The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-09-30
CHAPTER MI.

: Some hard hours for Matilde lay be-
tween bedtime and the next morning s
late daylight, hours when she was free to
let the passion of pride and jealousy and
bitter shame sweep over her unchecked.
But by the time that she reused herself
from & late short sleep, her resolve was
shaped. She would play her part, and
carry out her share of the bargain, and
then, when the battle was won and she
had done her best in it. she would de-
mand her Decentralization to go live
her own separate life. Let him enjoy the
place and the money which he had made
use of her to win; she would have none
of it. And so, once again, as she thought,
she was facing life with no strong arm
behind ner. Strange to think how uncon-
sciously she had been leaning on Stew
arts strength!
BY some coincidence, Stewart had that
day for the first time gone off early to a
meet. This made it easier to her to come
forth and face the world.
Mathilde seemed destined to come I'M
expectedly on Miss Fearon's interviews,
for when, in the course of the morning.
she went at her usual hour to join Sir
James in the conservatory, she saw that
lady seated on a low camp-stool beside
him. and holding in her hands a letter,
from which she had apparently been read
ing him extracts.
The letter was hastily folded as she ap-
preached, and the reader looked up with
q slight frightening of color.
Don't let me disturb YOU" Mathilde
A..f *ha old STR od ont
an eager hand to hers.
You couldn't disturb US. my dear
Nellie is just giving me Norman's news,
which is only few hours ahead of him
self"
Nellie looked decidedly Disconnected, as
though she had not intended Mathilde to
know whom her letter was from.
'.Oh, ! often bring my morning budget
to give uncle bits out of my days Cos
sip, But l must run away now. for
dear Flora wants me TO go down to the
village" and with her usual futter Nellie
was Off
GOOD little girl, good little GIRL Sil
James unused. But she wouldn't have
done for Jem's wife. He'd never have
been proud of her, as he is of you, my
dear"
II hardly think that he is very proud
of me-" was the only answer she could
think of.
But the old man chuckled. 'That's al
Won know, my dear. Jem was Away.
quiet, but you should hear him talking
away to me about you. If when he was
a boy he had only learned to talk to me
frankly. as he does now. things might
have been different! =" and Sir James
sighed.
Frankness How much frankness could
there be in his talk of her to the father
against whom her very presence was q
conspiracy? AS much frankness as there
was in his talk to her, she supposed and
her shame at their duplieity burned deep
er.
How relieved she was when her father
in-law asked her to read him the paper
q habit which had become almost daily
with them.
1t was that afternoon about tel-timt
that the new cousin made his appes rance
Mathilde's first impression was one Of
surprise at his unlikeness to her hu sband
OF slight build and understood. dark, too
ne was not at all her idea of what one Of
the family would look like, although OF
the pale. clean-shayen face she could trac,
characteristics that showed that be anC
James Stewart were cousins.
Flora's introduction was stiff AMI for
NAL to degree, but Norman Stewart pu
an unexpected warmth into his gree ting
Next 70 seeing dear old Jem himself" b,
said, as he held her hand, us meeting hi:
wife and seeing how lucky he has been.'
And a glance helped to point the compl'
ment. "Old travellers learn to take glow
ing accounts with caution, but / can say
with the Queen of Sheba. the half of il
has not been told me-
Mathilde could not but laugh and fusl
a bit as she withdrew her hand.
please, don't make me shy" she said
''My husband should have been here tc
welcome you. He told me that he would
be sure TO be back before you came All
here he is" she broke off, as Stewart ap
peared in the doorway, muddy and dilapi
dated. The mutual greeting was quiet.
'Hullo, Norman; got here frst?' ant
"Glad to see you back, Jem."
Mathilde, watching the long handshake
wondered how much sincenity it conveyed
Someone else, too, was watching it keenly
for she caught Miss Fearon's strained
gaze. fixed on The two, in a nervous fash
ion.
Then came tea and the business OF