THE NEW NORTH WEST, THURSDAY, MAY 19, 188L
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REAPING: THE WHIRLWIND.
A iNorii,
BT mart eixwecovbs.
tApptteaUoa for Copyright forward d to the UbriAaa of
Confix at Washington, D. C. r .
'""T7 ' CHAPTER IX.' ' , :-
"' fit CUl re called, a few days after thcL masquer
ade, In company with Wycllffe, to aee Meg. Had
lie not been expecting her, he never would have
recogplzedHhe girl who entered the roonr-wltb
Mena.Tbe latter prang, toward him with a cry
ofdellghtr" ' X . .
Charge ! My Charlie V' . , ,;.
Meg approached more 16wly, and St Clarre
was at a loss how to address her. On the street a
week ago, he had called her Meg without the
slightest hesitation; but now- . '.
Mena solved the difficulty by saying, patronlz-
; Ingly: r::r "-' ' -: . " ' X ; '"
. "Meg, you may come and speak to Charlie."
rThua encouraged, Meg carie forward with more
confidence, and, giving Jvr hand to St. Claire,
said,. slowly: - - - --'
'. "Lean find no words In which to speak. I can
nly say, I thank you I thank you." y
Men was disgusted with Meg's simplicity, and
spoke op la disdain :
"Would Miss De Ouerry receive her long-lost
relatives any more charitably than her mother
proposes to V ' . ' -.V" .' t .'Vr ?.
'Bell would go Into the street, bring them In
out of the jnud,and love them.1 I beard her tell
her mother that if she ever sent them from the
house, she would go with them.".
"Miss De Uuerry does not Impress me as a
young lady who would go out in the mud for or
with anybody ." ,
"St Claire, why do you hate my cousin Bell VI
- 'J do not hate her. ' One person never hates an
other until they have loved them and been' disap-
polntedJIn them. ' We must measure the degree, of
our hatred by the depth of our love."
' "By what name, then, do you distinguish the
feeling you have toward her?" "" l-
"You 'will pardon me, De Ouerry,' If I say that a
discussion of this subject eould only engender III
will between us. As your cousin, I shall always
respect MIssiDe Ouerry."
; "Thank your, St Claire. If you ever get well
acquainted with her, as I hope you may, you will
learn to respect her for her own true worth.'
.St Claire made bo replyf He could not second
Jack's wish, so he remained silent, though not
convinced. He believed his friend tobethevjo-
itlm of a woman's insatiable coquetry, and he
pitied him . as sincerely as he disliked the woman.
De Ouerry's voice broke his unprofitable reflec
tions, x . 4 . . . - " ' '
"You thank' him for finding you ? That's funny
He found me, too, but I didn't say 'I thank you I
thank you." Why, he's glad to find people,'
, Mena thus bridged a silence that might other?
wise have become embarrassing.
' Presently Wycllffe excused himself, saying that
be believed St Claire's visit was Intended for the
young ladles, and he would withdraw for. a short
time. . ' ,
The resemblance St Claire had traced In Meg's
nice to another, formerly known, was. only ren
dered more remarkable by the change. she had
undergone during her . brief residence with the
Wycllffes. The mysteries of the toilet, with the
. addition of suitable food, bail Improved her ap
pearance so much that the "Princess" would not
nave known her. 8t Claire determined to ques
tion her.. Perhaps, after all, he was mistaken.
"Meg, d6 you know what your mother's name
was before she was married T'r
- "Ye sir. Her name was Benson Margaret
. TCenson." ' .. , ' ,.'7""r ' j -
"Had she any relatives .that you know any
thing' abouT"1" . '
. She had a sister. But I think she must have
teen a very dreadful person, for I remember, one
j.dsy when mother waa sick, just before she died,
she sailed me to her, and, laying br. hand on my
head; said to me, 'Maggie, no dltTerence svhat be
svsnt; ef you, starve or die before you ask y6ur
aot Ann for a home.' " ! :.y-r
"What was your aunt's other name besides
Annf . :' . 'r- ' 1
y never knew, sir, Jl never cared. -But I have
some letters of my mothers. Perhaps they would
. ten." ' .
With 8U Claire's willing permlssioh, she went
to fetch them, and in a few moments returned
with a small Japan bo In . her hand. It had
never been valuable, and It was much worn with
age and use. - 8t Claire opened It, and fdund sev
eral letters, which were entlrely illeglbUvjnar
rlage certificate,' and a wedding ring. Their In
trinsic worth , was very little, yet to St. Claire
they were Invaluable. He handed them back to
Meglielllhg Tier' taThold them In safe keeping, as
they were all she possessed that had ever belonged
Id her mother.
After St, Claire left Wycliffe's, he went In
search of Jack De Ouerry, whom he found in his
wn quarters, which, it must be confessed, were
rather elegant for a 'man who styled himself a
After a desultory conversation, which St. Claire,
purposely directed In a personal channel, leading
Jack to speak of himself, he Inquired If Jack had
ao relations besides the De Ouerrys, '
Jack replied that he had not. 1 .
uWhat was Mrs. De Ouerry's maiden nsme?
"ner 'name was Benson." T
"Had she any brothers ??
JTo. She had one sister by the name of Mar
garet."
J4I her sister dead V ;
j -- "fihedoea-not knowf btitshe supposes
St. Claire was ashamed to ask any more ques
tions ; but he must know, and there was no other
way. 1; -.
. 'And was this sister unmarried?"
"Oil no. That Was the cause of the trouble,
tfargaret Incurred her sister's bitter enmity by
marrying a man by the name of Harmon a man
.whom Aunt Ann hated, which is at least one
thing In bis favor. He had the misfortune to be
poor, a misfortune which Is laid down In her creed
as the unpardonable sin.. I have heard her say
-that herhapplhesa wouldxiever teconipleIe until
. she bjid turned one of Margaret's children from
-4Vet,-I-4hlnk-4f.4ne-ofber.sIster's. children
should go. to her, claiming kinship and a home,
she- would scarcely turn them away unheeding
their petition." A
"Vou do not know Aunt Ann," said Jack, Tils
brow darkening. "She would brush them from
her path as she would a worm." , ...
"Jfot a Tejry.pleasan.t simile, Mr. De Ouerry."
"Not very yet far pleasanter than Jdrs. De
Cherry when she Is augry."
"St. Claire, do you believe that any woman Is
capable of an. unselfish, unchanging love for a
man?" X .1 '
"Yes.v I know lkf
"You speak very positively.
"I have bought arid paid for the right to speak
positively on that subJectX .-'
Jack-looked at hlm Incredulously. He had
neverjiejiipd St. Claire refer to JHs past life, and It
had never occurred to him that there could b4 a'
heart's history hidden- by that stern, sad face. He
felt now as though he had brushed therell aside
with a rough hand. , ' i
"I beg your pardon, 8t. Claire. I do not
your confidence ;but jrouspeak as though your
. s" a - . 'N
experience naa neeu very oilier."
"It lias'been. But It has taught me the unalter
able fidelity of a good woman's love." .
,"You have been fortunate In holding to your
faith In women. Now; I believe the best women
to be. fickle. Any new face cau chain for a time
their roving fancy. With them, love Is like the
ague It Is very severe while It lasts. , They can
have-It any number of times, but It Is not at all
dangerous, and it leaves no scars." p - .
8L Claire's reply Was drowned by a knock at
the door. In response to Jack's summons to en
ter, a servant appeared and handed him a letter.
"It Is from ray respected aunt," Jack explained,
when the servant' retired: - "I know by: the' Im
mense monogram, with the1 frail little envelope
under It." ...... ' ": '
He was rights It was from Mrs. De Ouerry;
She desired Jack's attendance, as she was at home,
"to settle a matter which was In doubt."
Jack gave the note to St. Claire, and asked him
to remain there until he returned, when he would
explain the 4doub4ful matter' referred to. As
St. Claire had nothing better, to do, he accepted
the Invitation, found a desirable book, and seated
himself comfortably to-a wait Jack's return.'
JMiJ)eJluerry-recetved Jackal n her most dig
nified manner fact which augured 111 for his
success.; With all her-haughtiness and air of
auperlorityrslte wasrestless-aml 111 at ease. Jsck
was the first to refer to the object of his visit. (
"You have read the letters, Mrs. De Ouerry ?" ,
"Yes, I have read them; and I wonder "how
you could have been Imposed upon by such vile
forgeries. I km urns that you were Imposed upon.
I cannot .believe that you would .have .brought
them to me knowl ng IhehTTo be false.1' ........ .,
Jack's hands were 'clenched till the nails cut
through the flesh. lie answered her slowly, with
an effort for self-control such as he had never ex
erted before. . - , - rr
"They are genuine, Mrs. De Ouerry-as genuine
as your anger at me for productngthem." "
lA. moment's silence ensuedr broken JitJasi by
Mrs. De Ouerry. -i
"They were very Imperfect, Jack very. They
did not prove that she went with him." r
"No.. But they prove .that he urged her; by
every argument at his command, to do so."
-Mrar De Ouerry waved IrerhandHnltawntr
"I asked you for proof that Agatha Wycllffe de
serted her husband for Jasper Raymond. I do
not consider that you have furnished It, and, un
less you do so, of course I cannot inform Bell of
the absurd story, with Its sham of proof."
' Jack rose and stood before her, trembling with
anger at her cruelty and baseness. lie tried to
curb the torrent of bj Iter, burning words that rose
to hit lips. f . ;V -
"Mrs. De Ouerry, a promise that does not bjnd
you can no longer restrain me. Give me the let
tersTTT will sho iw Ibeiiflo'TJeir andleTlierire
story, and she shall then choose between us be
tween Raymond and me." .1
A, s m I le of t f 1 urn phI I ngeret for a moment on
Mrsr-De Ouerry's-thin Hp; As-sIie-spoke, her
voice was cold and ironical. . .
"I suppose that If Mr. Raymond should ascer
tain that you signed his name to those letters, that
for Bell's sake he would forgive you. But, rather
than put his love to the test, I burned them.1' '-
Jack sprang toward her with the undefined liv
tentlon of strangling her The awful anger In his J
face, the red gleam of Insanity In his eyes, fright
ened her, and she drew back with a cry of terror.
Jack fell back a pace, and hlsjbands dropped by
bis side. Mrs. De Ouerry was a coward ; but even
a brave person might well have been afraid of the
whitc-Jaced madman standing there glaring down
at her. She glanced around for a means of escape,
looked at Jack, calculated her chances, and, gath
ering her flowing draperies In 'her hand, dashed
through the hal-open window and disappeared
fromvleyfc. . '. . . y:
Jack's hasty temper was only equaled by bis
quick appreciation of the ludicrous. When he
saw the dignified, aristocratic Mrs. De Guerryy
one of the most stately women Jn America, who
always moved with alow, msjestlc mien when
be saw her grab her skirts and rush frantically
through-the window, he forgot his anger, and,
throwing back his head, he shouted with laughter.
But the sound of. his own voice Jarred upon Jits'
ear and brought back the unwelcome truth with
redoubled force. - Wounded In the most vulner
able spot his honor assailed, his veracity doubted,
stung to the heart be slowly and sadly left the
house and went back to his apartments.
St. Claire was the first to speak. He laid down
his book and said, Inquiringly : - - 7 "
-"There has been a storm. Jack V
"Yes; there has been a storm. I hate her-that
woman ! She has come between me and hap
piness ever since I was a boy, when she refused to
atlowme to use herjaceslor kIte-atrIngsiYes,.I
hate her !"- '
Then, slowly and cone 1 3 ly1, he related the In
terview. He commenced by referring tothemas-
quenidehalObenIe1Iing of the black' domino,
the letters, and their, contents, and finished by
scornfully repeating Mrs. De Ouerry's miserable
Subterfuge to escape dismissing Raymond. - '
St. Claire's face darkened and his eyes gleamed
pmjnouslyaWackjroceed of. her I nsultr
ing Insolence. Sympathy is of little avail In a
case of this, kind, yet he said what he could to
soothe Jack's feelings and soften his resentment
toward his aunt. And, when he finally left his
friend, he directed bi course straight to Mrs. De
uerry's..
jv That lady received him as calmly and graciously
I asif nothing had occurred to ruffle her accustomed
serenity. Bell, too, was glad to see him. She
liked St. ClalrevHe was the only gentleman of
her acquaintance who did not flatter her. She
said that hevas the only perfectly truthful man
she ever knewXshe had long ago recovered from
the wound her vanity hadlrecelved when he
burned her picture. ' -
.A thrill of something Very like .remorse shot
through St. ClaliVs heart in re"spoOse: to their
friendly greeting, when he reflected tharhe had
come there for the purpose of mortifying and hu
miliating them. He Informed them that a matter
of business was the object of his visit.
maiier or consiaeraoie importance to you
and your faml," he said. x
"You are very welcome, then," said BelL with
new animation. "I did not know that there was
anything of importance' in the world that could
relate tome"
"Isabell!" interrupted her mbther, reprbvlnglyf
"Well, mamma, I didn't. 1 thought that life
was always the same tireless round of treUd-mlll
existence." . v
'My daughter, I think that you will give Mr. I
8t,Claire tho.-lmpreslon -1 hat-your life Is 'very
monotonous.'.' ". ' .
"It Is monotonous. I hope that Mr. St. Claire's
mere assertion before I receive a beggar Into my
family." t
St. Claire answered the woman; In a manner as
haughty as ber own. , :-t
"Nor would I come to Mrs. De Ouerry with an
assertion I was unable to prove. J received ther
story of her parentage from "the girl herself. She"
has In her possession her mother's marriage cer
tificate and some letters," - ..
Stv Claire did not deem It necessary to state that
the letters wer 'so old and worn as to be unread
able. ; ' :,.
" "And she seni you to mewlth these things to
claim relationship?" J . ;
No, madam ; she did not. She knows nothing
of you or your family." "--' "''
"May I inquire how you came in possession of
this wonderful piece of Information?"
' "I was first attracted toward her by her remark
able resemblance to your daughter.'
Bell looked up, smiles beaming through her
tears. L ; -: .. , 1 .
"She looks like met She will be like a sister.
I am so glad so glad !''
;-'4Isabell VI said her mother, sternly. ; "You will
oblige me by not referring to that Impostor In that
manner agaln.rfA'oiir sister," Indeed iTTliat low-,
born leggar I" v -
' Weli, cousin, then. I can't see much differ
ence." ' - - - ----
iiNot your cousin, cither."-
"But, mamma, Mr. St. Claire sahl "
"Yes, I know what he said. But I will never
receive the girl In ray house. If the story Is true,
she is only a daughter ,'of an ungrateful mother
one to whom I owe nothing."
, "Mother!" exclaimed Bell, . amazed at such
cold-blooded cruelty.
Mrs. De Ouerry paid no attention to tlie Inter
rupt Ion bn t proceeded, cal inly .
i-
business ..refers to something new-somethlngiratT anxlourto-see her myJUew-cou&InJXaggie'
of the beaten path of every -day life?r
"I am so singularly fortunate as to be able to
comply with your wishes. I have come to bring
you Information of the whereabouts of a relative
of yours." . ' ": '
St Claire stopped to mark the effect of his
words. ; Mrs. De Ouerry remained perfectly mo
tionless, without offering to speak; buV'Bell
sprang to her feet with a glad cry.
"A relative of ours ! Who ? Vhere ?'i V
"Your cousin, the daughter of your Aunt Mar
garet," .
"My cousin 1 My own cousin t Mother, do you
hear Aunt Margaret's child? Tell me, quick,
where Is she?-'
"She Is not what you could wish, Miss Bell,"
said St. Claire, his voice unconsciously softening
as he saw her undisguised pleasure at his an
nouncement. "She Is poor, uneducated and unre-
fiffed." :
"Then she has the more need of friends. What
Is her name?" . J i
"Maggie Harmon. Meg, they call her."
"They call her?; Who?" w
"WycllfTes. She is nurse for Wycliffe's little
girl." - -
"Where did the get her?" -
"She was selling matches on the street""' .
St Claire hesitated. He did not dare, he did
not wish, to make a breach between mother and
daughter. After a moment's deliberation, be
said, thoughtfully : a"
"Perhaps,-Miss De Ouerry, It would be a wiser
plan for me to see Meg and prepare her for your
t Visit" ".' : ' .
"Yes, you. .are right; that would be best," ac
ceded Belt'
, And thus the question was settled for the present.
(To b eontlnnLI '
A flush, succeeded by a pallor, overspread Bell's
face. A 'moment more and she was sobbing and
crying as if her heart would break. The blow
liJuTIalleri. The arrow tliaTSt Claire had pre
pared to pierce their pride had struck home. But,
from some cause, the result did not give him the
pleasure he had anticipated.
- Mrs. De O u e r r;
She thought her
ascendency, She was disgusted with Bell for the
way she acccepted this fabulous story. She must
act authoritatively and repudiate, at once, this
low-bred menial. 1 - 1
"fifth!!, vnur ttnr hurt mkM vnti n'r.
?ffl! : ulouiC TliBlQjyLSQUixJayjc rj rniantlc; but
I shAll require somthlnximorejrellable thaaJL
"I told my sister, years ago, when she msfrled
that man Harmon, that her children would want
for bread. It seems that my words have come
true. I told her then never to come to me for
help, for she would never get It she or her chll
dren." - :- -;
Bell went to her mother and said, impressively:
"Mother, I am hurt beyond all expression at
your word. Take them back, I pray you. This
girl needs us you and me and my heart goes
out to her so pityingly.". - .
"No, Isabell; say. no more about It I never
forgave my sister ; I shall never receive her child."
"Then7 mother, ydumust give me up. The
money .my father left me' shall be divided between
that girl and me. I shall take her under my care.
Her home shall be my home, her people my peo
ple." - ' ' .: 2 .... . . ..
7 Not a muscle of Mrs. De Ouerry's face moved,.
not a feature rplantiHi- as Tlll innbA:
"Then you can and will give up your
for a stranger a match-girl, a-nnrse?""
usbothTNT 7 1
"Never-TJielp me Oodl No child of John
Harmon's shall erer live In the . same house with
nie." . .- :
".Hell sTiiiddered at tiiejntenslty of feelinflr inTier
mother's voice, aud, after all his" planning, 8t.
Claire wished that he had been spared this scene.
However, he had a new InslghtSnto Bell!s char-
Mt44.-r.-Af ter all, ; Jack-waa rlirhtXlIe could re-
siKt't her for her own true worth. She turned-to
hhu, saying, slowly: .
"luxe me 'to ner, Mrt. Claire. 1 am
mother
1
. '
Boston total abstinence people are now excited
against the Rev. Dr. Bartol on account of a ser- .
mon of his on the evil of Intemperance. He took
the ground that the war on rum, as commonly
waged, Is worse than useless. "Beer Is not
wrong," he said; "wine and ale' are not wrong;
rum and whisky and brandy are not wrong;
nothing purely material coukl be wrong. Inso
briety, Inordinate self-indulgence Is wrong, be
ttie-Tfeshly-sppetltFTor "ptfrttcular"meat"6r drink
what It may, and eating or drinking to excess Is
not the cause of profligacy, murder, theft, arson,
house-breaking, or any vile, Indecent assault, any
more than one fowl Is the cause of the flock or
brood." Dr. Hanoi's Idea Is to so educate man
that he will take to Intellectual enjoyments, and1
thus lose his appetite for intoxicating beverages.
In the British Commons, on the 9th Inst, Glad
stone moved an address praying the Crown to pro
vide a monument In Westminster Abbey to Lord
Beaconsfield. He paid an eloqueut tribute to the
departed statesman. Nortlicote said the Premier
had "alrealyjerectela monuraentbetterthan
marble." The motion passed the Commons, and
a similar onewas adopted by the Lords.
A subscription has been started, headed by
Prince Cxartoryskl and Baroness Nathaniel Roths-
yiadlibrs'poken7hftd nlrmQvettrTMr4rals-sv-um to he applied-io-keeplng.
evil star must certainly be In the Slop,,n,' .tTmb ,B ?fierV Th V?2tfnli '
. w.. wi.K iLn .1.. Placwl h tb c.of be hou,e of PleyeK and the
preservation of the monument erected) by the
master's pupils and friends In 1849 will be assured.
Modest v Is such a rare possession that most per
sons blush to own it JVYter York Sew.
-The-
tirst1 black Friday wi'urml lu Robinson-
Cnisnft!s ln&.wmLonoU Courier,
x.
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