The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-04-08
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CHAPTER ".

SO strongly and SO disagreeably was
beatrice Froyle affected by the visit
OF the mysterious stranger to Gather
ington house, so much afraid was she
that, having already followed her, he
might on the next occasion Of meet
ing address her. that on the day after
his inquiry at the door for Lord Cath
erington she remained indoors with
Errnyntrude, watching at the win
dows of the nursery for his expected
temperance.
And IN the course Of the morning
he duly made his appearance, SLOUGH
ing up and down, always on the same
side of the square, and always with
his head TUNED in the direction of
the great house. He did not, how
ever, keep his eyes fixed upon the
building: instead Of that he would
throw towards the windows, or the
heavy portico, one quick glance, and
then immediately avert his gaze in
manner which it was impossible not
to motto e.
The servants at the house saw him,
and remarked upon his strange ways,
and presently q policeman spoke to
him. Beatrice saw this meeting, saw
that the man appeared to have little
or nothing to say for himself. But
saw nothing more Of him until late
in ths afternoon when, about dusk,
sl,e was almost certain that she de-
serted his gaunt. ill-clad figure loiter-
ing near tho ratings in the middle Of
the square.
Altho she had had plenty Of time,
In the course of the long day, shut UP
in two rooms with her child, to con-
slider her position from every point
OF view, Beatrice found herself at the
end OF 1t not much nearer to a clear
view Of it, nor to decision as to her
future steps, than she had been at
the beginning.
Bitterly as she regretted her first
step in deception. the mad instinct
which had caused her to pass off her
own child as that Of Lady Gathering
IONS. there now struggled with this
Femorse a feeling towards the WIS.,
count which she could not analyze
very we'll, but In which gratitude and
admiration. respect and fear, were
strangely mingled.
While she hated the thought Of her
Inception. she yet dreaded the effect
upon both him and her of discov-
cry on his part. And while she Won
dered whether he would find out any,
thing during his visit to Hampshire,
she could not tell whether she wished
him to do so or not. On the one hand
she felt that it would be great re-
lief to her conscience If he should
learn the truth which she dared not
herself tell him; on the other hand
she could not face the thought Of
having to lose his friendly companion
ship and his loving protection Of
Ermyn without severe pang.
On the following day Lord Gather
angton was expected home again in his
london house, and Beatrice and the
baby watched for his arrival from the
windows Of the night nursery in a
state Of great excitement.
1t was dusk when he arrived, driv-
Ing UP in a hanson in his usual indie
pendent fashion. And Beatrices heart
leaped up at Ermyn's cry of delight
when they saw hand waving to them
from the hanson, and knew that he
had caught sight of their watching
faces at the window.
go see daddy! Go see daddy"
cried the child, clapping her little
hands in deliberate childs fashion and
wriggling herself out of her mother
arms on to the floor.
sob, Ermyn, we don't know wheth-
er he'd like us to-" cried Beatrice,
following the child, however, towards
the door as she spoke.
But Ermyn nodded her little head
emphatically, and reached up to the
handle with her chubby fingers.
'Es, 'es, me go. Mammie go, too
She was glad Of the excuse, and
peeping shyly round the bend Of the
great front staircase when Lord Cath
erington, from the hall below, espied
them and held UP his arms.
"Hanol I spy!" cried he in the
Hovial. ringing voice which Beatrice
pleasure or Of fear. Come along
Come down to here" and he pointed
10 the sixth step from the ground
"and you shall jump the rest"
Hand-in-hand the widow and the
litt1e one came down the wide marble
staircase with it's red pile carpet
striking figures both, the one in white
the other in black, against the Grim
son background. A contrast they
made indeed, the tall, slender woman
with her coils Of dark hair, her large
brown eyes and rather pale brunette
pomplexion; and the chubby baby girl
with her blue eyes, her skin Of mill
and roses, and her lint-white locks
That was the salvation Of Beatrice
Nhere was absolutely no likeness be
tween her and her own child. But
on the other hand, as Latimer Froyl
had always pointed out to his wife
the color Of the child's hair was tina
which had, in infancy, distinguished
most Of the members Of his own fam
lily. In Hampshire, therefore, Bea
Hice thought that her guilty secre
would stand much stronger risk o
discovery than it did in London. Ha
Lord Catherington met any Of tn
E'royles during his visit? And. If sc
had anything been said about her an
the child?
She looked uneasily into the Wis
counts face, but she saw there no sus
picion, nothing but good humore
smiles.
well, this is something worth com
ing back for. It's the first time j
twenty years that I've had a welcom
home cried he, touched by the eager
ness with which Ermyn took her bah
"A steps down the stairs and held out he
little arms to him when he told he
TO stop.
He snatched her in his arms, anc
with a look of invitation to Beatrice t
follow, entered the library with loo
round which showed the pleasure h
felt at finding himself back again.
Yes, Mrs. Froy1e,' said he, as h
stood on the hearthrug with his bac
to the fire, looking from her to Ermyr
who was now sitting in her favorit
place on the rug at his feet. "I sup
pose that sounds rather difficult to be
lieve, but 1 give you my word it's tn
truth. Stone Court was not yer
lively place after my poor mothe
died. and, by Jove! it's not very livel
now! Nothing but discontente
old servants to receive one, all lookin
at you askance and wondering wheth