The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1885-12-31
MADAME FRoNDEAu. {


looked down into the dimly. lighted
hall below. 81 4 s5s v
va Il was the sound Of voices that
arrested her steps. Two persons, q
man and a woman, had just emerged.
from the cloak room; and stopped for;
10 moment at the foot Of the stairs,
conyersing in low tones.
Sho knew the man was her husband;
!. the woman was the beautiful Madame
Frondeau, who just now enjoyed the Il J;
distinction Of swaying the social scept-
Ster in the little circle in which e she y };
moved.
.'rheys are still together, q whisper
cd Pansy; her face turning q shade 1a!tlt
] paler, .and I believe they are going
! ont: for a walk on the beach Oh.
what can John be thinking aboutP'
She pressed one little white hand
\ inyoluntarily against her heart. as If
{ tostill its throbbing, while the ex-
/; preston Of pain in hor deep blue eyes
showed how much Of misery was be-
4 ing suppressed. lts53
~ Poor Ransy One year married and
. great cloud darkening the domestic
horizon painful awakening from. q
dream Of happiness that had hereto
fore met with no interruption. She
} had married John Brunton with per-
feet faith IN his honesty and purity of
soul. firmly believing latter the man
/ nerl of;yery young girls when first in
leve that her hero was a paragon Of
perfection, utterly incapable Of any
act OF thought that was not proper
and Just. #
TWAS saying much for John Brun-
ton that his wife had no cause to
change her opinion Of him during that
first year OF welded life, and that
nothing occurred in all that time to
shake for an instant her childish con.
fidence in him. So 4
They we're now ~ established in their
+. summer residence by the seaside-a
pleasant spot where there were sever
al other magnificent country seats.
\ and where q fashionable coterie from
the best society in the metropolis were
fvontto spend the dog-days. ~.
Among the guests Of one Of these
families was the fascinating young
widow. Madame Frondeau, new ad-
dition to this select circle, who was
courted and admired and feted in the
most exeravagant manner. No one
seemed to know much about this lady,
except that she was brilliant, beauti.
full, and gay, and was seemingly en-
titled to q position on the top rung of
the social ladder. 1t became the fash
ion to pay homage to her. and 1t was
q fashion which her. male admirers, at
least, adhered to with fidelity that
was touching. rs.
NJ It WIS then that Pansy's trouble
/ commenced. OF all the men who
!, snccumed to the manifold attractions
4 Of Madame Frondeau, none were SO
attentive as John Brunton. From the
i very first he appeared to be irresisti-.
bly, drawn toward her, and he appar-
emily yielded to her alluring charms
!: with q very good grace, unmindful Of
what people might think or say. He
A even had the audacity TO monopolize
her society at times, in a manner that
{ caused other men to grind their teeth;
with smothered rage. and seriously
B consider whether they should "call
/ him out or. not. II
OF course her husbands strange con-
duct did not escape Pansy's notice.
At first she regarded It with surprise
and wonder, then with anxiety and
alarm, and finally with absolute hor-
|, ror and despair. It required all the
strength she could summon to hide.
from day to day, and week to week.,
as John showed no signs of relentingi
\ or returning to his senses. # zs2 IN 4.
3. She was not only convinced that
her husband was becoming estranged
Il from her, but that this dashing widow
was a former sweetheart of his. This
conclusion was due to a little incident
which, though occurring nearly a year
ago, slle had never forgotten. About
two; weeks after her marriage she had
/ found, among her husband collection
Of trifiing keepsakes and small treas
nres, a picture of q beautiful young
woman. She felt no pang Of jeal-
ousy at the time, and as John never
mentioned the picture to her she re-
Trained from asking any questions
about it. But tho face that had look
ed out at her from Its littlet frame was
stamped at once and forever upon her
4 memory, and the moment she first saw!
Madame Frondeau she was satisfied
that here was the original Of the
picture. .t,s 81
To be sure this lady and John did
not meet after the manner Of old acc
1quaintances, but It was easy 70: under:
stand their motive in TINT. II
So matters went on, and the Rife Of
q year resolutelys practiced the poor
little decea tion Of permitting her face
@ to reveal npthing Of what she suffered
at heart.
Tro.night she and John were giving
81 their last reception Of the season, and
the sparlors were thronged with guesta.
Pansy contrl9ed To- keep up appear
anpes by laughing, singing, and dane
ing with all her wonted viYaeity; but
once, when she had occasion TO go to
the conservatory, she paused OF theen.
trance ut sight Of two figures there -
her husband and Mad lame Frond can:
g i, 81 *. I; ~ =