Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-12-27

bearing the gflded crest Of the hon.
Orable house of EdcS.
"Wh0 j. he, my dearsn she ques=
tloned, carelessly, Of her incident,
Saxon-fafr husband who lOunged
near, smoking fragrant cigarettes.
- rather nice sort Of fellow,
Margcry French, and not very
Young YOU know. | met him on
the Continent last season.
Bat a. not our list full enough,
tfarnier? of course, ] Will invite
him Ii you wish, but do you think
ii well to ask people here about
whom we know 50 little, now that
Miriam"
as 4 baby YET, . laughingly inter
rnpted her husband. "Why, Mar
gery, the girl will not be out for
several seasons SO do not commence
10 worry your head abOpt settle
ments for her. As for this NignauN,
he cares more for a quiet game of
persfe than for any pink-faced girl
in Christendom. Not that Pm so
particular about inviting him, only
Inc i staying with Creighton, and |
G scarcely avoid II. :.
Very we'll !; as you say, Ofeourse,
rpioined Lady Edes, calmly (; not
caring 10 excite the curiosity Of her
husband BY too pointed an eXhibl-
ii0n Of dislike to this stranger
coming.
Though, what are the odds"
-Ee exclaimed, paasionately, dash
fua dotyn her pen when Lord Edes
f,al Ten the room. "Mh hat have /
V. -
comes. here and recognizes me !.
.Nmd vet "a reprieve ever so siight =
like spar to a drowning wretch.
Again the lady's ieweled hand
moVed rapidly to and fro over the
paper. But when she had com.
plctcf the uote which summoned
10 her home the man who had the
mower "a deS0latc, she arose and
nacea. the floor in nm agony OF dread
and despair.
Yet an hour later, when she sat al
luncheon with the few guests al
ready assembled, there was notract
upon her naughty face Of the secret
hurled In her heart; no more thar
when she stood, handsome, colo
and proud, before the stranger hei
husband introduced with such care
less, pleasant freedom.
"Iady Edes, allow me. Monsieur
NignauN. / have pledged myself
10 turn him out one of the bes
rrOss-fie riders in the district"
"Ah, madam, Lord Edes Ia:
been promising me all manner O
sports and pleasures, but he has moi
painted the half. What delight
indeed, could compare with being
the guest of so charming hostess ?'
and the Frenchman bowed gal
lantly.
Yet not the most observant watch.
er could have detected that these
two had met before.
Only Lady Margery knew that
those keen, brilliant eyes held d
.peering consciousness within Their
depth of days when their owner had
not been wont to greet GARNER
Fde's wife rs he greeted her now.
But she did not quail before this
consciousness.
No matter that the cloud over
snadowing her grew blacker and
more threatening; she would meet
her fate proud 10 the last.
And this naughty spirit Isidol
Nignaux admired.
Knowifg to the full his power
over THU woman, he liked to fee
how he uld torture her; how mt
terly from her high and hitherto
happy position he could disthron'
and degrade her.
And watching her, ne detected
the affection and the fear, the colo
and the pallOr, that came TO he
eyes and face as, with the bringing
in of the dessert, a fairy figure, witt
eyes as blue as a sunshiny sky, fit
ted into the room.
"Ah, an, she loves this creature
his child it must be. Well, it is
pretty thing; but not to be com
pared to her dark, proud, passiOnat
self"
Yet Nignaux kept his gaze upOl
Miriam and registered vow con
corning her.
Did the Lady Edes fathom hi
thoughts?
Certainly the girl was seldom t
be seen after that day.
The Frenehman merely smiled a
he noted the fact.
He was in high favor with tn
guests and enjoyed the spirits.
IL seemed that he could well dis
pense with making himself agreed
ble tOa baby-faced schoolgirl.
He even did not often put himsel
in direct association with the dark
eyed hostess, who treated him wit
unfathOmable careless pride.
And Lady Edes?
She endured each days SuspenS
without the slightest betrayal of it
exquisite torture.
NignauX could not discover tina
she writhed under his most eXaltet
or insinuating compliments.
And who should guess, who cOult
know of the bitter night vigils sh,
kept, when she stole softly from he
dreSsing-rOOm TO shed hot, heart
broken tears at Miriam's bedside
or to bend above her husbands un
conscious form i'm an agony of death
less and dreading love?
But still the blow that she eX
pected had not fallen, though tn
guests were preparing to say fare
we'll 10 their noble hosts.
Sometimes Margery drew he
HACAAtl III q ~uuN0ll : kldSllt Oi llNBt
Perhaps NignauX meant to spart
hcr.
But when she was dressed 70
dinner the last day of the French
mans stay, and came out into tn,
corridor, she was undcceived.
NignauN advanced to meet her.
al will see YOU in the billiard
room while the gentlemen are still
at table, he whispered with cas-,
insolence, as they were joined b!
another guest.
Lady EdeS marvelled how SIN
lived through that dinner hour
though hers was the most brillian
repaTtee, the readiest laughter.
But NignauX saw the unutterabi
woe that dilated her eyes as he
glance, while leaving the room
rested upon her husbands face.
Ten minutes later she stepped int,
The hilliard-TOom and found her en-
envy awaiting her.
PRAY be seated, Lady Edes," h,
said, gallantly, as she stopped
haughtily, few steps from him.
She threw her head back proudly
st No need, sir; our interview mus
be- brief"
For fear that YOU will be discov
cred here? 1t would not be nearly
50 unpleasant a fact as a certain
ruth | could reveal. However, W,
will ha uuff- aopaart,frr, that ,,.r,,,