The Whirlpool

entary education. Two or three of them he selected, and ordered to be sent to a lady at Gunnersbury. On his way out he came upon an acquaintance making a purchase

e gave Rolfe to understand was a birthday present-for her. The elder ma

her father is in very bad health. I

ural

et me down as a selfish, calculating beast. Can't help it. I had rather have he

phew mentioned that he h

he ruin of me, in every way.-Come to my rooms for an hour, will you? I'll show you some att

a Chelsea omni

have a bicycle. With that and the camera I may just manage to live; often there seems little enough to live for.-Tripcony? Oh, Tripcony's a dam

an formerly. Altogether, Rolfe observed in him a d

'Take a cottage and grow cabbages; dig for thr

ould. I wish I

e in Carnarvonshire-mountains and sea. Come along with me, and get the mephitis

th a strange look of eagerness. 'But I don't know

hold

ou know, to her. And then-a

y seen him. His two rooms were at the top, and he had converted a garret into a dark chamber for his photographic amusement. Dirt and disorder

Taken at Torquay; she sent it a day or two ago.-I've been thinking of giving her up. If I do, I shall do it b

filled two tumblers. His own measure he ver

Rolfe. 'What's wrong? Something more than

ing causes, and, though Rolfe did not believe him, nothing more could at pres

er dine with me this

wish I could.

le with embarrassment, aided by another tumbler

ask you, but-could yo

Why do you make such

elf-got into difficulties. Will

at once out of this dust-bin, and

ut of it, and then I'll think about breaking with that girl. Better for both of us-but you

rote a cheque for fifty po

hbourhood of Swiss Cottage, where she had taken a flat; it was her wish, if possible, to see him 'on a matter of business', and she requested that he would make an appointment. Much wondering in what business of Mrs. Frothingham's he could be concerned, Harvey named his time, and went to pay t

seems years s

oken notes, an unhappy contrast to the gay, con

ether, but, after all, I had to come backwards and forwards so often,-it was

drawing attention to

etched. These flats are a great blessing-don't you t

ocently as might be on the advantages of flats, their increasing popularity, and the special charms of this part

ngham, I think?' she presently l

ong ago. Fr

professionally?-Yes. Yes.-I do so hope she will find it possible, but of course that kind of ca

tradictory. With a quick movement of her h

matter. Not, of course, about my step-daughter, though I shall have to mention her. It is something quite perso

said Harvey, be o

lain to you. I won't go into details. I will only say that a few years ago my husband made over to me a large sum of money-I had none of my own-and that it still belongs to me. I say belongs to me; but there is my trouble. I fea

the look upon her face told that this wa

astened to say. 'The jury

st everything. Do tell me what became of his fam

ll life-insurance. Mrs Abbott used to be a tea

! Is she qu

thirty, I s

go into

use. She has plenty of courage, a

hose who lost everything. I am told that things are not quite hopeless; something may be recovered out of the wreck some day. But it will be such a long time, and meanwhile people are suffering so. And here am I left in comfort-more than comfort. It isn't right; I couldn't rest till I did something.

an easy good nature towards all the people of her acquaintance. He would not have supposed her capable of substantial sacrifices; least of all, on behalf of strangers and inspired by a principle. She spoke with

en used in cant; I don't believe that misery does any good to most people-indeed, I know very well that it generally does harm. But Mrs. Abbott seems to

. It's too much to expect that she could bear

inded of the past t

teen hundred pounds. The whole of that I couldn't restore; but half of it-I could a

vey's desire to view things seriously. He had begun to wonder how large a capital Mrs. Frothingham had at her command. Was it not probable that she could as easily bestow fifteen hundred pounds as the half of that s

beration. 'I cannot answer for Mrs. Abbott, but, if

tle of this burden. Only that I dare not speak of it, I would try to convince you that I am doing what my dear husband himself would have wished. You can't believe it; no one will ever believe it; even

l laughter pierced through the notes. Afraid to sit silent, lest he should seem unsympath

o you as if you were a relative-as if I had a right to trouble you with these things. But if you knew how few people I dare speak to. Wasn't it so much better for her to lead a very quiet life? And so I gave her only a little money, only enough to live upon in the simplest way. I

osed Harvey, 'that she was well cont

nsider her as much as other people. Poor girl, who has suffered more, and in so many ways? But I think of what I keep for myself as hers. I was not brought up in luxury, Mr. Rolfe. It wouldn't seem to me hard to live on a very little. But in this, too, I must consider Alma. I dar

would not permit himself to speak, save in answer t

nk I should be qui

seem to me

gard to Mrs. Abbott, I know so well what she woul

e to Mrs. Ab

y parted with looks of much mutual kindliness, Harvey having promi

t the customary hour for paying calls, he again ascended the many stairs to Mrs. Frothingham's flat. It had rained all day, and in this weather there seemed a certainty that the lady would be at home. But, as he approached the

not at home. She migh

rothingham

ng the drawing-room, three figures appeared before him. He saw Alma; he rec

ndon?' Alma remarked

f it-until I hea

ot my playing. It

her. In correcting him, she gave a hard, short laugh, glancing at Dora Leach in a way verging upon the ill-bred. Her look had nothing amiable,

ain on business with someone or other-perhaps you know. Have you been in London all the summ

his young woman? Outwardly she was not much altered-a little thinner in the face, perhaps; her eyes seeming a trifle darker and deeper set; but in the point of demeanour she had appreciably suffered. Her bearing and mode

Alma, the while, chatted with the younger sister, whom she addressed as 'Gerda'. Then the door opened, and Mrs. Frothingham came in, wearing

She threw a swift side-glance a

l, Mamma?' asked A

dear; but it's v

e sisters. 'Dora and Gerda can't stay; they have an appoin

and cloak she was wearing, though handsome and in the mode, made her look older than at Rolfe's last visit. She was now a middle-aged woman, with emphasis on the qualifying term; in home dres

she said quietly. 'You must ha

s, in

hout any warning, Alma walked into the room t

little sigh,

u.-Oh, the wretched, wretched day! I seem to notice the weat

rs. Frothingham lay aside these commonplaces. With abrupt gravity, and in a

sible. I have seen Mrs. Abbott, and written to her twice. It will be best, perhaps

lst she was thus occupied, Rolfe averted his eyes; when he knew that she had read to the end, he looke

ed, I should have felt nothing but pain. As it is, I understand that she could only refuse, an

when conversation was resumed, her tone took a lightness and freedom which confirmed Rolfe's impression that she had e

glances towards the door, Mrs. Frothingham again tal

oing? Alma will be

ther spoke, the yo

give your frie

ra has composed a gavotte, Mamma. She was playing it w

rising, said that she was almost always at home in the a

Harvey, barely touching the han

Perhaps I ought to, ju

exclamation, and tried to laugh.

rprised to receive a letter addressed in Alma's unmi

MR

eel quite competent, to direct the course of my own life. It is very kind of you, indeed, to take an interest in what I do and what I hope to do, and I am sure Mamma will be fittingly gratef

ive again and again. As soon as his nerves

SS FROT

scussed your position or prospects with Mrs. Frothingham, and that I have neither offered advice on the subject nor have been requested to

RADCLIF