Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1905-05-05
CHAPTER XII.

All had been arranged. Early one
morning Jack Melville walked slowly
and thoughtfully up to Allt-nam-ba. He
knew she was at home; for the dog-cart
had gone by with only Sandy in it. Per-
haps she might be indoors at
the microscope he had lent her, or ar
ranging her plants. She had seen him
come up the strath; she was at the door
awaiting him, her face radiant.
"Ah, but why are you so latew she
cried. "They are all away. Shepherds
and gillies and all, two hours ago."
81 did not mean to go with them. l
have come to have chat with you, Yo-
lande, if you will let me-"
He spoke carelessly; but there was
something in his look that she noticed;
and when she had preceded him into the
little drawing room, she turned and re-
garded him.
"What is it? Is it serious?' she said,
scanning his face.
Well, he had carefully planned how
he would approach the subject; but at
this moment all his elaborate designs
went clear away from his brain. A far
more happy expedient than any he had
thought of had that instant occurred to
him. He would tell her this story as of
some one else.
''It is serious in "a way" said he, 'for
I am troubled about an unfortunate
plight that a friend of mine is in. Why
should 1 bother you about it?-but still
you might give ME your advice"
''My advice?" she said. eff it would
be of any service to you, yes, yes! But
how could it be? What experience of the
world have l had?"
He did not wish to he too serious; and,
indeed, he manag ed to tell her the whole
story in a fashion so plain, matter of
fact, and unconcerned. that she never
for an instant dreamed of it's referring
to herself. Of course he left out all de-
tails and circumstances that might posi-
lively have given her a clew; and only
described the central situation as be-
tween mother and daughter. And Yo-
lande had a great compassion for that
poor debased woman; and some pity, too.
for the girl who was kept in ignorance
of her mother being alive; and she sat
with her hands clasped on her knees.
regarding these two imaginary figures as
it were, and too much interested in them
to remember that her counsel was being
asked concerning them.
'Now, you see, Yolande," he contin-
ued, sit appears that one of the results
of using those poisonous drugs, is that
the will entirely goes. The poor wretches
have no command over themselves; they
live in a dream; they will promise any
thing-they will make the most solemn
vows of abstinence-and be quite unable
to resist the temptation. And the law
practically puts no check on the use of
these fendish things; even when the pub
lie houses are closed the chemists shop
is open. Now, Yolande, l have kind
of theory or project with regard to that
poor woman-1 don't know whether the
doctors would approve of it-but it is
fancy l have; let us suppose that that
poor wretch of a mother does not quite
understand that her daughter has grown
up to be a woman-most likely she still
regards her as a child-that is a very
common thing-at all events she is not
likely to know anything as to what her
daughter is like. And suppose that this
daughter were to go to her mother and
declare herself, do you not think that
that would be enough to startle her out
of her dream? and do you not think that
in the bewilderment of finding her rela-
tions reversed-the child grown to be
woman assuming a kind of protection
and authority and command over the
broken-down creature-she might be got
to rely on that help and encouraged and
strengthened by constant care and affec-
ton to retrieve herself? Don't you think