The Minneapolis journal., 1904-06-04
CHAPTER xII.--Continued.

Where have you been? we couldn't |
think what had become of you! Oh,
how glad am to see you're all right.
Sit down and tell me all about it.
Whe did you go to? And why didn't
you III me you were going out? You |
can't hink how anxious we've all been
aboue you! And / most of ALL"
While she spoke she dragged Beat |
rice, SILL keeping her hands in firm /
grasp, to a sofa, on which she forced |
her to sit down, crying as she did so:
Good gracious, my dear, how cold
you are! You're like an iceberg!'
good deal surprised by this eff
fusive welcome from one who had
never shown her any particular pref
erence, Beatrice nevertheless yielded
to the wishes of the other, the more
readily as it seemed to her that moth
ing fresh could have occurred to dis
turb the household, or her coming
would not have been hailed with SO
much excitement. However, she asked
the question which was uppermost inI
her mind:
did he come back?'' she asked
quickly
"Who?" asked Rosa.
Beatrice stared at her.
Surely you know Who could l
mean but your husband, the artlst!
Has he been back again to do more
mischief?"
''aow should I know where he's
been?" asked Rosa, holding her and
rubbing her hands as If to restore the
warmth to them. II was only too
thankful to get rid Of him, and I've
troubled my head no more about him,
you may be quite sure. But what's
that on your hand? Your dress?
All! She uttered cry, but did not let
her go. Its blood! Did you meet
him? Did he hurt you, too? Why
did you go out and risk meeting the
!. q TTy~. 50, -
tainty."
Beatrice stared at her in amaze
ment. Had the shock Of the evening 8
events sent her mind a little off its
balance? There was feverish rest
lessness about her that seemed to
point that way.
The young widow tried to disengage
herself.
Let me go now, please" said she,
gently. Hes done me no harm, and
I'm very glad you've not suffered more
than you have done from his violence.
I heard your voices growing loud, and
I wanted the housekeeper to come in
to see whether you were safe. But
we heard him dash out Of the room
and out of the house. I'm very glad
he didn't come back. Let me go, now,
please"
IT can't" said Rosa, still holding
her so tightly that Beatrice felt her
WrlSLS SelllllB sure uluel lllc VI oui S'
You don't know what I've gone thru;
I can't bear to be left alone!"
IT can understand that. TIL send
one Of the maids to you"
mo, no! I've had them all this
time, and i want someone else, some
one I can talk to. I want to know
something more than you've told me,
please. If he didn't hurt you, whom
did he hurt?"
Beatrice saw that the secret was
discovered. In Rosa's eyes she could
read the knowledge that it was In the
vlscount's company she had passed the
time of absence, and, seeing this, the
widows eyes fell. Rosa laughed
rather harshly:
"Oh. there's no need to tell me who
you went out to see,' cried she, In
hard, mocking voice. II know 1t was wa
! tell me just this? Did the mad Great
( ure hurt him? He went out full of
threats, raving, raging. nope ne dao
: no more harm than he did to me-"
I HE tried to-" said Beatrice. But
why do you ask? You don't look as
Z if you much cared to know"
For it suddenly struck her thai
4 Rosa seemed to be talking for the sake
8 of talking of keeping her, and with.
4 out much caring what answers she
received to her questions.
At this, however, Rosa grew angry
! "You do me the greatest injustice
said she. "Of course, can't pretend
to be crazily anxious about man who
doesn't care in the least about me. :!
I weren't the best-natured creature II
5 the world I should be madly jealous
for, of course, T know, In spite OF al
you say, that you both want to get re
of me so that you can marry eacf
other I'm interested to know wheth
er any accident has happened to him
but I know he's all right, or vol
wouldn't have come back
"Of course not" retorted Beatrice
quietly. IT found him unconscious
himself again. Do, pray, let me g.
now I've brought message iron
, him to one Of the mem"
# ''II ring and give 1t myself" sai'
Rosa, as, still holding her prisone
fast with one Of her slnewy hands, sh
touched the bell. "And then it will
be off your mind"
But there's another thing sal
Beatrice. IT want to go up to m
baby" ....-. .... .
Rosa frowned pettishly.
\ THE baby's all right, as you yer
well know" said she. do you thin
I haven't as good reason for seeing
taken care of as you can have? Come
we understand each other, you and
We must stand or fall together, a
you know. If you can give me ava!
by proving that the child la yours, VIII
I can do the same for you, by the sam
process. SO let us be friends, and tax
things quietly"
What do you mean?" said Beatric
more and more convinced that tn
events Of the evening had turne
Rosas brain, for she did not usual
chatter on in this manner when sci
want might at any moment enter tf
room at her summons. Indeed as ST
spoke one Of the maids entered AT
Beatrice noticed at once that she W.
wearing a frightened expression. ST
rose up quickly, and, wrenching h
hands with an unexpected moveme1
out of Rosa's grasp, ran towards II
girl, asking whether anything he
happened.
. ooh no, ma'am, nothing fresh
stammered the girl, exchanging as 81
A spoke a look of alarm with Rosa.
thought I heard the bell. Did yo
ring, ma'am?"
Eyes, yes, rang" said Rosa. mi
Froyle, I wish you would sit dow
y quietly and tell me-
she made another attempt to sci
Beatrice, who, however, evaded h
grasp and ran out of the room. b
here she was met by the butler, WI
Il was wiry, active, middle-aged ma
p very unlike the old servant in char
x at Lord Catherington's London hous
u Instead OF making way for Beatr1t
AS he would In the ordinary course
things have done, he put himself I
spectfully between her and the sta
T. = =. n ~ I, ,fay. yt,n n