The Washington herald., 1908-01-25
CHAPTER XVI.

the children out of the strawberry beds),
Cuthbert Bayuhurst and his wife returned
to town
They did not do this voluntarily; il
was literally 10 see his mother die that
Cuthbert was summoned back to Eng
land
Rupert Haverford himself wrote the
message that brought his half-brother
home
He himself was on the eve of sailing
for the United States when his moth
srs condition became so serious.
He had promised Mrs. BTenton 20 spend
one night al YelveTton before leaving for
America, but Of course all his arrange
ments were upset
1T is impossible to describe TO you the
suffering my poor mother is enduring
iust now" ne wrote. She is Amazingly
brave, and her brain is as active as ever.
1t sounds cruel TO say il, but l almost
regret this, for she persists IN taugulhs
herself. Only yesterday she worked TOT
three hours.
Another time he wrote.
..Sbe has been very I'M for some time,
how in no one but she herself has known;
but undoubtedly she has hastened mat
ters 10 the present crisis by her unhap-
piness about Cuthbert's marriage. 1t was
a great shock 10 her: she Graves for him,
and seems 10 torture herself with vain
and unreasonable jealousy, / am most
unhappy about her. II is a bitter thing
10 feel that ] have not the gift Of min
istering 10 herr
All these letters passed into Katherine s
hands.
Usually she read them out IN the gar
Cen. and when she was alone.
She was we'll again. but very restless
IN these days After that nervous break
down Mrs BrentOn endeavOred 10 treat
her as a kind of invalid. but she quick
IL abandoned this as "A hopeless under
taking, and. indeed, the girl very speedily
picked up her color and her strength.
But she was changed; her calm, de
termined. practical mood was gone alto
gether.
There were many times when Mrs
Brenton was puzzled and even troubled
by her manner. and nothing was more
difficult for her to understand than the
friendship which appeared 10 have sprung
up between Miss Granger and Sir sam
uel BrOXbOuTne.
Sir Samuel was always turning up at
Yelvert0n at unexpected moments,
As the BTeutOns had known him since
he was q boy ne was outside the cate
CORY Of guests. but though Mrs BTen-
ton was hospitality itself, she really
chafed a little at his constant visits. and
if she could only have imagined that he
was indirectly or directly connected with
what she I'm her plain-spoken way called
Camiua's "wickedness," he would have
found himself shut out OF YelveTJOn in
particularly quick time.
As it was very little of what went on
in BrOXbourne's world found its way TO
Mrs Brentons ears. and she was in
happy ignorance of the fact that when
Camilla had broken her traces in that
startling fashion, Br0xb0urne had been
as much an object of curiosity 10 a Ger
tain section of society as Rupert Haver-
ford himself.
Nevertheless she gave him very little
encouragement 10 come SO often; but Sir
Samuel was, happily for himself thick
skinned.
What do You find TO talk about, you
two?' she asked katherine on one occa-
sion, almost irritahly; and the girl had
shrugged her shoulders.
4 listen" she said. and then. with an
effort, she had added. Sir Samuel
amuses the children. He is always in
venting some marvellous games"
Yes" said Mrs. Brenton, thoughtfulIv
but il is not a bit like Sammy BroX-
bourne 10 spend his time inventing games
TO amuse children"
Miss GranigeT's eyes had flashed. and
she had laughed for a moment
Il expect he finds the country air re-
frcshing after town
rs il possible Mrs. Brenton said %
her husband after this little conversa-
tion, is it possible that Sammy has fall
en- in love with Katherineg'
MT- BTentOn closed his book with his
finger i'm it to keep the place
1t does not seem improbable" he said.
and then he added. Katherine is very
sweet girl"
To which his wife ret0rted.
DO you think I don't know that2 She
is much too sweet for a man Ike sam
my"
IN a vague sort Of way this question
of BroXbourne seemed 10 divide Rather
inc and Mrs. Brenton. The older woman
resented, not unnaturallv, the fact that
the girl should not COudde in her.
OF course, If he is i'm love and he
wants 10 marry her. it might be foolish
20 do anything 10 prevent 1t. Though
he Is not very nice himself, he has a
very nice position, and his people are the
kindest creatures I'm the world II would
he what the world would call a wonder
1ul marriage for Katherine, suppose.
But does he want to marry her? And
would she have him. Here Mrs Breu-
ton had 20 shrug her shoulders hopeless
~, II should have thought he would
be the last man on earth TO attract her. "
And Katherine was perfectly well
aware Of what was passing in the other
woman's mind. 1t was one Of the many
little priCkly burdens which she carried
ia her heart these days
II il could have been possible to
share this trouble with Agnes Brenton,
she would have done il gladly; but she
knew that Camilla's disloyaIty had work
ed far deeper into the heart of this won-
an, who had loved her with the anxious
love of mother for so many years
than even Agnes BTentOn herself real
lied.
Mrs. Brenton had never set Camilla on
pedestal; she had never proclaimed her
faultess. but she had never ceased TO
ind reasonable excuses for all the mis-
takes that the younger woman had made
Her love had always been tempered
10y her judgment She had forgiven more
IN Camilla than she would have been
able 10 forgive in other people; but she
could not easily parton that act of be.
trayal, that deliberate Tenunciation of
right of honor. and of duty.
Katherine was by no means sure that
If she were 10 have laid before Mrs
Brenton the facts which Sir Samuel had
disclosed to her that sad and strange
morning, she would have received any
suggestion Of help. On the contrary. il
seemed to her that Camilla's old friend
might have been more definitely estrang-
ed, as assuredly she would have been
made more miserable were she TO have
listened TO that story Of temptation and
weakness and dishonor
-g.s Id