Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-01-26
SIBYL'S MISTAKE;
HUSBAND AND WIFE.
BY tie Author Of "a GREAT MISTAKE"
aRoss on THE WORLD" ~Kna CoPHz-
ruL, or, RrBY NORTH's LoyEEs," &c.

inimitAbly graceful shape, against bne
open square and its clambering roses.
Mark broke into pleased laugh.
"Your cousin Percival Lansing" he
said. "Isn't that glorious surprise for
youi told him he must positively come
TO us for this evening-got Sir John to
let him off-anh I've hooked him. when
his time is up at Ryelund's for month or
two-as long rs he can give US, IN fact
There-dont' deserve a kiss for that 7"
He talked on in his gooi-natured manner,
not noticing Sibyrs silence; then, surpris-
ed, he looked up and saw that she was
leaning back against the wall, with one
hand against her bosom and the other
stretched out to grasp at the window. She
was as white as her gown.
"Why, little woman''-Mark jumped up
in the kindliest concern-"have startled
youf 1t was stupid of mel" might
have known how glad you would be to
see him."
sibyl sank down shivering as with cold.
upon the cushioned window-seat.
"Percival in England" she said in a Gu
rious suppressed voice-it sounded almost
Indifferent.
"As large as life! Uncommonly good
looking fellow he is, like all the family.
Capital shot tool"
sand you have asked him to this
house?" Sibyl added with so curious an
infection that Mark looked at her again,
surprised.
'Of course Why shor'dn't I? Now,
Sibyl, you don't mean"-reproachfully-
"that you are going to turn against this
poor fellow because of-of that old unhap-
py business Mrs. Breton would never
allow Clement Lansing's name to he men,
toned in her presence since her marriage.
~ think that is rather hard, dear, upon
my soul! And you used to be such chums
too, long ago!"
She lifted herself up then, and broke
into cruel laugh.
NJ am glad you have reminded me of
my duty to him." she said. Her face was
distorted with passion and scorn'; and she
walked out of the room without another
word.
"Poor child! It is one of her bad days."
thought Mark ruefully.
Truly the heart of this beautiful wife he
had married was harder to win than he
knowing the loyalty and devotion of his
own-had believed possible. He was be-
ginning reluctantly to admit to himself
that his life with her had turned out ut
terly different from what he had expect
ed. 1t seemed as if on his wedding day
they had given him some girl who was
called Sibyl and had Sibyl's face, but who
was as unlike in every other way the old
frank, sweet, unselfish Sibyl of the Rec
tory as marble rose is as unlike living
white flower blooming and breathing of
summer on its stalk.
Still he did not despair
ut is one of her bad days" That was
all he said now, as he went off to get rid
Of his leggings; and then, hearing little
Mab's voice below his dressing-room win
dow, he ran down to join her, and was
soon tossing the balls and laughing as gai-
ly as his baby daughter herself
Mrs. Breton never remembered how
she got through the time before dinner
She had put off dressing until the very
last moment, feeling that it would be be-
yond her strength to meet Percival alone
for this the first time since her marriage
What did he think of herY She had lain
awake many dreadful night with that
wonder in her mind; and it came back
now with a sharper sting. What must he
not think of herr
There had been no correspondence be-
tween the cousins from the day of Sibyrs
engagement to Mark Bretton-some few
wild words the girl had con6ded to Per-
civals mother, who, wisely had altered,
or greatly softened the message in trans
mitting it to her son; but there had been
no direct communication between them.
And now he was in England again, and
had not even cared to tell her of his arri
val. How utterly he must despise her!
How we'll she remembered his old vague
jealousy of the young Squire who was one
day to be so rich! His words came back
to her, and the bitterness in his voice, as
she sat listless under her maids hands,
her hot wasted fingers tightly locked in
her lap, her great brown eyes staring
blankly at her own pale image in the glass
-"Women make such promises often, my
poor child, but they do not often keep
them" and again-'You will wait, Sibyl,
though Mark Breton will be rich, and l
am so poor"
The words echoed in her brain like
knell How could she face himY She
would wait, she hurriedly resolved, until
the drawing room should be quite full, so
that it would be impossible for him to
turn from her, as she pictured him doing
if they were to meet without Witnesses
80 that he must at least give her his hand
and speak her name.
Long after her simple toilette was COM
pleted-a white gown, a white geranium
in her fair hair, and the old fligree locket
which Percival had given her on white
ribbon round her throat-Mrs Breton
fingered in her own room.
'Come and tell me when every one is
down." she told her maid. "My head
aches and it is cooler up here"
Her heart was throbbing as if 1t would
suffocate her; she trembled so that she
could not stand. She sank into a chair
near the door and leaned her head against
the wall.
~ don't know what other women do"
she was saying over and over again to
herself, recalling her words Of six years
before to Percival Lansing; "but l will
keep my promise--I will keep my prom
ise!" yt ....4
And then her maid came back. .g .
The half-lighted drawing-roosn was
thronged with waiting groups. The young
Sduire exclaimed with somewhat inpa-