Middletown transcript., 1904-09-24
A DOUBLE DISOBEDIENCE.
TcoNTINuEp FROM LAST WEEK


practice at Redminster. | often WON
dered why he left it when he was doing
SO well, and I have heard you say that
you were struggling after you settled in
our present home. Now tell me, mamma
cried Kilmeny, transfxing her mother
with judicial glance, "why, when you
were getting on and making money, you
broke up your home and went to place
where you had to begin all over again :"
'sBut we were not making money that
was the thing
"Then how did papa buy the practice?'
'Really, Kilmeny, you ought to have
been a lawyerP' cried Mr.. Warrender.
"Stop cross-questioning your mother, and
give me some more tea"
Still, though lie had covered Mrs.
Richmond's evident hesitation to answer
her daughters demands, the fact that
she had seemed unwilling to do so came
back to him as he walked home that
evening and struck him as rather odd.
CHAPTER II
A group of three persons stood on the
steps of Mr.. DaryPs house and glanced
up at its gloomy exterior before entering.
Kilmeny Richmond's white dress-she
nearly always wore white-and the black
of her hair looked too pretty to be in
keeping with the severity Of the building
before her, or with the harsh and cynical
aspect of its master. Christopher War
render, the third member of the party,
noted that Mr.. Daryl had eyes for no one
but KilmenN, and that he narrowly OBJ
served everything about her. Herspring-
ing step, her ready laughter, the gleam
of her dark eyes, the exuberant vitality
of her whole being, seemed to impress
him to the exclusion of everything else.
He turned his back on young Warrender,
who, if he had had any notion that the
invitation to him sprang from personal
liking, was effectually disabused of that
idea. Mr.. Daryl desired the presence Of
Kilmeny for some reason best known to
himself, and he desired none other.
care We going in ?'' the girl asked in
her clear quick tones. ut is very inter-
esting, Mr.. Daryl; but 1 would much
rather see the inside Of the house than
the outside. l always fancied that l
should like to live in big house. Ours
is delightful, but it is small, and, when
all the children are in it, one is inclined
to feel cramped."
Mr.. Daryl led the way up the steps,
and the two young people followed.
''There is rather large house waiting
for you, Kilmeny, if breadth is all you
want" Mr.. Warrender observed in low
tone to the girl as they entered.
''It is not half of what l want !" she
retorted in the same key. ''Hush Do
not be tiresome Just look at the hall !
Now that is my idea OF what hall ought
to ber
"As gloomy as that?'
''It is not gloomy; it is only mysterious.
See"-raising her voice and turning in
the direction Of the master of the house
-t'the great staircase winding upwards
and lost to view behind that heavy cur
tain, the narrow windows, the huge fire.
places. Imagine party seated in this
hall with logs blazing On the hearth, and
some one dispensing tea. Could any
thing be better r.
$50 that is your idea OF the height Of
bliss" Mr.. Warrender said, laughing
"a big house with hall where one could
have tea among plenty Of people p
"There are other things" the girl said.
''That is only the beginning
"Come, them" Mr.. Daryl interposed-
''let US see the other rooms. | perceive
that it would be easy to satisfy Your
wants, Miss Richmond, and it is new
experience to me to be able to do that
for anybody. This is the drawing-room,"
Mr.. Daryl said, ushering his companions
into splendid apartment to the right.
Like all the rest of the house it was
gloomy, and the drawn blinds rendered
it still more so. Though the sunshine
was blazing outside, the air was almost
cold in the great room. Trees over
shadowed the windows, and a chill ST.
lence reigned. Kilmeny involuntarily
shivered, and Mr.. Daryl observed the
motion.
"Why is it they keep these blinds
down ?" he cried angrily, striding across
and pulling them up violently. ANY
one would think we were in vault
Now you can see better, Miss Richmond.
When you have had tea in the hall you
can bring your party in here and if you
were in it and plenty of young people,
and the piano was tuned, it would not
be such bad room-eh? What do you
say ?''
''Not such a bad room ?" she cried.
ut is beautiful | could spend days
wandering round it looking at all the
lovely things in it. l think also l should
get one or two of the trees outside taken
away, and then it would be perfect
What are you laughing at, Chris p
II am not laughing, Kilmeny. l was
much interested in your remarks"
The girl glanced at their companion,
over whose face dark frown had stolen.
"You say that Doctor Richmond is in
America when are you expecting him |
back p he asked abruptly.
mot for a month at the least n the |
girl answered.
"And meanwhile you stay here?"
"Yes. Mr.. Warrender has been so |
good as to offer us the house until papa
returns."
The old man turned for the first time |
and surveyed his second guest. Christie
pher Warrender was leaning against one
IF the windows, smiling to himself as
he watched Kilmeny, whose pleasure in
her surroundings was apparent. He had
IN athletic figure, and was good looking
without being handsome, and the amuse-
nent in his dark ewes gave them very