The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1904-07-09
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CHAPTER vi.

CHAPTER vi.
Another room in an obscure part of
London; but this room was. though
poor, scrupulously neat and tidy. It
was even adorned with a few flowers,
and some colored prints hung upon
the walls. A woman and child were
sitting together in the one large chair
that the room possessed: The woman,
slight, still young, and astonishingly
beautiful; the child, one of those
brown, curly-haired children, with blue
eyes, who have sprung from parents
of different nations. The womans
face we have seen before. Now the
only alteration in it, and one it was
that did not affect her beauty, was a
great sadness, except when she spoke
to the child. and then her whole face
changed.
1T is such a great city," she was
saying" such a great city. l did not
know it would be so difficult to find
any one. I thought that when once
I got to England it would all be we'll,
and now I have been in England more
than year, and I have not seen him.
And yet am so longing to see him
once again, and to show him our boy.
Oh, how happy he will be! How happy
we both shall be! These weary years
will be as naught, and I shall forget
everything once feel his arms round
me again!"
There was step on the stairs. YER
onica listened She had grown more
womanly in these last four years, and
she looked more thoughtful. Sorrow,
the great master, had taught her
many things. Now she did not look
unhappy, but eager and anxious. She
evidently recognized the: footsteps on
the stairs, and it did not bring her
any pleasure She was shrinking to-
gether in the chair with the child
when the door opened to her call
"Come in!" and Hutchinson entered.
"Good afternoon" she said, but
showed no pleasure at the sight of
him. How did you find me out?"
How? It is always easy to find
any one when you have mind to,
and when you have any sense in
your head!" He scanned Veronica's
face as he spoke, and noticed that
Dhe flushed slightly. Il saw you go
into a music shop, and I followed you
home the other day, and l made a
note of the road and the number, and
here I am"
what do you want of me?" asked
Veronica, rather hopelessly.
my dear girp'-Hutchinson spoke
Airily-"my dear girl, why could you
not have confded in your father? It
would have saved you a great deal
II you had"
"You are not my father said Yer
pnica quietly, "you told me so your
self.".
"Why quarrel about an expression?
I am the man who brought you up.
Veronica, why did you not tell me
that you had married Alan Mackenzie
and that this is his child?"
Veronica gave a great start. She
knew why she had not mentioned
Alan's name to him. She knew of
the hatred that Hutchinson had for
him, and even now she did not know
what to say. "How do you know"
she asked at last. 'Who told you?"
''He told me himself" said the
man, watching the agitation that
Veronica betrayed. II should not
have known unless
when did he tell you?" she asked,
her lips almost refusing to utter
sound.
about two months ago."
Veronica sprang up. "He is here,
in London. Two months ago! Oh,
take me to him! Let me see him at
once! Why did you not tell me be-
fore?"
"How could -" the man said dry
ly. 81 tell you you should have had
more confidence. l did not know you
were his wife,
How was he looking?" cried Ver-
onica. ooh, my darling. my darling!
Did he spea k of me two months ago?
think we shall die of happiness
when we come together again."
mo doubt" said Hutchinson. 'tDoes
he know of the boy?"
"No. The boy was born five months
after the shipwreck. 1 have told you
l was so ill after the wreck that lost
my reason for time"
pity" said Hutchinson, reflective
ly, that when you told me so much
you did not tell me ALL"
Veronica did not answer. Something
In the mans tone awakened her sus-
picions. care you sure" she asked,
after little silence, that you do
not want to hurt him."
why should II" asked Hutchin-
son. "No, what I want to do is to
make money out of b. i'm. He will not
be able to deny me anything when
Sestore him his wife and child
That sounded possible. Veronica
smiled, and let herself be happy in
the thought that what she had so
knged for and worked for for years