Year: 1873

Chapter Xxx.


Mrs Conway made her morning toilet
with great care, and proceeded to cheer
full little apartment opposite the break
fast=room where bright fire was burning.
Touching bell-rope she summoned Rich
ard to her.


did you see Mr. Conway after he re-
turned home last night?' she asked.


"Yes ma am"


Orchard" she continued hesitatingly,
az am aware that you deceived me the
night those gentlemen were here, but
do not intend to censure you for it, as
believe you did it to quiet my fears.
wish you however to answer me one
question truthtuLly. Was Mr.. Conway
before his marriage in the habit of in
dulging too freely in Intoxicating drinks?'


well ma am, I'll try to answer you as
truthfully as / know how His drinking
depends very much upon what kind of
company he happens to be in. Sometimes
he does not drink enough for months to
affect him, and then again when he gets
with such gay young gentlemen as were
here the other night, he is very apt to
drink a drop too much. His guardian,
old Mr.. Earle, used to grieve a good deal
over Mr.. Bertram's appetite for liquor,
saying that he'd be able to overcome all
his faults but that, and that his father
was the same way" Then seeing the
sudden palor that crept over Kate's face,
he added soothingly, "He used to say
fhO.,rh hot In hoI
full control over his appetite when he was
a mind to have"


"That will do Richard Tell them not
to serve breakfast until Mr. Conway
comes down"


When Bertram Conway entered the
breakfast-room, it was not without some
dread of meeting his wife's reproving
glance, and he was prepared to find her
in tears. But he was most agreeably dis
appointed The lady who sat behind the
silver breakfast service, greeted him with
a smile, and a pleasant Good morning
Bertram," and there was not the faintest
shadow of reproach in the expression of
her face. He returned her salutation
rather awkyardly, and replied with mono
syllables to the gay chatter she kept up
during the meal. When it was finished
and they were alone, she leaned over the
back of his chair, and said softly as she
twined his black locks around her rest
less fingers:


"Bertram, little thought that the
first gentleman l should ever see intoxi-
Gated would be my own husband"
The color rushed to his face, and he
replied dryly: "Then let me inform you
that you have seen very little of the
world"


True, and am not sorry for it, for to
me there is something inexpressibly hor.
rible in the sight of a man drowning the
noblest part of his nature in the wine
cup"


IF it is your intention to deliver a lee
ture on temperance, l think can engage
you hall and an audience for this even
| ing. 1t were pity to waste your elo-
quence upon one unappreciativel listener"


His tone of quiet sarcasm was very
hard indeed to bear. Struggling to keep
back the rebellious tearc. she managed to
say quietly II did not mean to offend
you indeed Bertram. l think only of
the sorrow and disgrace that follow in
the wake of such course"


You speak as though had committed
a heinous crime. You don't know how
common it is among some of the most
polished gentlemen you have met this
winter Their wives take it as a matter
of course, and care but little about it,
| You need never expect to see me carried
home on shutter" he said contempt
uously But when dine with my friends
and they urge me to drink to different
toasts, 1 cannot refuse to do so without
appearing discourteous." !


But why do you mingle with such
society p persisted Kate. you can surely
make some excuse to absent yourself
from it"


"Pshaw Kate! you know nothing about
it," returned Conway, as he left the
room.


Chapter XXI.


A year passed. Mr. and Mrs Conway
had spent their summer at a fashionable
watering-place and it was now several
months since they had returned to their
city home.. Kate had wished to visit her
uncle and aunt during the summer, but
her husband would not permit it; so she
was Obliged to live in continued round
of gayety, while her heart was with the
dear ones down by the river side. This
winter however. she wished to invite
them to visit her, and determined to
mention it to her husband, not without
some fear and trembling, as to the reply
he would make.


"Bertram, / have a plan which wish
you to help me to carry OUT she said
one evening, when they were waiting for
the carriage to take them to the opera
mMhnt is il Knthlcen Mnvnurneen p