The San Francisco call., 1904-12-11

Frank. His intelligence grew, his al
lection blossomed as the first buds OF
mower. He was no more merely pas
sive object of love and care. He began
to know more than that he was nursed
and fed, more than that his right was
othese ministrations. The idea of the
reason daWned in him. He stretched
forth his hand no longer for bounty
only. but for the inspirer of bounty
Tor love. Strung to abnormal Sensi-
tiveness, Christine deluded herself with
the rancy that already he felt the
shadow over the house, that his young
soul was already chilled by the clouds
or anger and yainly cried for the sun
shine of sympathy. If she did not truly
see, yet she forsaw truly. Seeing and
foreseeing thus, she asked where was
the hope. And on this, with bound,
her thoughts went back to her own
sorrow and back to poor lonely old
John In London, all by himself, with
nobody to talk to, nobody to congratu-
late him on the success Of his business,
nobody to open his heart to, alone with
his grievance against her, alone with
the thought that, Notwithstanding his
grievance, he had taken Frank Gayle
sham's money and grew prosperous
again by the aid Of It,
When Christine had been at Milldean
fortnight or so, business carried
Grantley to town. The change his de-
parture made was instantaneous and
striking. A weight was off the house,
the clouds dispersed. Sibylla was full
of gayety, and in that mood she could
make all about her share her mirth.
Above all, her devotion to Frank was
given full rein. The child was always
with her and she knew no happiness
save IN evoking and responding TO his
love. She was now open and ostenta-
tious about II, fearing no frigid glances
nd Y7n ~ Tod Nfc ~ hor
folly. Christine might we'll have found
new ground for despair. so plainly did
Sibylla display to her the blighting in
f1uence of Grantley's presence. He 1t
was who froZe UP loVe-5o Sibylla de-
clared with an impetuous, aggressive
openness. But Christine would not de-
spair. A wholesome anger rose in her
heart and forbade despair. Her man
ner took on a coldness exceeding Grant
ley's indifference. She would not be a
sharer in the games. q partner in the
merr1ment, a sympathizer in the love.
Stbylla was not slow to see how she
stood off and drew herself away. Quick
ly she sought for reasons. Was 1t that
Christine would not join in what SEEM
ed to be league against Grantley? Or
was there another reason? She had
told Christine how 1t was through Wal
ter Blake's horror and not through her
scruples that little Frank had not been
left TO his fate. Did her love then
seem hypocrisy? That was not true
though 1t might be true that remorse
now had a share in it. The more the
child grew to life, the more horrible be-
came the thought that he might have
died. After day or two Of smolder-
ing protest, she broke out on Chris
tine.
You think I've no right to love him"
she asked, after what I was ready to
1<1O t. -. - y
out plainly! see you've got something
against me-"
Christine was cold and composed.
Never had her delicately critical man
ner been more pronounced.
I'm sure I hope you repent" she
observed meditatively; "and 1 hope you
thank heaven that man was what he
turned out to be-"
Well, call it repentance then. I sup
understand how / really feel. But if it
is repentance why need you discourage
it?"
II don't discourage repentance. and
I'm glad you're beginning to see that
you ought to repent. But it's not that
I'm thinking Of
What are you thinking of, them"
cried Sibylla IN unrestrained impa-
tience.
you're prepared Tor an open quar-
rel?"
Her smile was rather disdainfuI.
mo, you won't quarrel with me; I'm
not of enough Importance to you! I'm
very glad I'm not, you know. Being
important TO you doesn't seem to be
consistent with being an independent
creature"
sibylla glanced at her in arrested at
tention.
What do you mean by that?' she
asked in low, quick tones. The charge
was so strangely like that which she
was forever formulating against
Grantley. Now Christine leveled it at
her.
You call Grantley selfish" Christine
went on. You're just as bad yourself
yes, worse. He is trying to be different,
L believe. oh, admit the poor man
doesn't do it very well-he gets very
little encouragement. But are you try
ing? No! You're quite content with
yourself. You've done no wrong. Well,
perhaps it was little questionable to
be ready to leave Frank to die, But
even that would be all right if only 1
could understand it!'
You'd better go on now" said Sibyl-
la quietly
"Yes, 1 will go on; I am going on.
You were ready to leave the child. to
die sooner than go on living as you'd
been living? Isn't that how you put 1t?
You were willing to give his life to pre-
vent that? Well, are you willing to give
any of your own life, any of your way
of thinking, any of what you call your
nature, or your temperament, or what
not? Not bit of it! You can love
Frank when there's no danger OF
Grantley's thinking it may mean that
you could forgive himi AS soon as
there's any danger of that, you draw
back. You use the unhappy child as a
shield between Grantley and yourself
as weapon against Grantley. Yes,
you do Sibylla. Whenever you're in
clined to relent toward Grantley. you
go and sit by that child'e cot and use
your love for him to fan your hatred
against Grantley. Isn't that true?"
Sibylla sat silent, with attentive
frightened eyes. This was a new pic
ture-was it true one? One feature of
1t at least struck home with a terribly
true-s seeming likeness of her own mind
She used her love for her child TO fan
her hatred against Grantley,
You complain" Christine went on in
calm relentlessness. "of what Grantley
is to the child. That's a sham most Of