The Minneapolis journal., 1904-04-11
Cbe rope Chat neper Dies
FLORENCE WARDEN
the
All Rights Reserved.

voice communicated itself to the baby
IN her arms, and set the little one
.Whlmpering. There was nothing ito
oe Sc seen en- OF the mite but huge ball
ed dive down on the mothers part
to ind the little puckered-up face
underneath.
+ !, e here, there, don't cry, darling.
don't cry! Mammie didn't mean to
frlghten you." And as she bent over
her Child and soothed her and cud-
died her, Beatrice seemed for the mo-
|5ment to throw off all the weight of her
own distresses.
AS for her grown-up companion, he
d1gested her answer slowly, and it was
some time before he, made any re-
joinder.. Then he said, simply:
Whether you tell the truth always,
| of course, i cant be sure; but I be-
lieve you are telling the truth now. It's
| the most irritating fact about women
that they keep so much to themselves
That's why we think they know noth-
ing, and we; call them 'innocent.'''
Il don't pretend to be that said
| Beatrice. "I acknowledge to being
foolish and wicked and cowardly.'
He did not appear to be mollified by
| her frankness.
"And by a general confession Of
that sort, you conveniently avoid go
| ing into details, and think you are alb
| solved
| Beatrice was silent. She felt glad
that he was angry with her; she began
to feel as If she was already halfway
towards the real confession and the
real indignation which she so much
dreaded. AS usual, he found fault
with her silence.
well, what have you got to say for
yourself? Something, I'll be bound!"
Only that I'm glad you found me
out in one fault" said she. "It will
| prepare the Wav for Othor 6iScOV-.
cries.
Her voice was tremulous, and it ap-
peared to strike Lord Catherington
4 with a sudden pity. Instead Of press
hoped he would, he changed his tone
suddenly, and said, quite gently:
There, there! I didn't mean to be
harsh. OF course, it's no business Of
mine what you choose to tell or not to
tell your husbands relations. The old
age certainly. But tell me- he went
on, with sudden rise of tone again.
"were you just as close with the
good-looking cousin?''
She blushed a deep red, and said,
quickly, in whisper: ..s.
''I told him nothing either.'
The viscount shrugged his
shoulders. Then he whistled softly to
himself as he drove on for some time
without speaking, At last he spoke.
well, as I said, it's no affair. Of
mine. But you're an extraordinary
little person. Beatrice was nearly
, five feet eight. ,a '":Your discretion and
your indiscretion, your reticences and
; your condolences, are alike a puzzle
: to me-. I don't know whether I have
t a right to be angry or not, and
don't know whether what am going
E to do will be a punishment or not.
But am going to turn back and take
| you straight home again when we've
gone another mile or so, instead Of
taking you to Richmond, as had in
tended, and giving you something to
eat at the Star and Carter
7 There was by this time just that
tone Of half irritated amusement in
Lord Catherington'sa voice which al
= lowed Beatrice's heart to grow sud-
denly lighter, and enabled her to an
sWer him in som mething like the same
: tone.4f Even as she did so, it occurred
.s to her thatsit was strange how easily
: affected she was Sby every change of
$ mood in him; for while She had felt
: a thrill Of satisfaction when he grew
Y angry with her. she now experienced
e another pleasant emotion at the
! ! knowledge Of the intention he had
- had, and at the pique which had
y caused him to forego it.
4 I'm very glad to hear it," she said
e almost saucily. "It was very strange
idea for you to have to take a gov.
! ! erness to the Star and, Garter"
: Lord Catherington looked at hel
quickly, as If he did not quite know
: how to take her. When he had made
- - UP his mind, he said, gravely:
II daresay you're right" And he
= did not make any other remark, ex.
: cept Of trivial or casual kind, unit
. the end Of the drive.
That evening he sent no invitation
q either for Ernyn or for herself an6
on the following day he sent fol
> Ermyn, directing Harvey to bring hel
, down.
~ Beatrice took advantage of this op.
: lportunity to go, out and do some shop
n ping. She found the time had hung
heavily on her hands during the las
:. few days, for want of something to do
I And it was in search Of some Of those
it fripperies of feminine handiwork will
e which she loved to busy her fingers
n that she went forth, wrapped up il
d a waterproof, and struggling with al
O umbrella.
d For it was a wet and windy day
cold and miserable beyond words.
n (To Be Continued Tomorrow