' Denise said
hastily. 'T will go up at once if L may and be-
fore Hannah could raise objection she was nair
way UP the stairs
She heard a murmur from the oak Dedrooni-
where the head of the house was always porn
and where most of them had died, and tapping
lightly on the door she went in No one had nearo
her. and for instant she stood as thougn ar-
rested the threshold. What great room II
was! And how solitary those two figures looked
in IT!
'I am sorry to trouble you," the man said. get
ting up as she moved 'I am afraid you have mad
a long firing Journey; but 1 thought you ought
TO know =
a pitiful. little shrunken form 1t was iooains
almost lost ir the vast oak bedstead. Of whicn II
was tradition that each successive Fleloen shouiu
carve a panel. that it had always seenieu 70
Denise a weird resting place. belonging 10 'he
dead rather than the living She had woke up
more than once on a moonlight night fancyins
ghostIy fingers had back TO nn1sn what mere
and there had been left incomplete
..Oh Won poor little soulr' she cried. a sob IN
her voice and the next moment her arms were
z RE Hp1Ira
her breast where she crooned Ii. calling MIN
her baby her little Michael whom she had treated
so badly, reproaching herself and showerins soit
kisses on the wan face in the same breath
He is very weak; you must not excite him.
a warning voice said She had forgotten that any
one was there and the calm, measured tones were
like a. rebuff The old feeling of restraint and rear
held her for moment. but the mother love- whlch
had woke UP for the first time at sight or the
forlorn suffering child, stronger than any
thing else
at shall not hurt him." she said. holding the boy
closer to her breast. See, he is already more
content" The little face certainly looked less
tired and troubled and one wasted arm had gone
I'D round her neck. while he made himself at nome
as matter of course in those unknown arms
HAS he been long like this?' she asked You
ought to have told me before
He was never strong. you may remember.
he answered cod1y. He does not take after my
family; he pines for warmth and sunshine. as you
did I must remind you that you have never
given me reason think you took any particular
interest in him. I not at all certain that you
would come now
Not Gomez" she exclaimed. Then she remem-
bered 'I beg your pardon she said humoly'
"you are quite right 1t is I who to blame
I who am in the wrong But-but. her voice
growing husky. II did not know he wanted me so
badly 1 young when L went away-I am
not very old now-and 1 did not understand many
things. Perhaps if you had reasoned with me-if
Won had pointed out
do you think wanted a captive instead OF a
wife?' he asked harshly II saw how you fret
ted and pined like a Gagged creature: saw the
hunted look in your eyes; / knew you would
wear YOUR life out in a little If it went on"
TT was so dull-so dreary.' she murmured. land
nobody wanted me. not even you think, after a
little while. 1 interrupted your studies was
restless and disturbed your routine. so when my
legacy came IL seemed TO open way of escape
1 thought 1T was better for US 10 go our own road
before we learned to hate each other. had a
gift-only one-but it would not let me rest until
had tried what it was worth ought not 10 nave
NO doubt it a mistake. but in Justice
/ was years older and 1 took advantage of your
youth and to m poq On No S %
you knew yourself best best You have z, Ine me tnar
..As mine Something in the voice made Denise
move uneasily For six years the man and the child
had lived here together; her husband her child: Fof
s t seaFs fbog sh I had tried to do So The man and
the child had been growing old together-without
love or happiness-while she had laughed and sung
There was nothing young in the house-not even
the little form she held in her arms
week had passed and little Michael. thanks (aS
the doctor plainly said) his mothers devoted
nursing and the interest she created in the chd's
mind was picking up his fraiI life again. He was
never tired of looking at her, of admiring all the
pretty things that gathered about her as matter
Of course he had many flowers. so
much dainty luxury in his brief existence.
.FYou use these every day?" he asked in an awed
voice as he amused himself with the silver pots
and bottles her dressing table
YES every day' she said with a gay little laugh
DO YOU think 1 very extravagant?
Father hasn't anything pretty in his room