The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-03-31

"Seven years! Thank you'll You are very
merciful, - repeated Edgar, bitterly. "To come
hack for the pleasure OF finding you married to
Duchess Of something or otber-that viii be .
privilege, indeed"
Now it is you who are. rude,n said Lady
Adela, Indignantly. 81 can't talk to you any
more!"
"very well. You have broken my heart
cruel, hard-heared grill You will soon hear
that lam dead-people don't live through such
IN agony as this"
~ thought they generally did," said Lady
Ade!a, rs she walked away.
Edgar rushed ter her, brew himself before
her, seized her hands, and kissed them furious
ly. He was SO violent that Lady Adela almost
cried with fright. but to him she only appeared
extremely angry.
"There! hear my aunt calling me. Go
away at once, for heavens sake!' she said /;
and Edgar, who ssw no use in facing Mrs.
Ssckvile, turned and fed.
He went to town that afternoon and wrote
Lady Adela letter, to which she sent him NO
answer q all. He concluded from this that
she was hopelessly offended, and for several
days considered the quickest means of death,
but rejecting, like the lover In the old song,
that
"A neck that's once broken can never be Set, !"
he changed his mind, and happening to meet .
scientific friend who was going to explore in
Africa, he arted OF with him that autumn in
search Of distraction.
Some people change very much in seven
years and half; others hardly at all. It de-
ponds good deal on the life they lead, and
the care that is taken of them. Lady Adela, Q
creature petted BY fortune and nature, hardly
looked day older, Is far as her beauty was
concerned.
It was Christmas Eve, and she and Mrs.
Sackville were at Hazel House. she had an
unaccountable love for the quiet old place. A
sn0w-stOrm was raging outside and she was
sitting by the drswing-room fire, alone and
quite still, with her feet on the fender, and .
sleeping kitten in her lap.
1t was the same delicate, fine, sweet little
face as of old, only with . new look of gentle
thoughtfulness. Her hair was cut short in .
dark, soft crop, which suited her small head
wonderfully; she was dressed in white, with
some large coral beads around her neck, and
on her shoulders that cold night she wore .
short white cloak, braided with black. She
lay back in her chair, and there was some
thing tired and listless in the lines OF her
figure, in the way her pretty hands we're fold
cd, in the expression Of her eyes. Needless to
say that she was still Lady Adela, and not
Duchess of anything; but no one who knew
her could think that this affected her happi.
ness much.
She was generally Of a most sweet and cheer
full disposition, loved by all her friends and
srr7=:c.s with something more than ordinary
love. Against this little absolute queen no
one ever thought of rebelling; it was happi-
ness enough to be ordered by her. No trouble
or annoyance was ever allowed to reach her, II
love could keep it away. The shadow on her
face this evening was something quite unusu-
al and strange.
She had seen in that days Times report,
not yet confirmed, but too likely to be true,
that the scientific African explorer, Mr.. Shafto,
after frightful hardships borne heroically, had
lost his life In the rapids of some scarcely
known river. 1t was rumored that he had res
cued several of his companions, and had then
sunk from exhaustion. There was q list of all
his doings and discoveries; there were deep re-
grets at the early death of this brave, clever,
distinguished young man.
HE was worth something, after all, I" Lady
Adela said to herself. Seven years! poor
backn
Miss Shafto had long left the village, and
q letter Of coincidence, In which she added her
niece's sympathy to her own. That was all;
there could be nothing more; and most likely
nothing certain would ever be known about
the explorers death. Lady Adels thought
about it q great deal, as she sat by the fire.
It was nearly dinner time; but Mrs. Sack
Vile not being very well that day had stayed
In her room, and Adela was looking forward
to solitary evening. 1t was not nice to be
alone. She reflected with some consterna-
ton, that her aunt could not live forever; and
then came into her mind one by one the men
she had refused. First poor Edgar shafto, and
then Lord Elton, and all the rest. Only in one
oh, foo hat hnvy
acted differently; and this was perverse SEN
timental fancy. Now that all her attractions
we're powerless to bring him back to her any
more. she felt Is If she had always cared for
him.
A sound of wheels outside and q bell ringing
loudly, reused her from her dreams. Who
could be arriving SO late, and in this weather,
in . card.
1.-THE gentleman is in the hall, my lady.
was to ask II you would see him."
Lady Adela bent down, holding tho card in
at can't be.'' she said after moment. 81
think there must be some mistake. But-ask
Mr.. Shafto to come in"
The butler looked grave and puzzled. He
vas an old servant, and one Of his mistress
most careful guardians.
1t Is not the Mr.. ShSfto who used to come
here, my lady," he said
NO. Ihey say ne Is dead. ASK him to come
IN, said Lady Adela, absently.
The visitor cams in. She got up, and for .
they stood looking at each other. 1t
was Edgar, of course, but terribly changed.
Lady Adeia at first thought that he had become
1ideous. All his superficial good looks, his
igure, bis complexion, seemed to have been
eft behind in the dreadful swamps and des-
.rts through which he had fought his way.
Her smart young lover, with his lazy, indiffer-
mt, deceptive manners, had come back to her
! worn, hardened, slouching, middle-a aged
nan, with dark burnt skin, hollow eyes hair
more than touched with gray, and look of
'teru, watchful eagerness which yet had
certain calm q II the man knew that all his
lificult es we've only met to be overcome.
Adels gave him her hand. He took It and
Kissed 1t, and then she began to realize who
le was, for at first it seemed a. II this Wild
0oking traveller was quite strange to her.
"FOrgive me-" he said. "I have thought
bout It so often, never hoping to have It
again."
"Won't you sit down." said Lady Adela,
gently.
He obeyed, leaning forward and looking 1t
Ter. She took her place again where she had
'een sitting, with the kitten In her lap The
White cloak had slipped of her shoulders; she
ooked very young and child like, quite Is