The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1907-05-18
THE CHARITY GIRL
By EFFIE A. ROWLANDS

By EFFIE A. ROWLANDS

And thus, despite Marsnalfs longing
to keep the helpless, hapiess child, was
the matter arranged. Constance never
asked after her baby, and when she was
told by her faithful maid what had been
done with it, she made no sign, either
by word or look. The doctor who attend
cd hei had been taken into confidence by
Roderick, and he pitied the poor young
mother from the bottom of his heart, for
he saw that a blow had been struck
which could never be healed.
Constance was scarcely convalescent
before she received a visit from her faith
er. who was in a state of much perturba-
lion.
Knew how it would be-" he said when
he first saw the girls white face. Boxed
up here with dying old woman-enough
to kill you in reality. And who could
have put this into the papers? Anstruth-
er says it must have been some officious
person in the village who thought you
were i'll, and must needs kill you"
Constance took the newspaper from her
fathers land, and read the announce
mcnt Of Ter own death in a short para
graph. She was silent for a moment,
and then, as she handed it back she said,
with a faint smile:
1T is pity you have to contradict
it. father"
"Eh. What nonsense! Now, Con,
shan't let you stop here any longer.
never saw such change in any girl
Pack up your trunks at once and come
away. Why, you look forty!'
How little did poor Constance think,
as she journeyed to London with her
father. that at that very time Frank
Anstruther was reading the account of
her death, not only in a newspaper, but
in loving, tenderly indted letter from
his brother Roderick. who had hit on this
idea of separating Frank from his wife
as being the best. If he had limited at
anything else, Frank would have rushed
back to England at once, but with Con-
stance dead and buried, what was there
to bring him back?
Roderick's shrewdness was verified ;
Frank never came home. And when the
London season was at its height, and
| Constance Gascoigne was winning fresh
laurels for her beauty and wit, the news
| arrived Of an outbreak of fever in Bur
nah, and Frank Anstruther's name was
among the dead. They called him a hero
| they sent home accounts of his courage
| self-sacrifce, and bravery, and Con.
stances heart turned with a despairing
yearning agony to the man she had loved
| SC well, and she longed to be buried with
him, shut out of the world forever. She
saw Roderick as little as she could. I,
was from his lips that she learned of he,
child's death; the woman who had taker
it had reported always how delicate il
was, and the end, always expected, hat
come at last.
Then it was that Roderick spoke thai
he showed himself in his colors. H,
pleaded for her love- he told her how h
had adored her ever since their child
hoods days; how he had given place t.
Frank against his longing, and entreat
ed her to forget all and become his wife
When he left her that day Rodericl
knew his plan had failed; come wha
might, Constance would never be his wife
To lend aid to his final coup he had liet
to her about her child. He knew tina
it lived, although If neglect and povert,
could have killed it the poor little thin
had its share. Stung to the quick will
the bitter words that came from Con
stances lips at his offering of love, h
determined she should never be told tn
truth. He had one interview with tn
woman who had charge of the child, an
after giving her a large sum Of none
and sworn her to secrecy, he went out o
England, and was lost TO the world tina
knew him forever. He had lived for on
thing only during the space of four years
and when he knew he had lost his tri
umph, he cast the dust off his shoes an
vanished.
Then came the time of George Fraser
wooing, the miserable hopeless time whe
Constance learned that her hand was tn
price of silence over her fathers di.
honor and dishonesty. The rest we kno,
up to the day that Audrey came to Dir
glewood as maid to Sheila Fraser.