The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-04-05


Lord RicEard turned toward me and said
something, but in such low voice that
did not catch its meaning. "My son
says you do him a great honorvand
pleasure, exclaimed Lord Talbot. and
ne Kissed me and led me toward the un-
willing bridegroom.
"Of course | ought to have hated him.
Selma, but I did not. On the contrary
l Tell desperately in love with him. Per.
maps 1t would hav2 been far better for
me II had not. Richard read nv heart
III my face, and despised his easy con-
quest. AS for me, / suffered in that
weak and tortuling suspense of timid
schoolgirl In love. / dressed myself in
the best OF my plain, unbecoming child
ish toilets, and watched YEARLY every
day Tor visit from my promised hus-
oand; but l saw no more of him until
our wedding morning. By this time
some very rich clothing had arrived for
me, and also London maid, and think.
even then my appearance was fair enough
to have somewhat conciliated Richard
Talbot. But he scarcely looked at me,
The ceremony was scrupulouslv and
coldly performed, my father, aunt and
goyerness being present on my side.
and on Richards his father and his
three maiden sisters.
Il never saw my father alive again.
he died the following week, and the
mockery OF our marriage festivities at
talbot Castle was suspended at once in
Difference to my grief. Then we came'to
London, and my lord selected for his own
use the left wing of the house, and DO
i1tely placed at my disposal all the re-
naming apartments. / considered this
an lntlmatlon that was not expected to
lntrude upon his quarters, aud scrup-
ulously avoided every approach to them.
L knew from the first that all attempts
to win him would be useless, and indeed
felt too sOrrowfai and Inundated to try.
During the few weeks that we remained
under the same roof we seldom met. and
L am afraid l did not make these rare
interviews at all pleasant. 1 felt wronged
and miserable, and my wan face and
heavy eyes were only reproach to
him"
sob, what monster, Kater'
'Not quite that, Selma. There were
many excuses for MIN. One day I saw
a paragraph IN the Times saying that
Richard Talbot intended to accompany a
scientific exploring party whose destina-
ton WAS Central Asia. L instantly sent
and asked Iny husband for an interview.
L intended dressing myself with care for
the meeting, and making one last effort
to Wild the kindly regard, at lesst. of one
whom L could not help loving. But
some unfortunate fatality always attend
ed our meeting, and [ never could do
myself justice in his presence. He
answered my request at once. | suppose
he did so out out of respect and kind
hess, but the conse Guence was. he
found me IN an unbecoming dishabille,
and with nay face and eyes red and
swollen with weeping.
Il felt mortified at prompt attention
so maiapropos, aud my manner instead
OF being winning and coucillating, was
cold and unprepossessing. | did not rise
from the sofa on which [ had been Sob
blng, and he made no attempt TO sit
down beside me OF to comfort me.
81 pointed to the paragraph and asked
if it was true
eyes, Lady Talbot, he said, little
sadly and proudly; Il shall relieve you Of
my presence in few days. I intended
Writwell to call on you to-day with q
draft OF the provisions have made fer
your comfort.
II could make no answer. ] had
thought of good many things to say,
but now III his presence l was almost
fretful and dumb. He looked at me al
most with pity, and said in low voice ::
Kate, we have both been sacrificed to a
necessity involving many besides our
selves. [ am trying to make what repair
alton IS possible. | shall leave you IN
restricted use Of three-fourths of my IN
come. l desire you to make your life as
gay and pleasant as you possibly can.
l have 20 fear for the honor of our name
IN your hands, ard | trust that and all
else to you without doubt. If you
would try and learn to make some ex-
cuse for my position l shall be grateful
Perhaps when you are not in constant
fear of meeting me this lesson may not
be SO hard
Sand I could not say a word iu reply.
| just lay sobbing like child among
the cushions. Then he lifted my hand
and kissed it, and I knew he was gone. :"
And now, Kate, that you have be-
come the most brilliant woman in En-
gland, what do you intend to do?"
"Who knows? | have such contrary
streak In my nature. | always do the
thing 1 DO not want to do"
Certainly it seemed like it, for, in
spite of her confession, when Lord Tai
bot sent the next morning to request an
interview, Kate regretted that she had
prior engagement, but hoped to meet
Lord Talbot at the Duchess OF Clifford 8
that night
My lord bit his lips angrily. but
nevertheless he had been so struck with
his wife's brilliant beauty that he de-
termined to keep the engagement.
She did not meet him with sobs this
time The center Of al admiring
thropg, she spoke to him with ease and
nonchalance that would have indicated
to stranger the most usual and
commonplace CT mountaineering. He
tried to draw her into confidential mood
but she said, smilingly, ''My lord, the
world supposes us to have already con-
graduated each other; we need not I'M
deceive it.
He was dreadfully piqued, and the
plque kept the cause of it continually In
his mind Indeed, unless he left Lon
don, he could hardly avoid constant
| meetings which were constant aggrava-
tons. Ny lady went everywhere. Her
beauty, her wealth, her splendid toilets,
her foe manners, were the universal
theme. he had to endure extravagant
comments on them Friends told HIM
that Lady Talbot had never been SO
brilliant and SO bewitching as since his
return. He was congratulated on his
influence over her.
In the meantime she kept strictly at
the distance he himself had arranged
four years ago. 1t was evident that if
he approached any nearer his beautiful
bur long neglected wife, he must hum
BILE himself to do so. Why should he
not? In Lord Talbot's mind the rea-
sons against it had dwindled down to
one 1t was his valet. ibis man had
known all his masters matrimonial
troubles, aud in his own way had SYM
pathized with them. He was bitterly
averse to Lord Talbot's making any
concessions to my lady. One night,
L I