Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1908-03-17
THE FORBIDDEN ROAD
BY MARIA ALBANESI
Copyright Maria AIbancsi. All Riuhts Reserved
By MARIA ALBANESI
Copyright 1907 by Maria AIbanesi.

"You are one Of the children" he
answered.
AS she made an impatient move
ment he changed his tone
81 want to talk to you about myself
I'm not exactly child, but I find
want some one to give me just a lit
tie Of the attention that you give Bet
ty and Baby"
She grew very hot, and found It
rather difficult to breathe.
az am not satisfied with you only rs
ward" Haverford said. and there
was an indescribable note of tender
ness in his voice. because there are
such difficulties in the way Of seeing
you. / want you for something closer,
better, more helpful. Katherine, will
you be my wife?'
She stopped dead, and looked at
him with eyes ablaze, then. in a
choked voice, she said:
"No!" and then again, mol" and
then she walked on very quickly. He
followed her.
"You can't mean that" he said, his
tone one of absolute establishment.
She answered him over her shoul-
ders.
81 do most emphatically He look
ed quite dismayed and the girl broke
in hurriedly, "Of course it is very as
tonishing, suppose; but call 1t a
caprice, If you like, have an objec-
tion to marry a very rich man.
have an objection she said with
quivering lips, 'to be chosen for a
wife just as somebody would choose
carpet, or piece Of furniture
Good God!' said Haverford. "Do
you suppose that want to buy you?'
Il don't suppose anything" said
Katherine, Except that I thank you
very much for your offer, and / de-
| cline it."
He let her walk on, and stood look.
ing after her bewildered and panied.
She had grown so closely into his
thoughts of late, she had become so
individualised with all his new
schemes for the future, she was so
necessary, SO dear, so precious (espe-
cially since he had learned how he
had misjudged her, and Mrs. Bren-
ton had lost very little time in making
him acquainted with this) that he
could hardly realise that she had
turned so deliberately away from him.
He made no effort to follow her,
however; there had been something
authoritative in her voice and in her
manner-something that stung him al
most reproachfully. But his chief
sensation was rueful realization of
failure.
81 am vain, clumsy fool!" he said
to himself, with vast amount of ir-
ritation.
And after he had walked about for
some considerable time, and had pom
dered the situation carefully, this ur
f1attering estimate of himself strength
ened.
If he could have comfortably taken
himself away from Yelverton he
would have done so; but as he had
proposed himself for this visit it would
have been difficult to have found a
tangible reason for ending it in so
abrupt a fashion.
The quiet, comfortable influence of
the house, and particularly the pres.
ence Of the children, worked pleas
antly on his troubled mood, however
and at dinner-time he sat chatting
briskly away over his American ex
perience. and noting with some sat
isfaction (and good deal more vex
atom that the girl in the white gown
on the opposite side Of the table
matched himself in ease of manner
and flow of spirit
"I find him wonderfully improved
said Mrs. Brenton, as she and Rather
inc sat having their coffee in the hall
"Oh. he was always fairly good
looking said the girl carelessly.
She had let Betty decorate her fol
dinner, and there was large rec
flower tucked in among the masses q
her dark hair just behind one small
ear. She had grown taller, but was
Just as slim as ever: although Mrs
Brenton invented all sorts of fattenins
dishes entirely for Katherine's con
sumption, she refused to grow fat.
"Oh. don't mean his looks, NEAR
his manner, Don't you find him eve
SO much brighter and brisker? HI
seems quite happy. too am glad o
that
Miss Granger put down her coffee
cup. She heard the dining room doc
; open.
81 am Just going to run upstairs tt
see if Betty has dropped off. Sh'
! looked very wakeful.'
Her Wnlte gown WhlSked out o
) sight as Mr.. Brenton and his CUES
came out Of the dining room an,
though they sat a long time chattin,
and smoking, Miss Granger neve
: came back
5 81 am trying to divide her a ittl
t from this devotion to the children, bu
= it is not very successful Mrs. Brer
' ton said to Rupert, land yet she car
not remain with them all her life
Il am afraid she is rather obstir
ate" Haverford remarked, a trif
S grimly.
The next morning he left Yelverto
t early-so early that the children wer
only half dressed when he went.
B; Bears the the ~ ><0z.