The Washington herald., 1908-01-25

.
she ever had in the past.'
I And still though she judged. and even
condemned, Katherine could not detach
! herself from this woman. In her turn
/ she owed a heavy debt 10 Camilla, debt
/ that was sweet to pay, that claimed from
/ her the best she had to give.
/ The same spirit that had sent her out
/ into the night eagerly defiant of fatigue,
| loneliness. or any possible danger merely
10 stand beside this helpless lovable
woman, animated hev still. She could not
shut out of her remembrance the plead
! ing patheticness Of Camilla's look the
last time they had met, and though they
We're now parted by an irrevocable bar
rier, she remained still acutely sensitive
to the spell exercised by that creature Of
wayward moods and tenderest influences
When Mrs Cuthbert Baynhurst reach
ed London, she at once wired to Yelver-
ton, announcing her arrival, and desired
that the children might be taken 20 town
the following day TO meet her.
To Miss Granger she sent a little
pleading note, in which she asked the
girl 20 bring the children herself
She has at least the grace not 20 sug-
gest coming here" said Mrs BrentOn
with laugh that had the sound of tears
in it.
Then she looked at Katherine.
You will go?' she said IN low voice;
and the sirl said
Yes"
The Cuthbert Baynhursts were Install
ed naturally in one Of the best suites of
the largest and most sumptuous hotels
1t Was so strange so natural and yet
so unreal to see Camilla again!
She looked marvelOusIy we'll. that fret
ted, excited, nervous air had gone en-
tiTely.
As Betty phrased il:
You look so pretty. mummy darling
just like a new young giTl"
The presence of the children relieved
the situation 10 a great extent yet both
Katherine and Cuthbert Baynhursts wife
felt the strain of this meeting sharply
You're going TO stay with me day
or two?' said Camilla, entreatingly. TT
viii be sweet 20 have YOU Then with a
flash Of her old merriment Remember
We are cousins now"
Katherine shook her head,
u am afraid I must 50 back this even
ing; but the children will be all right
with Dennis"
And Camilla bit her lip.
"Of course II you must go. you must
60" Then she added restlessly. Il hope
We shall not stay here more than q few
days ourselves. II was horrible coming
at all And then 7 am so afraid this ill
ness will upset Cuthbert He is so
sensitive. I have entreated him not 90
stay longer than q few minutes in his
mothers room. ! wish he need not go in
at all. Cancer is such an awful thing
Then she shUddered.
Katherine said nothing. She had no
reason 10 care one way or another about
Mrs. Baynhurst. but IL was impossible for
her TO Withhold her pity in such an hour
as this. because she knew, none better.
the hOpelessness Of the mothers passion
ate love for her second child and because
il had been "a creed with Octayia Bayn-
hurst 10 sneer at Womanly weakness and
suffering; to deny almost scornfully the
teTrOrs Of death.
And now death had come upon her
and what a DEATH
There was tragedy 10 the girl IN the
thought of that fine intellect, that strong
nature, surTendeTing itself to the ravaEes
of the most appalling disease the human
frame can know.
As the children danced off 10 another
room 10 find Dennis. and they We're alone.
Camilla turned and stretched out both
/ her hands TO the girl
Have I lost you. Kathie?' she asked,
/ YOU look at me SO strangely, your eyes
/ hurt me. I have always clung to the
/ hope that YOU would never change. that
YOU would always love me
Katherine Granger paused moment,
and then took the hands for az instant,
Are you happy?" she asked in a low
voice.
The look that flashed into the other
womans face was a revelation TO her.
so happy" she said. "Oh. Katherine
/ it is all the beginning over again, only
better. tTueT, and, please God more last
ing, Katherine. I love him. He is so
young, so beautiful so full OF poetry.
he makes life quite different, Oh. I
/ love him, and I never thought I should
/ love any one again after Ned"
/ Katherine turned away; her lips quiv-
/ cred
"Then We who care for you must be
content" she said There was a bitter
and yet a sad note in her voice.
/ Cuthbert Baynhursts wife stood and
looked at her.
"Of course, she said a little hardly,
I know you think I did a dreadful
thing. and I viii tell you one thing.
Kathie, that I wish from the bottom Of
my heart that I could have come by this
happiness in a different way. I don't
want to excuse myself, for / have no ex-
Cuse but equally I don't want you or
anybody else to make up things that
don't exist. Don't. for instance, run
away with the idea that Rupert is break
ing his heart about me. He is much too
prosaic, too stold, too commonplace.
You saw for yourself how calmly he
/ took the whole thing. If he had been
another sort of man. well' she laughed,
there might have been four inches of
steel for Cuthbert. and perhaps a bullet
through my brain"
Katherine turned and looked at her
coIdly.
How can you speak so foolishly. What
do YOU know Of his heart? You have
never understood him: even when YOU
had the life Of his life in your hands you
sneered at him as poor and paltTy Make
a mOckery of him 10 others If you will.
but not TO those who know what sort of
man he is. II is pltiful; it makes your
wrong so much, much worse
Camilla looked almost frightened. Her
lip quivered, and tears gathered in her
eyes.
"Oh, don't speak u me like that" she
said brokenly. do you think / don't
know how good he is-how more than
good; his generosity won't bear talking
about; but you don't know ALL Kathie.
II you did. perhaps you would judge me
more mercifully.
There was q title pause
Katherine made no answer: she turned
aside sharply, and walked to one Of the
long windows Though she had spoken
so quietly, - coldIy. a wild sort Of pas
sion swirled about her; her heart beat
SO violently she felt almost suffOcated.
Camilla moved across to her.
"Kathie darling" she said pleadingly. /
She put her hand on Katherine's shoulder, /
and as the girl still said nothing she
gave a quick sigh.