The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1909-02-18
CHATTER X

The morning which broke through the
defenses Of Breen. and crumpled the dear
est purpose Of Constable, also drew Miss
Stansbury into the vortex Of intense emo
tons. Whatever dominant traits and in
pulses she had inherited from her mother,
il had been her self-training TO repress
Ample opportunity had been afforded her
TO note in her mother the career of an in
domitable mistress of affairs. The result
Of her observations was positive distaste
for stiffness Of views in any sphere. and
conviction that the display of master
fitness in woman did not make for WON
ans happiness
As a girl. it had not occurred to Lara
TO exert an authority counter to her
mothers When she became young WON
an she carefully avoided any extremity
which might lead to the breaking Of
either her own or the more visible viii
Of the house.
Now. in the midst Of painful develop
ments. it was borne home to Lara that
she had progressed too far in the way of
amiability: that she had unconsciousiy
outstripped her intention. and passed into
the boundaries of sslf-effacemenf. In the
crisis Of the newspaper revelations. she
had followed her mothers initiative with
out question. The creature Of indecisions
that she had become grew more and more |
odious to her as the forenoon passed, and |
in her coutrition she realized that the 1
man whose first wish was to spare her \
from harm had been repaid with a lack of 4
and a greater lack Of courage.
Nothing that she had said or done 1t 4
seemed to her now. carried the stamina OF
decision She had implored him not to
speak she had run from him. like a
frightened child to her mother. when be
bad told his love and begged her to seek
safety aboard his ship. In none of her
dealings had she shown the strong wom-
snhood which marked her ideals; and in
singular contrast stood out his gracious
less and patience. The thousand little
Kings In which she had subserved her
,wn incIinations to the maternal will had
IuIIed the delicate point Of personality,
without which a man cannot stand val
antIy through the crux of harsh days.
I was all plain now, so hideousIy plain.
The chief of the acts she regretted had
o do with the morning itself What
manner Of Friendship" was this which
ccepted as authoritative the testimony
( a newspapers suspicionss She had Q
one more than this, in handing Constable
be document that witnessed against him. b
nd shutting the door upon his possible I
efeuse There was an added poignancy (,
the knowledge that her mother would !.
OF have thus used one of her favorftes.
Ter distaste for the American caused Y
Irs. Stansbury so readily to accept news =
aper evidence as triumph of her judg- v
emit As II such thoughts of wretched- &
SIS were not sufficient to start tears of z
'xation, Lara's mind finally added to the Il
ventory Of its miseries by reverting to =
n conversation with Constable I'm the :,
rrfage on the day Of his arrival How =
e had berated the essayist for declar-
9 that the stuff Of friendship stirred not II
'nankind How vigorously be had r.
reed with herl cl
She sought her own room when .he tu- ~
ult mounted TO the point of tears. Pres re
thy she went to the door and locked 1t, M
: the inevitable thought had come. What -,
the name Of Peter Constable mean to II
RI She had felt his strength Long y
0 she had dreamed Of such strength and ci'
{ the dream away. Whether or not be ~
$ to be the conqueror, she knew that co
stery like bis could rouse her heart. in
9 was evading the substance Of the WI
sstion- Before the mirror she frowned te-
'erely at the Lara there. =,
Tell me this,T said the woman, do I T.
Mt him to 90 away7~ -
No. no r said the image. 0e
NO." repeated the woman; mot IL be uis
innocent
The image scowled at her conservatism.
on deserve 70 suffer You sent him en-
ny without 1.-THE Of your trust, With est
q mOrssi Of your mercy" at