Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-10-01
CHAPTER VII.

| And with this retort Lord Delisle
walked out of the smoking room.
CHAPTER VII.
Kathleen was lying back in an arm
chair, looking very i'll and tired.
Aunt" she said petulantly to Lady
| Dellsle. Since their nurse had been mar
red to the earl the girls had. by mutual
agreement, substituted the title aunt"
for the Miss Darrell" of old DAYS.
| yes, dear?"
Aunt, feel so weak and languid and
run down, somehow, since DR.. Surtees
made me stop taking the capsules and
my wine every day"
| Lady Delisle looked around her in a
curious furtive way Fear of the Young
doctors vigilance mad made her during
! the last week abstain entirely from inter
| ferlng with kathleens food and medi-
clnes; and he had given the most ex-
pllclt orders that she was to take no
wine-orders which Kathleen had prom
ised to obey.
Lady Delisle bent towards her and an
| Piled a scented handkerchief to her fore
head. The sensation of faintness in
creased Kathleen fell back among the
cushions, gasping for breath She heard
the countess voice.
"A glass of wine, dear? 1t would
revive you. Champagne
Yes" Kathleen said eagerly and
| family.
| Lady Delisle hurried to a cupboard.
the key of which she kept herself. In a
few minutes Kathleen had drunk the
bubbling, sparkling liquid and was sit
| ting up.
Better, dear? Doctors orders-non-
sense! Doctors have their fads like the
rest of us. l wasn't going to sit by and
| let you faint. And now must run
away for a few minutes. Do not stir.''
Lady Delisle had withdrawn the per
fumed handkerchief from Kathlecn's
brow. 1t must have been a fancy of the
! girls that the feeling of faintness went
with it. Quickly the countess set the
champagne bottle and glass on little
! table by Kathleen's side. and carelesslv.
accidentally as it were, dropped the key
/ of the cupboard among the silken pill
! lows. Then she rustled out of the room,
and met Claude Surtees on the stairs.
ooh, Dr.. Surtees, Pm so sorry-I'm so
much agitated and distressed! Have YOU
/ seen Kathleen since the morning? She
was so strange about half an hour ago.
am so terribly afraid she has managed
to-to get hold of something that is not
good for her-you understand? | am
afraid it is one of the servants who is not
! trustworthy, and must have been bribed
| by Kathleen. If you would go to her
now, Dr. Surtees. and satisfy yourself
about the state she is in, it would be
| such relief to me"
Claude gravely assented. He went
straight to Kathleens boudoir. On en-
tering the room he Immediately caught
I sight of the bottle and glass, and mott
/ fed that Kathleen looked frightened
How is this, Miss Vassie? You prom
/ Used me you would not take any wine"
At this stern tone Kathleen's shame
and confusion increased She trembled
and looked down, and Claude, looking
down too, caught sight of the key, half
/ hidden in the cushions.
Miss Vassie, you must answer me-
/ Where did you get that? Who gave it
| to your
Poor Kathleen had a childish convic.
| ton that if she told him about Lady
! Delisle this terrible doctor would be ca
! pable of making no end of trouble Being
I entirely ignorant of her reputation as an
/ alcohol victim she attached no meaning
| to the key. and saw in the presence Of
! the bottle and glass the evidence of
nothing more serious than an infringe
ment of the doctors orders So she kept
/ silence. and her eyes filled with tears
Miss Vassie, you force me to the con
clusion that your promise to me meant
nothing Yet / trusted you to keep it.
( I'm doing all | can to make you well;
/ but l can do nothing, or very little at
least, if you won't try to help me. Who
/ gave you that? Answer me-you must
answer me"
Kathleen began to sob.
You had no right to lie to me-" he
cried. II was not a word to use to a
lady. but the bewilderment and anxiety
/ of this case were Claude's excuses. He
had a horrible doubt that Irma's belief
| in her sister was without foundation,
and he had not time to be sorry for his
| harsh words, for some one had entered
/ the room. and voice cried
60 away from her this instant! Go
out of the room you-you brute"
Irma stood before him, her face scar
let, her amethyst eyes burning with
anger.
kathleen sprang weeping towards her
sister, who clasped her fondly in her
arms, caressing her soft curls, kissing her
brow. Claude bowed, looking right into
Irma's angry eyes, and left the room
He walked up and down in the cor
ridor, determined to wait till Irma came
out. He did not care how angry she was
he wanted to see and hear her As he
walked to and fro. thinking in the
chaotic way of a young man madly in
love. he became gradually aware Of
peculiar odor in the corridor. Half me
ehauically he went on and leaned over
the balustrade Of the staircase, gazing
down at great bronze Mercury, with