Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1908-03-17

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and when the heavily laden post-bag
was opened on Christmas morning
there was letter also.
She kept it for several hours TN.
opened, and then stole out into the
cold garden to read it. 1t was not
very long. He had the trick Of going
straight to the point. But it was a
letter that moved her deeply-that
made her heart beat and her eyes
dim. He called her dearest" and
once he wrote Dear Capricious
Kathie'
He did not claim her boldly this
time, nor did he plead too much There
was a directness in his simplicity
that almost made her waver. But
she delayed answering till the NOR
row; and all that evening, as she felt
the old irresistible fascination of Ca
millas beautiful presence hold her in
sway she felt equally her heart grow
steady and that strange rush of JOY
die down.
"It is impossible quite
quite impossible" she said to herself;
and though she put her words as gent
ly as she knew how, she wrote and
for second time refused to be his
wife.
CHAPTER XXI.
When the question Of a return to
that little town house was mooted in
tearnest, Katherine joined issue with
Mrs Brenton in pronouncing the sug-
gestion impracticable.
She was honest enough to confess
{, that her objection was to a large de-
gree based on sentiment.
ooh, don't go bacl. there; you had
SO many, many dark days there, she
urged. Besides, the house is let till
March. Why not let us go to Paris
for few months? Don't you think
that is a good idea?"
"Oh!' said Camilla delightfully."-;
then you are coming with me?'
1t was Katherine who looked sur
prised.
"Of course. l should love to stay
six months in Paris. l want to pick
up French if l can, and 1t would be
so good for the children"
Camilla agreed.
"And if Cuthbert should pass
through Paris we need not see him,
she mused Happily he would not be
able to stay for more than a few
days; he owes too much Kathie, we
will do this!"
So it was settled, despite Mrs. Bren-
TONS protestations; but, as usual Ca
milla upset the arrangement She
, appeared to be quite happy at Vel
verton for a week or two, but all at
once she got restless, and went UP to
town for few days. From thence
she announced that she was going to
: pay one or two country visits.
,, Preparations were being made bus
lily for the migration to Paris, when
the children's mother wrote announc-
, ing that their plans would be changed.
II have some news for you," she
!, scribbled Sammy is going to be
married. My little matrimonial
!, scheme has panned out successfully.
1 can't say that Sammy is exactly my
idea of husband; but this girl is ap-
parently wildly in love, and thinks
, herself ever so lucky. They are both
staying here. 1t seems that old Lady
,, Broxbourne is delightful, and the we'd
ding Is to be in a few weeks time
, For my sins | have promised to do all
: I can for the bride this season; she
is quite provincial, you know, and has
everything to learn, and she clings to
: me almost pathetically. So am
afraid our little jaunt abroad will be
, knocked on the head till the summer
. at all events: and then I think We
, ought to coax yacht out of Rupert
and have a real good time. What d.
, you Think"
, Yelverton waE very quiet without
? Camilla, and the children fretted fol
v her a good deal.
Katherine herself was actually con
a scious of sensation of void tsnC
loneliness. She could never pass the
room where Camilla had been with
out sort Of pang.
: Long ago she had ceased to ques
ton or to speculate on the extraordin
! ary power of this other woman; t
: ask herself why or why not certain
j, things should be! she simply recog
q nized that, despite all that had gon'
+ and all that might come, she love;
,. Camilla with a deep, and an anxious
love, and would always give homage
:. to the caressing, the bewitching in
fluence of this beautiful this most un
" reliable of women.
= Sometimes, indeed katherine Gran
q iger confessed to herself that ever
= with her eyes widely opened as the,
!. now were, she would still do wha
Is She mad dOne IN the past, ana II Pre-
4 lection were needed, exert every ei
fort Of wit and courage to stand be
# side Camilla and keep trouble away.
~ And this although she had sacr
+ feed her own feelings so vainly, al
=, though she knew Camilla would hav
&c been totally unable to comprehen
=. what that apparent friendship wit
Broxbourne had cost her, and wha
IA real suffering had come to he
- through it.
ID On the day the letter came contain
ing the news of the approaching Bro:
d bourne marriage, Katherine left tn
e - -. -. -.