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78 A DREADFUL TEMPTATION.
Little Jack rushed forward tumultuously and climbed
into Xenie’s lap. She kissed him fondly but carefully, tak- ; |
ing care that he did not disarrange her hair or dress.
” Pretty mamma,” whispered the dark-eyed child, pat-
ting her pale cheeks with his dimpled, white hand,
Mrs. St. John smiled proudly, and just then her mother —
said, with the air of one who vaguely recalls something: —
“Did I dream it last night, Xenie, or did you tell me
that Mr. Templeton is alive, and that he is coming here to- |
doy?”
here came a sudden hurried peal at the door-bell. Xenie-
started, growing white and red by turns.
“T told you so,” she answered. ‘‘ And there he is now, I _
suppose.”
She sat very still and waited, clasping the beautiful boy |
to her wildiy beating heart.
There was a bustle in the hall, then the door was thrown
open and a gentleman was ushered in.
He was a large, handsome young man, in the uniform of
asea captain. He wore alarge, dark beard, and his brown
eyes flashed their eagle gaze around the room, half-anxious-
ly, half-defiantly, until they rested on Mrs. St. John’s face
where she sat clasping the child in her arms.
As she met his gaze she put the child down upon the floor.
and started up with a low cry.
‘ Jack Mainwaring!” she gasped.
CHAPTER XXIV.
JACK MAINWARING—for it was indeed himself—looked at
his sister-in-law with a half-sarcastic smile.
He had no love for Lora’s relations. He considered that
they had-treated him badly. He was as well-born as they °
were, and had been better off until Xenie had married the
old millionaire.
Yet they had flouted his love for Lora and refused to
sanction an engagement between them, hoping to send her |
to the city and find a richer market for her beauty. So it:
was with a smile of scorn he contemplated the agitation of
the beautiful young widow.
‘Yes, Mrs. St. John, it is Jack Mainwaring,” he said,
grimly. ‘‘ Don’t be alarmed, I won’t eat you.” .
Xenie regarded him with a stare of haughty amazement.
‘‘T do not apprehend such a calamity,” she said, icily.
** But—I thought you dead.”
‘“ Ves,” he said, ‘‘I have passed through some terrible
disasters, but luckily I escaped with my life. . You will not
care to hear about that, though, so I will not digress. I
will say that I came up from the country this morning. I
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