Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-01-11
" ONE OF THREE"


A'enor ~ II" Ifohotion, "Ihs Wcfeids,- kta
CHATTER xv.-coSrrxurp.
'It must remain too much for him
then, Margaret had said IL shall
never even speak 10 him again until he
has apologilcd to me-which he never
will. | suppose YOU mean, dear Mrs.
Lascelles. that II bad I'm reality been n
poor. destitute govcrness, who would
have owed every thing TO him-home,
nnd love. and position. everything he
would have married me. sure that he
must have always been first, that he, at
any rate. would be under no obligation
would never have To stoOp and say
Thank YOU But when he found that
in worldly point Of view l was the
moro important OF the twO-that he
would have had TO change his way Of
life, his standing. everything. and all
because Of his wife. All! Il is horriblel
He gives me credit for no magnanimity.
no greatness of heart; he can not trust
me; he turns upon me. rcproaches me,
sneers sarca,tically at my follics (Which
| know are innumerable, and every one
Of which would have crushed Ia please
generous man. who loved mel. and
uses tone toward me to which would
not submit from the best and wisest
man in the world. Is not that the plain
English of it?"
IL fear il is. But you must not be
too hard upon him. You must forgive
him"
If will shake hands with him when
he apologies Co me-not before. As
for fOrgiving him-no! will not for
give man who wants n cringing span
iol for his wife, ond who loses his tenn
per when he finds the woman he has
thought Of distinguishing is not n spaniel.
He shall respect my individuality, or |
will never notice him again"
Mrs. Lascelles had not tried 10 shake
this determination. Perhaps she hoped
for time To move IL; perhaps she con-
sidercd that Louis hardness deserved
punishment There had been q heart
breaking parting between Margaret and
Rupert. who wcpt and would not be
comiortcd. Sobbing, he had said to
Margaret:
"Ah, not even Louis can make up to
me for YOU"
Margarct's heart thrilled ut the
words. Louis then was not In every
thing able To crush her oftcn-erring pos
tive influence by the power of his mega
tive perfection. What was IL that inn
PEELED her To whisper TO the boy:
"Do not tell him so. II will grieve
him."
She promised to return 20 him ere
long. and made Mrs. Lascelles vow that
she would summon her IL the boys
health gave her any uncasness. Then
she had departed. escaping from Foul
haven before John Mallabarr's return
from London, and without having AGAIN
seen Louis. Her pride had enabled her
To 20 through 10 all with composure.
hut the recollection of the wretcbed
alteration with Louis had never ceased
To pain her; nothing had been able TO
remove the dull. aching misery of that
memory--a misery varied occasionally
by an acutcr pang-the thought: "He
loves mo AMI / love him. and We are lost
IN ons another"
When questioned by Miss Pcrcival as
to the reason for her sudden departure
from Foulhaven, she had replied care
lessly that she had got tired OF IL, and
that Miss Percivals letter had given her
n welcome excuse for coming homo.
Then they knew who YOU really
wereP"
"Oh, yes! explained everything 20
Mrs. Lascclles. We parted the best of
friends, and / am going TO stay with
her some time soon. Meantime. NV
dear, we are going 10 be very busy get
ting ready for your wedding"
The preparations went ON; the we'd
ding took place; and Mrs. Biddulph
said farewell to Margaret with an air of
matronly patronage. as IL 10 assure her
Of her continued affection and good
will, which vastly diverted the Lady of
the Manor Of Bcckbridge.
All this Margaret quickly conned
over In her mind. as she sat resting n
short time before going up stairs TO lay
aside her tncry. The firo-light played
now upon the dun hue of her satin and
velvet, anon upon the creamy old lace,
and twinkling diamonds. and the luster
Of her crown of red-gold hair She
closed her eyes and lay back in her
chair-a lovely women, In the pride of
her youth and beauty, thinking.
"What n short time IL Is since that
night Of my twenty-frst birthday, and
yet how much has happened IN It.
suppose Maurice Biddulph considers
that he is Furnishing me by raising that
girl above my head. Well, let himl II
pleases MIN, and does me no harm.
Louis" her face changed, and a
sigh broke from her lips. THAT Is
over. John Mallabar-it is he whom I
ought TO love, know by all rules. II
Il has TO be one of three-those three
Il should be he. But need Il DO one Of
them?"
The door Is opened. aud the footman
announces:
"A gentleman, ma'am, to see YOU"