The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-12-30
CHAPTER XVII.

Ever since October Rupert Carroll
and Agatha his wife had been living
together in Chester Square. There was
a third inmate in the house in the per-
son of Miss Louise Carroll. who. hav-
ing let Harrington Lodge furnished for
a year TO a most desirable tenant.
brought Ter god daughter UP TO Lon
don, and took up her abode as we'll II
the house which she had engaged for
her brother.
For long time after their wedding
day Rupert and Agatha never even
saw one another. Agatha did not die.
as perhaps she would have liked TO do
but she recovered very slowly from her
serious illness. and when she was bet
ter she was ordered change of air, and
Miss Carroll took her for three months
to Bournemouth. Then when her
strength came back to her. there arose
the question OF what was TO be done
about her future. Agatha protested
that nothing would induce her to live
with a man who had publicly stated
on her weddir g-day that he had only
married her under Authorization. and
she declared that il he did not love
her, but someone else, she would be
no wife to him: whilst Rupert. though
humbly anxious to do all in his power
to promote her welfare, was clearly
in no way DESTROYS of any closer con-
nection with the unhappy girl. whom
he liked and respected. but whom he
could never love. In fact. to live apart
was the wish of both.
But Louise had strong ideas Of duty.
and she would not hear of such a plan.
She contended that Rupert and Agatha
were as much bound by their marriage
vows as any other husband and wife.
and that II only to silence the voice of
scandal. Ii was incumbent on them to
live together and to make the best of
bad business. at any rate in the eyes of
the world.
1t was more than six months after
their marriage that the first interview
took place between them in Miss Car
rolls presence. She brought Agatha
up herself to Rupert's bachelor rooms
in town, and the two met with much
reluctance on both sides.
Il wish to give you your liberty, Ru-
pert" said poor Agatha. not daring to
lift her sad eyes to her husbands, and
to leave you perfectly free: but 1t
seems that it would not be right for
me TO do so. / have only come to tell
you that 1 will do exactly what you
and your sister wish"
He took her hand kindly. She was
frightfully altered-she had grown
very thin and pale. and the good looks
which love and happiness had con-
1ured up for short time in her had
all faded away again. Rupert pitied
her from his heart.
There is nothing 1 Will not do to
make you happy. Aggie," he said, you
shall have, everything 1 can give you
every penny of my money"
Il do not want your money, Rupert
she said. quietly. Il want your affec-
ton"
He was silent: he bit his lip and
looked down on the ground, in painful
distress of mind, for he could not an
swer her as she would have liked him
to answer.
Now this is all nonsense, my dear
children" here broke in Miss Carroll.
briskly- I'VE are not going to discuss
matters of sentiment, but matters Of
each other all your lives, and you must
both manage to make the best of one
another for the future. Rupert. you
must take a house I'm London for Ag-
gle and you. Aggie. must go and live
under your husbands roof, like a good
girl"
"Auntie.'' she haid, hesitatingly, eff
you would only come and live with
us?"
What a capital idea," cried Rupert.
with animation. Yes, Louie, come
and help us patch up our life together.
and then we will both do as you wish
and endeavor to make each other as
happy as we know how"
And so it was eventually settled
And in due course Of time this queer
and uncomfortable trio took up Their
abode in the very furnished house that
Miss CAROLS fancy had been original =
ly set upon.
Little by little they fell into the life
that a great many married people lead:
that is to say. there was no display
of love and devotion-but they were
very good friends. They did not quar-
rel, and they did not hate one another
that is always something. in these
days of ill-assorted couples, Rupert
was kind and scrupulously polite 10
Aggie, and Aggie was submissive and
always obedient to Rupert.
When first Rupert had recovered his
memory he had used every means in
his power to discover what had be
come of Irene. He had gone down to
Chatswell repeatedly. and had mad
inquiries about her. He soon learnt. Of
course. that Mrs. Garland had died in
the November Of that fatal autumn
and that her daughter had gone away