The Washington herald., 1908-01-26
CHAPTER XIX.


mother" They quarreled when they
were having their hair brushed as to the
time she would arrive, and what she
would come in.
Baby declared Mummy would arrive IN
a boat, at which Betty scoffed openly
a boat doesn't go on the road. She'll
come in "a motor
And Betty was right
Camilla arrived in the smartest and
latest of automobiles; she was exquisitely
dressed in white. and caused fiutter in
the little toy watering place which. with
so many Of its kind. stud the coast ot
Normandy She came not alone. There
were two men and another woman with
her
Mrs. Rrenton and Katherine and the
children were down on the digue when
she arrived. and as the children caught
sight of their pretty mother and rushed
to greet her, Agnes BrentOn caught kath-
crime by the wrist
There is no occasion 20 send for Sam
my." she said; Camilla has brought
him."
And when a little mist had cleared
away from katherine's eyes she saw that
Mrs. BrentOn had made no mistake
Ii was Broxbourne himself. He looked
sheepish and uncomfortable as he caught
Miss GrauigeT's s eyes. and he made no at
tempt TO approach her
( There was never any one so gay as Ca
milla. The moment she arrived she seem
ed 10 radiate the whole place. The little
crowded digue concentrated its whole at
teution on her. She provoked universal
admiration.
When the whole party made move to-
ward the hotel for luncheon she caught
Katherine by the hand
Il want you. Kathie-I want TO ask you
something she said. She sent the chill
dren on ahead. then. when there was no
one near she said: can you give me
news Of Rupert?'
''NO." said Katherine. "but ! have no
doubt Mrs BrentOu can.
Camilla threw back her long gauze veil.
"Oh. dear. how hot IL Is here, she said,
'sthere is absolutely no air. The place lies
in such a hole, but the chicks look splen-
did" Then. I'm her restless way: We'll.
If you know nothing. I must ask Agnes,
for We have heard the most eXtraGrdI-
nary rum0r about him she meant Hav-
erford. II thought perhaps you could tell
me if it was true, ] mean about his hav-
ing gone 20 America because be has
/ found some relations Of Matthew Wool
gar and that he intends 10 give them all
his money
katherine answered almost impatiently.
L assure YOU I know nothing what
ever about Alr. HaverfoTd, or what ne
IS doing How should I?'
well 7 hope to goodness there is no
truth iH this report" said Mrs. Cuthbert
Baynhurst. III there is. Il is very bad
lookout for all of US
The girl beside her crimsoned.
Have you not enough already she
asked in q low voice
This made Camilla look AZ her; then
she stood still and save Katherine a little
pull
.'NIow. don't be cross with me-" she
said and. Just like Betty she added.
Nasty. uukind Kathe"' Then, becom-
ing serious again, You know IL is not
at an impossible that he might do this.
lie is So extraordinary about some things.
wonder who put the idea mo his mind?
u always understood that old Woolgar
had uo relations"
They walked on. and then. with a little
laugh. Camilla said.
IF YOU want % know the truth we
have not got half enough. 7 find Cuth-
bert is a thousand times more extrava-
CANT than ! am and that IS saying some
thing ] wanted him 60 come with me
to-day, bat do you think I could get him
way from the petits chevauX? Not T.
And let me tell you one can lose a fair
amount Of money at that game, silly as
il is"
Katherine Granger stood still; there
We're tears in her ewes
oh dearest she said. isis il al
ways % be the same? Is"
Camilla whipped her around and they
walked slowly back toward the sands.
You shan't cry for me-" she said;
I'm a beast I'm not worth st. You
don't know how little deserve your
tears"
Yes. I do" said Katherine: but 7
can't help crying: because / love you.
because you are the first person. you and
the children. who have belonged to me.
who have made life real and because
I want the children 10 have proper
mother. Not just a pretty doll dressed
up every time they see her IN something
new You had it in your power once to
turn your back deliberately on all this
wOrthlessnessi but ] won't 90 into that
now. Only l must speak, I must try 10
let you realize Once again her voice
broke; then, with an effort. the girl said.
Though you have lost SO much. there is
still so much left 1 know it viii be
little bit harder for you now. but still
YOU can do it If you like. I beseech YOU,
by your love for the children, to The
words ended abruptly
Don't said Camilla. and then she
added. when I am with you I want to
bee as You want me to be, but when I am
away I have not strength to change, and
1t all seems so useless; the trying, i
l lrrs..
voice as she said: DO you think I don't
know what I have lost? I have known
1t more and more every day. I expect I
shall know 1t a good deal more surely be-
fore l come 20 the end of my life It's
only this excitement that makes me want
to ge on at all"
There was a long pause, then Katherine
said in low voice; Il thought you were
happy"
The other woman shrugged her shoul-
ders and said nothing. Then. quite
abruptly, she began speaking about Brox-
bourne.
DO you know that ever so many people
assured NE YOU were going to marry
him. l wouldn't believe It, and when I
saw him in Dieppe yesterday I deter
mined all at once that 1 would speak to
him myself. I don't mind telling you,
hdthle. that / have been deadly afraid
of Sammy all this time; he-I mean-I did
something once to make an enemy of
him. and-and-he threatened me; you
know he can be horribly nasty when he
likes. 1t was really all Sammys fault
that I did what I did. But yesterday. the
moment l saw him, I was no longer
afraid"
Katherine was staring at the white
fiecked sea. Her heart was throbbing in
her throat; to speak was beyond her.
eyes" said Camilla, 7 saw at once
that the worst of his anger had burned
ont and sn | tnnk NV cn11rn on. %, III.