Family Pride

Springfield was left behind just as the gray daylight came stealing through the frost-bound windows, rousing the sleepy passengers, and making Morris pull his wide collar a little closer about his face as if to avoid observation. He was not afraid of daylight except as it might disclose some old acquaintance who would perhaps wonder to see him at that hour between Springfield and Hartford, and wonder more whose was the head resting so confidentially upon his shoulder, for after the change at Springfield, Katy, who could no longer keep awake, had leaned against his arm as readily as if he had been her brother.

A secret of any kind makes its possessor suspicious, and Morris felt anxious whenever any one glanced that way, but he would not waken Katy, who slept upon his arm until New York was reached, when with a frightened, startled feeling, she sat up, and pushing her veil from her face, looked about her, nodding half unconsciously to Thomas Tubbs, whom she knew from having seen him in her husband's office, and who since leaving Hartford had been a passenger on board that train, sitting just behind Dr. Morris, and wondering when he saw who his companion was, "if Mrs. Wilford had been to Silverton." Mattie wondered, too, when he told her, as she poured his half-cold coffee, and then it passed from his mind, until the following morning when he heard Mark Ray saying to a client who had asked when Mr. Cameron would probably return: "If he does not come to-day, we shall telegraph for him, as his wife is very sick."

Then Tom remembered how white and haggard Katy's face had looked, and many times that day his mind recurred to Katy Cameron, whom in his boyish way he had admired as something supernaturally beautiful, and who, in her own room at home, lay burning with fever, and talking of Silverton, of Linwood, of baby, of Genevra, and of Wilford.

Morris had seen her safely to her own door, and then thinking she would do best alone for a time, he left her on the steps, after having rung the bell and seen that the ring was answered.

It was Esther who met her, expressing much concern at her appearance, and asking why she did not stay at Father Cameron's instead of coming home this cold raw day.

Hardly knowing what she did, Katy motioned Esther to her after reaching her room, and whispered: "I have not been to Father Cameron's. I had business somewhere else, but you must not tell. I am in trouble, Esther, or rather, I have been. I guess it's over now. You are a good girl, and I can trust you. There's a letter in that drawer, please bring it to me."