Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-04-15
CHAPTER VI.

On the morning after the performance
Of "Lady Clare the family were as
sembled at a late breakfast,
Thankful was reading the morning pa.
per; Dudley and Elizabeth were discuss
ing the entertainment and incidentally
squabbling over a dish of fruit; Stanley
was grave and pre-occupied-even> the
conversation of his small daughter fail
ed to arouse his abstraction.
"'His brow was sad, his eye be-
meath. Stanley is a medium, he has gone
into a trance" said Dudley, having Sc.
cured a peach to his mind.
"Let us hope he will be a happy me-
dium," said his father.
"He has become a circulating me.
dium," said Elizabeth, as Stanley rose
and began to walk all around the table
behind the chairs.
"Come, Stanley, become a medium of
communication and tell us why you are
'sicklied DER with the pale cast OF
thought To which he only replied
by going into the hall and taking his
hat and going over to Mrs. Soule's cot
tage.
Thankful at this moment read aloud
to the rest of the family an account OF
the murder at the penitentiary.
"That must be Aileen s husband
don't you know?'' said Dudley.
"And Stanley knows about it, for he
took Mrs. Soule home and did not come
in the house till daylight.
wCuriouser and curioser," said
Alice" quoted Dudley.
1T think Stanley will be able to take
care of himself" said the father. 81
shall be very sorry if Mrs. Soule should
be bound to a criminal; for l love hel
very much myself, and would gladly wei
com her in the family if Stanley could
marry her. AS it is, / fear there is moth
ing but sorrow in the affair for him.
ct think he is rather in a hurry tt
forget Edna" said Elizabeth, who wal
beginning to believe in love immortal
"tIt is not good for mar to be alone -
said Dudley, 'tit is better to marry
he checked himself and went to the win
dow and shouted for Clinker, who wa
looking w~istfully over the fence.
"Come out, Elizabeth; we are out o
tennis practice, having given so nue.
time lately to LADY Clare and tn
match comes off next week. Come OF
Thank, and play with me against Eliza
beth and Clinker."
Aileen was alone. Her mother ha'
gone to sleep, and aided by an opiate
she hoped she would sleep the da
through. She was loking pale, but no
ill-lovely in a loose white dress.
"You do not look WE'LL" she said
Stanley as she gave him her hand.
enc; I did not Sleep
"I will tell all our miserable story
Mr.. Redfield,--it has not been a wish fC
concealment that our affairs are not mo
public than they are, but we have an IL
vincible objection to being talked owe
No one will believe that Gerald is not
criminal as long as the law of the Ian
has convicted him."
"Two years ago last October, l VIZ
married to Gerald. His grandfather an
mine were boyhood friends; they bot
lived near together in the same town
not a large one. My parents died when
was small, and I was brought up by m
grandparents. 1t was arranged that
should marry one of Mr.. Soule's gram
sons, who were the children Of his tv
sons; I loved Gerald and disliked Ric
ard; they both loved me. When / cho
l Gerald, Richard was very violent al
| made dreadful threats; he told me tn
!, my honeymoon would be short; he tri'
0 by threats and brides and the most able
j begging to lnduce me 10 cake MIN luelcf
Of Gerald. We had a very unplsasa'
scene. During our engagementshe prevail
J ed upon his grandfather to fit him out
J yacht, and he went away cruising abo
the West Indies and the Gulf; he told
, grandfather that his grief at the loss
me was too great to be borne. The 9
man was rather sorry that I did n
choose Richard, as he was really the I
vorite, though he dealt with them exact
equally. He was displeased that Gera
b adopted the profession Of 4 civil eng
eer and insisted upon getting his own i
ing by it. My m~other-in-law was
u Northern woman, and Richards moth