Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1910-02-25
CHAPTER XVIII-Continued.

They were sent to ST. Agatha's by
Father Stoddard, an old friend of
mine. They had suffered many annoy
ances, to put it mildly, and came here
to get away from heir troubles"
Yes; 1 understand. Uncle Henry
has acted outrageously. l have not
ranged the country at night for moth
ing. | have even learned a few things
from yOu," she laughed. And you
must continue to serve Aunt Patricia
and my cousin. You see"-and she
smiled her grave smile-'my father
and | are an antagonistic element"
NO; not as between you and Miss
Patricia! I'm sure of that. 1t is Henry
Holbrook that l am to protect her
from. You and your father do not en-
ter into it."
IF you don't mind telling me, Mr..
Donovan, | should like to know
whether Aunt Pat has mentioned u.s."
Only once, when first saw her
and she explained why she had come.
She seemed greatly moved when h
spoke of your father. Since then she
has never referred to him. But the
day we cruised up to Battle Orchard
and Henry Holbrook's man tried to
smash our launch, she was shaken out
Of herself, and she declared war when
we got home. Then l was on the lake
with her the night of the carnival.
Helen did not go with us. And when
you padded by us, Miss Pat was quite
disturbed at the sight of you; but she
thought it was an illusion, and
thought it was Helen!"
Il have been home only a few weeks,
but | came just in time to be with ia
Their in his troubles. My uncle's en-
nifty is very bitter, as you have seen.
l do not understand it. Father has
told me little of their difficulties; but
l know, she said, lifting her head
proudly, 4 know that my father has
done nothing d~ishonorable. He has
told me so, and I am content with
that"
l bowed, not knowing what to say.
Il have been here only once or
twice before, and for short visits only.
Most of the time l have been at a con-
vent in Canada, where | was known as
Rosalind Hartridge. Rosalind, you
know, is really my name; l was named
for Helen's mother. The sisters took
pity on my loneliness, and were very
kind to me. But now l am never 60
ing to leave my father again."
She spoke with no unkindness or
bitterness, but with a gravity born of
deep feeling. l marked now the lighter
timbre Of her voice, that was quite diff
ferent from her cousins; and she
spoke more rapidly, as she had said,
lei naturally quick speech catching at
times the cadence of cultivated
French. And she was a simpler ma
ture-I felt that; she was really very
unlike Helen.
You manage a pretty we'll"
l ventured, still studying her face, her
voice, her ways, eagerly.
That was very foolish, wasn't it?-
my running in behind the procession
that way" and she laughed softly at
the recollection. But that was pro-
fathers best canoes, and he helped me
to decorate it. He takes a great de
light in his work; it's all he has left!
And l wanted to show those people at
Port Annandale what a really fine ca
noe-a genuine Hartridge-was like.
l did not expect to run into you or
Aunt Pat"
You should have gone on and
claimed the prize. 1t was yours of
right. When your star vanished /
thought the world had come to an
end"
ut hadn't. you see! 1 put out the
lights so that l could get home un-
seem"