The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-04-08
Beatrice felt choked. 3

cut ner TO the uedTL. IL he hIlSWs
"Sit down." said the viscount, kind
ly, perceiving how agitated she had
suddenly become. "And pray listen to
me for little while I twaddle on
about my experiences. It's too de-
lightful to have sympathetic ears open
to receive ones stories. This domes-
ITCHY after ones homeless wanderings,
is a splendid thing"
Shyly, stiffly, Beatrice seated herself
a little way off, as far away indeed as
she dared from the group on the
hearthrug. If he were to go on in this
strain much longer she was bound to
cry, and she wished that her tears
might be unseen. She was glad that
he turned his attention at this point
entirely to the child for a little while,
detaching a seal from his watch chain
for her to play with and listening to
her prattle about it. Suddenly, how
ever, he looked over her haxen head
at the window.
my old chums would find 1t hard to
| recognize me as a family man." he
said. eft Fighting Fred they used to
call me out west"
Fighting Fredv" echoed Beatrice,
| wonderingly.
Him. You wouldn't think it to
look at me-now, would you?"
MO-"
ga man changes with his circum-
stances. Thus the commonplace, idle
schoolboy Of country life at home may
become the dare anything abroad in
the wilds; and he again may change
into the reckless, passionate lover
his face darkened as he spoke-"and
then into the heartbroken and disap-
pointed man."
He paused solemnly, and Beatrice
did not interrupt him.
"Then another turn of the wheel
| makes a sort of returning prodigal Of
! him; only he has to kill the fatted calf
| himself, because there's nobody left
in the world who cares enough to do
it for him. And the last transforma-
ton of all makes him contented
| citizen, with leanings towards domes-
| tic life, and in proud possession Of a
daughter to be educated and settled in
| life"
An exclamation broke from Bea-
trices lips. This was looking ahead
with vengeance. Lord Gathering
ton, however, was not to be inter-
rupted in his reverie.
IT wonder" he said, musingly, as
he stroked his long beard, whether
she'll be as beautiful as her mother
was" Again Beatrice started, but he
took no notice of these manifesto
tons. "She was a most lovely woman,
the loveliest woman in the world, I
in one way, that I wasn't right. You
saw her, didn't you?'
He had habit Of fixing his eyes,
with a sudden and penetrating look,
upon the person he addressed, which
always made Beatrice feel as if he
was looking right thru into the very
depths Of her mind and heart.
TT saw Lady Catherington," she
replied, huskily.
LADY Catherington!" repeated he,
| slowly. Eyes, Of course, she has the
right to use the title now, whatever
she may be doing, wherever she may
be living. 1t may lead to some odd
items Of fashionable intelligence pres
emily"
The hardness which his tone had
assumed in speaking of his wife
shocked Beatrice a little. During that
interview between husband and wife,
part Of which she had overheard, her
i own heart had been melted by Lady
Catherington's passionate pleading on
behalf of her baby. She could not I'M
derStand how man, as good-natured
as Lord Catherington appeared to be,
could remain untouched by such en-
treaties from woman he had once
1oved-entreaties made, as they were,
not on her own behalf, but on that
Of her child and his.
Lord Catherington appeared to be
slightly annoyed by her silence or by
the expression Of her face. For, after
short silence, he asked, almost petu-
lently:
What are you thinking?''
Raising her head very 'timidly,
Beatruce said: Must tell you?"
Eyes. I hate to be listened to like
that. 7 like enthusiastic assent, or
enthusiastic contradiction. So fire
well, then, can't understand your
. attitude. I could understand forgive
ness, 1 could understand punishment
| But don't know why you should just
speak mockingly of her, and yet-and
yet"
mot take any steps to free myself
, from the connection? Why should I?
could get a divorce, T suppose; she
,, herself implied that I could. But she
would call herself by my name just
the same; not all the DEGREES Of all the
, law courts in the world can save q
title from that degradation in those
, circumstances. And there would be
such q washing of dirty linen for us
:, with counter charges, and the good
ness knows what raking up of ugly
" stories and forgotten scandals! No
: no, emphatically, I don't want di
vorce, even If I saw that the case
:, would be all plain sailing. 1t ism
e as if I wanted to get married; I don't
), My family is here-ready-made.
t And the tall man stopped to pas!
d his hand lightly thru Ermyn's faf1xe1
: locks.
: <"And then there's another thing,
It he went on, presently. II was as hare
f as nails to her-to my wife, mean
d as I had a right to be; for she lef
e me heartlessly, brutally, when I wa
}, poor and i'll besides. But since I hav
d seen the child, confess I've felt SOM
compunction about my behavior t.
! the mother; for at least it's clear tina
: she cared for the child, that she di,
d her best for it, and so can't hell
thinking that she was fond of tn
: little one. and only gave her up to m
n for the child's own sake. Do 70,
e see %
: (To Be Continued Tomorrow
y