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


although, she argued with herself
she need not have gone away If he
had not wanted to 60"
Mrs. Brenton at luncheon gave It
as her opinion that the change she
had remarked in Rupert Haverford
denoted more than a surface altera-
ton
~ am convinced" she said. che is
going to marry an American. Isn't 1t
too abominable? I am so disappoint-
ed"
when I marry" observed Betty,
I'm going to keep hens, speckley yell
low ones. You know the sort, Baby,
same as the one you choosed out OF
Aunt Brenny's garden.
Chased" corrected Katherine.
Chased" said Betty, then, in diff
ferent tone, How red you are, Kath-
| lie, quite like as if you was boiled"
"Well." said Mr.. Brenton in his
quiet way, "you were saying the other
day you wanted him to marry, you
| know"
$50 | do" agreed Agnes Brenton,
but I did not suppose he would care
about an American wife"
They discussed the probable union
for some time.
| 1t struck Katherine as so strange
that both these people should regard
it as natural and certain that he
should marry, and not from mere
sense of duty, but from inclination,
even from affection.
"Do they forget so easily?" she ask
ed herself
CHAPTER XXI.
At Christmas time Mrs. Cuthbert
Baynhurst joined the Yelverton party
unexpectedly She wore her beautiful
sables, and looked quite radiant when
she arrived. AS usual, she seemed to
charge the atmosphere with excite
ment Of pleasant nature.
''It is so nice to be here!" she de.
c1ared "You can't think how tired
I am of foreign beds and cooking.
Agnes, I hope you are going to give
me roast best and plum pudding every
day"
Mrs. Brenton received her beautiful
guest warmly; nevertheless, it was
| quickly evident to Camilla that there
was something on the older woman's
mind.
Don't hesitate to send me away if
you don't want me- she said easily.
|I can easily go back to town, or to
Lea Abbey, orwell, anywhere, you
know"
"Of course shant turn you away,
said Agnes Brenton Then she added,
coloring a little, "Only l must wire
to Rupert; we expected him for
Christmas"
Camilla laughed ever so prettily.
Dear soul, why should you? We
have met already several times. You
see," she added, quite seriously
when things went so horribly bad
with Cuthbert and me two months
ago, I was obliged to send and ask Ru
pert to come and help me- And he
was so kind He arranged every
thing. You know, don't you, that
Cuthbert and | have agreed to separ
ate-at any rate, for a little while!
Perhaps when he does not find life
quite so easy he may alter. His TEN
per, my dear Agnes, is something be
yond description; and he is SO lazy
and so difficult! And then there ar:
the children. My duty is really tc
them first of all; and have neglect
ed them terribly. Rupert suggests
should go back to my own little house
and have chaperone to live with me
supposed that Katherine would be
quite enough, but from something Ru
pert said, I fancied, perhaps, she hat
some new plans in her mind"
,, "I have heard nothing" said Mrs
, Brenton.
She had listened to this speech witt
a confusion of feeling. Camilla's eas!
acceptance of most difficult position
was not, perhaps, so very extraordin
ary, but other people worked a little
more slowly.
: "I don't quite approve of the little
house. Why not stay here?" Mrs
: Brenton added.
"My dear Agnes! Have I not al
ready outraged your friendship? Ds
you realize that you have been bur
dened with my children over year?'
What is a year! Besides, yo,
know perfectly we'll there has been M
} burden. Haven't I been clamoring tt
have the children with me for ages
1t has given both Dick and me a nev
about us, and if you will only max
, up your mind to stay on indefinitely
Z it will be real happiness"
THANK you, darling said Camilla
: sit sounds delightful. I will talk j
/ She said this in the most natura
2 way possible.
r But Haverford was not at Yelvertol
for Christmas. He wired from tn
y north that he was ill-had caugh
: a violent cold and was unable to tray
l.. ell
/ He was not too i'll, however, to foi
get his Christmas remembrances.
r Packages kept arriving by ever
/ post, and the children were in fe1
f ment of excitement. They rushed t
! their mother as each new gift a.
S rived, and Camilla confessed to Katl
$. crime that she was frantically jealou
9 of the attachment between Rupel
l. and the little creatures.
"Of course, it is the best thing the
n could happen | know that: but, afte
r all. they are my children, and I ougf
e to come first AS it is, believe l al
f not even placed now Rupert come
first-before any one; you are Sc
J. ond: and Agnes a good third
r "You are talking nonsense" sal
the young governess, in her Gaines
n way. "the children love Won more an