The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-05-14


parently mean to go on stopping, why
quarrel with me because I back you
up? If you don't want to marry him
yourself, why should you want him
to divorce me? Why shouldn't you be
satisfied to see me Lady Gathering
| ton if I'm content to let your child
pass as Lady Catherington's child?'
Beatrice shuddered. g., .. e.
| mo, no, I can't do that" said she.
| 80 far I've only given her up in name;
you want me to give her up in fact.
No. I'm going to tell him everything
| and let him turn me out, as I deserve.
It's dreadful, terrible to have to bring
shame and scandal and grief upon
the man honor most in the world;
but it must be done. I won't, I can't
put it off any longer"
Very we'll. Confess when you
please. I shall dispute nothing. But,
as I told you, I shall have you arrest
ed. So you will lose the custody Of
your child in any case, and give her
a criminal for a mother. I don't wish
to be vindictive, unduly vindictive,
| mean. But, after all, you can't deny
that you undertook the care of my
child and made away with it,"
"Oh! how can you? How can you?
You know, you must know, I did my
best. Why did you leave a dying child
to me, child you'd neglected,
starved? 2"
"Ah!' cried Rosa, catching eagerly
at her words. 1T did die, then? I
thought so; and I can bring half a
dozen people to prove that the child
was in good health when I took her
to the hotel
But I can bring a doctor to prove
that the child was starved!' said Be-
atrice. Lord Catherington's doctor,
who saw the baby after it died.
Lord Catherington's doctor!" re-
peated Rosa, thoughtfully. "Then the
child was buried as yours?"
Beatrice was silent. Perhaps she
had never before realized SO fully
what the consequences of her ill-doine
might be. For truly, as Rosa said if
the deception she had practiced were
brought home to her, with all its con-
sequences of false entries and false
statements, not indeed uttered, but
suffered by her, she could not doubt
that the penalty would be a term Of
imprisonment, during which her poor
, child would be left absolutely without
a friend in the world.
Suddenly snatching UP into hel
arms little Ermyn, who had crawlet
away to cuddle the lions head at the
end Of the hearthrug, she caught hel
to her breast in an agony Of remorst
and despair, and rushed out Of the
, room.
After this exciting interview there
, followed dead calm. Day succeeded
a day at Stone Court without any even
: worth noting except the complaints o
, the servants, first to the housekeeper
, and then to the governess, as to thu
. caprices Of the self-styled Lady Cath
erington.'
The household did not know VIVA
v to make of her. On the one hand
+ their master had allowed her to re
main, but he had gone away himsel
q on her arrival, and he had been care
q full not to speak Of her by any nam
= at all before he went away; so thai
t altho they had no excuse for denyin
D her the title she had given hersel1
J. the servants had considerable doubt
o as to whether she was the authent1
: owner of it.
o If Rosa had adopted a conciliator
J. attitude towards them she Nigh
e easily have gained their suffrages an
? helped to secure her own position
But she was naughty inconsiderat
g and capricious, and resolved to str .,,
her authority to the utmost. Sh
e drove out every day in the famil
landau, and was not in the least pr
o out by the stares of the neighbour
d And in few days she sent pereml
n tory message that Miss Ermyn an
l Mrs. Froyle were to accompany he
d that afternoon.
t Beatrice submitted, as she fe
= bound to do, and sat meekly with he
n back to the horses while Rosa face
% her with Ermyn by her side.
= They drove into the nearest town
do some shopping and Rosa, who al
W peared to have little or no none
n scandalized Beatrice by having tt
y. things she wanted put down to Lol
- Catherington's account. In one
-, the shops the strangely assorted tr
~ came face to face with a rniddle-a ge
II lady of grave and rather distinguish
"a aspect, who was in the company
IT the dragon, Mrs. birmingham.
10 Both the elderly ladies surveyed tt
is three with sort Of scandaIized SUI
prise, and then they exchanged a fe
" rapid whispers by the counter
B. whiSN they were sitting.