The Right of Way, Complete

ley rose, and, taking a step towards her, offered a chair; at the same time noticing her heightened colour, and a certain rigid carriage not in keeping

g on the table, she flashed an inquiry at his flushed face, and, misreading the caus

slave

h apparent negligence he pushed the letter and the books and papers a little to one side, but re

ot concealing her malice, for at the wedding she had just left all her married life had rushed b

ight. His monocle dropped the length of its silken tether, and

in his voice, a sort of deprecation in his eye, as though he would be friend

he should add to his usual courtesy a note of sympathy to the sound of her name on his lips. He had not fastened the door of the cupboard from whic

? She was your cousin. People asked

t to the place where he had seen the heliotrope and scarlet make a g

on in his voice. "You mean Tom Fairing!" Her eyes blazed. "You are quite right

ere you are concerned. I believe in no man"-his voice had a sharp bitterness, though his face was s

ad touched a chord. But even as she reached the window and glanced down to the hot, dusty street, she hea

lly! Look at the company he keeps-John Brown, who hasn't even decency enough to keep away from the place he disgraced. Billy is always with him. You ruined John Brown, with your dissipation an

aistcoat. The action arrested her speech for a moment, and then, with a little shu

ng any defence. He had said all in that instant's cry, "Kathleen!"-that one awakening feeling of his life so far. She had congealed the word o

w what they say? Do you think the world doesn't talk about the company you keep? Haven't I seen you going into Jolicoeur's saloon when I was walking on the other side of the street? Do you thin

een Steele!" for her spotless name stood sharply off from his negligence and dissipation. They called her "Poor Kathleen Steele!" in sympathy, though they knew that she had not resisted marriage with the well-to-do Charley Steele, while loving a poor captain in the Royal Fusileers. She preserved social sympathy by a perfect outward decorum, though the man of the scarlet coat remained in the town and haunted the places where she appe

rd!" So that was the way Kathleen felt! Charley's tongue tou

have no remembrance of his imitating me in anything.

ter and, by deduction, praise of his own, or it may have been the insufferable egoism of the fop, well used to imitators. The

to Mr. Brown as he waved his arms gracefully in his surplice and preached sentimental sermons. I suppose you will say,

ce had an unusually dry tone as he replied: "I asked questions

now rang through his words a note she had never heard before. For a fleeting instant she was inclined to catch at some hidden meaning, but her grasp of things was uncert

d with a bitter laugh, for it seemed to her a monstrous t

question of an alibi, or evidence for the defenc

oined coldly, and her eyes wandered out of the window again to t

to him. He admires you so much. I wish-in fact I hope you will ask Billy to come and live with us," he added half abstractedly. He was trying to see his way through a sudden confusi

oldly. "You know I won't ask

ends to health." Suddenly he turned to the desk and opened a tin box. "Here is further practice for your admirable gift." He op

"My wedding-gift!" she said. Then she shrugged her shoulders. A moment she hes

on she caught the glove from her left hand, and, doubling it back, dragge

ing-ring. She took it with a curious contracted look and put it on the finger again, then pulled

took the pen in her hand. "You had spoken of a wedding

hen she wrote her name in a large firm hand, and, throwing down t

in box, and took out another, as without a word, but with a grave face

bbery. Please take this. No, not with the right hand; the left is better luck-the better the hand, the better the deed," he added

hy, this is a deed of the homestead property-worth th

he handle, as though to show her out. She was agitated and embarrassed now. She felt she had been

"Did you think of this when-wh

on in my life. I was born

kiss you!" she said in

s-"but I should like you to bear witness, madam, that I am no robber!" He opened the door. Again there was that curious penetrating no

he said sharply