Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-01-16

to test the family loyalty and hospital
ity, but a postscript to his letter says
that his solicitor has instructions to
meet his wife at Liverpool and bring
her on here in case we fail to show her
proper courtesy"
General Armour here spoke. HE has
carried the war of retaliation very far
indeed, but men do mad things when
their blood is up, as | have seen often.
That doesn't alter our clear duty III the
matter. If the woman were bad or
shameful, it would be different thing.
IL
Marion interrupted, "She has ridden
bareback across the continent like q
jockey-like common jockey-and she
wears blanket, and she doesn't know
word Of English, and she will sit on
the floor"
We'll" said her father, "all these
things are not sins, and she must be
taught better
Joseph, how can your" said Mrs
Armour Indignantly. "She cannot-sha
shall not come here. Think of Marioni
Think of our positionw She hid her
troubled tear stained face behind her
handkerchief At the same time she
grasped her husbands hand. She knew
that he was right She honored him in
her heart for the position he had taken,
but she could not resist the natural inn
pulse of woman where her taste and
convention were shocked.
The old man was very pale, but there
was no installing his determination.
He had been more indignant than any
Of them at first, but he had an unusual
sense of justice when he got face to
face with it, as Richard had here helped
him to do. I'VE do not know that the
woman has done any wrong" he said.
"As for our name and position, they,
thank God, are where mad marriage
cannot unseat them. We have had much
prosperity in the world, my wife. We
have had neither death nor dishonor.
We
IF this isn't dishonor, father, what
is?" Marion flashed out.
He answered calmly: my daughter,
it is great misfortune 1t will proba-
bly, be a lifelong trail, but it is not
necessarily dishonor.
"You never can make scandal less
by trying to hide it," said Richard.
backing up his father. 1T is all pretty
awkward, but dare say we shall get
some amusement out Of 1t In the end"
Richard" said his mother through
her tears, you are f1ippant and un-
kind"
Indeed, mother" was his reply, II
never was more serious in my life.
When spoke Of amusement l meant
comedy merely, not fun-the thing that
looks like tragedy and has happy end
ing. That is what mean, mother, moth
ing more"
"You are always SO very deep, Rich
ard, remarked Marion ironically, land
care so very little how the rest Of Us
feel about things You have no family
pride. If you had married squaw, we
shouldn't have been surprised. You
could have camped in the grounds with
your wild woman and never have been
missed-by the world" she fastened to
add, for she saw sudden pain in his
face.
He turned from them all little wear
lily and limped over to the window. He
stood there looking out into the lines
where he and Frank had played when
boys He put his finger up, his unhand-
some finger. and caught away some
moisture from his eyes He did not dare
to let them see his face nor yet to speak
Marion had cut deeper than she knew,
and he would carry the wound for many
day before it healed
But his sister felt instantly how cruel
she had been as she saw him limp away
and caught sight Of the bowed shoulders
and prematurely gray hair. Her heart
smote her. She ran over and impul-
sively put her hands ON his shoulder.
"Oh, Dick" she said. forgive me,
Dicki didn't mean it Twas angry and
foolish and hateful"
He took ono of her hands as it rested
on his shoulder, she standing partly be-
hind him, and raised it to his lips. but
he did not turn to her; he could not.
ct 10 all right; it is all right, he
said. 1T doesn't make any difference.
Let us think Of Frank and what we have
got to do. Let us stand together. Ma
rion. That is best"
But her tears were dropping on his
shoulder rs her forehead rested on her
hand He knew now that whatever
Franks wife was she would not have
an absolute enemy here, for when Ma
rion cried her heart was soft She was
clay in the hands Of the potter whom
we call Mercy-more often a stranger
| to the hearts Of women than men. At
the other side Of tho room also the
father and mother, fearless now, watch
ed these two. and the mother saw her
duty better and with less rebellious-
ness. She had felt it from the first, but
she could not bring her mind to do it
They held each others hands in silence
Presently General Armour said, "Rich-
ard, your mother and will go to Liver
| pool to meet our sons wife"
Marion shuddered a little, and her
hands closed ON Richards shoulder, but
she said nothing.
III y Orsssassdp