Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-04-15
-
- l=-------
------------------tS u -----------------
CHAPTER Ill.

aDle DedutN-Julla 1dleTndH III. Ilel coHi
panion was good-looking. blonde man.
of thirty or thereab bouts, with the bearing
of a soldier most indelibly impressed upon
him.
1T was very good of you to come, Aunt
Julia you have been an unspeakable COM
fort. not only to Mary. but to myself all
this trying time. She has no intimate
friend in this place, and in their hour of
trial a husband cannot he all. a woman
hungers for a friend of her own sex.
Tut, Fred; you know perfectly we'll
that | have always loved Mary better
than anything on earth. | had TO love
you in the first place because she loved
you. and of course | had 10 love that
tot there and here she pointed to a
child of about three years of age, who
was playing at a little distance from
them. because You two loved her. As
if it was likely that | should not come
to Mary in her trouble"
.'The weather seems settled. he rejoin-
ed "and trust you will have fine
crossing tomorrow"
II shall come over TO see you and Mary
many time; and yet" she continued
more gravely, ~ heartily wish it were
not so. This is no place for you. man
of your years. condemned to wear out his
life without occupation; it is sad to think
upon
Il know it, know it." he replied bit
terly "and you know. Aunt Julia how
hard have striven. and still strive, to get
occupation of some kind. But after ten
years soldering one seems to be tit for
nothing else. How could | possibly guess
that before two years time he would
marry a girl that could almost be his
granddaughter, and that the result would
be nv disinheritance in favor of the new
arrival?'
Hush Fred replied Miss Caterham
gently 1T is of no use talking over
what is done past redemption. though |
am afraid you played your cards some
what injudiciously."
"Injudiciously ~ he broke in hotly.
"You didn't suppose | was going to see
him make an utter idiot of himself with
out pointing out his folly to him.
II am afraid, my dear Fred replied
the lady, that you did not discuss the
thing in quite so temperate fashion as
would have been advisable. There. not
another word she continued quietly, as
she saw be was about to interrupt her.
GDon't destroy my last evening by talking
over this unfortunate subject. You and
your father have quarreled, apparently
irrevocaby. None of us can even suggest
a fit mediator between you. There is no
more to be said. We can only hope that
time may eventually right what is now
30 wrong
"In the meantime, Aunt Julia, | must
live here because it is cheap, or until L
can get something to do. AS soon as
can leave Mary | shall run across to Lon
don again, and see if can hear of any
thing"
Let Ms hope you'll be successful; but
1t is time we went home. Tea time,
Missy: come along" and taking the child
by the hand. Miss Caterham led the way
towards the town.
Fred Chichester might well look de-
spondingly at his prospects. His case was
somewhat hard. brought about in some
measure, no doubt. by his own hot tenn
per: but the Chichesters, unfortunately
were ever a headstrong race. His future
looked fair enough when, barely four
years ago. he married a girl of very
good family. True. they were by no means
rich people, and his Mary, being one of
many daughters, came to him dowerless
bride. But what did that matter: Chi
chester was an only son, and his father,
with whom he was a prime favorite, was
a wealthy man. That his progenitor. at
the age of fifty-eight. should have fallen
over head and ears in love with the
Youngest daughter of the rector OF his
parish was rather hard upon Fred. lie
suddenly found himself with a wife and
child. without a profession, and with the
interest of some six thousand or so, the
proceeds of his commission. to live upon.
He tried hard to make his little income
90 as far as possible; but poor Fred
had never been brought up to study the
economies" and he was steadily, though
SLOWLY. trenching upon his capital.
Miss Caterham duly took her departure
the next morning, and as she journeyed
hack to London reflected very sadly over
Fred Chichester's prospects. OF course,
IF a man has only about two hundred
and fifty pounds year, it is his business
to keep himself and his family on that;
Int il was quite clear to Miss Caterham
that the Chchesters would spend the
whole of their capital before they had
learnt how to live upon that income. Then
the idea of young fellow like Fred be-
ing condemned to moon away his life in
q little French country town. 1t was
foo pitiful. What a thousand pities he
had left the army
Mr.. Carbuckle, a friend, welcomed her
warmly back to London. He listened
grayeIy to the story of Fred Chichester's
broken career; but. as that luckless exile
had himself foretold, almost the first
question the barrister asked was in what
direction he had best exert himself
LET me know the sort of thing he
wants. and I'll engage that I'd manage
TO get at some of the people who have
the giving away of such posts. If you
ask my advice should say the best thing
you could do is to try and bring about
a reconciliation between father and SON"
81 never saw Mr.. Chichester except on
the day of Fred's wedding; but he is
very bitter, obstinate old man, from all
accounts, and / am afraid Fred gave
him very great proVocation. Ysu must