The Delta independent., 1888-04-10
ELF b..
BY !. :. l..

pereQ nurfleuly. II WAS brute 10
mistrust you. ~
But do you love me?" she asked in
low voice.
.'More than life, Eliie.n
"Then forgive you," she said, and
pressed his hand.
The audience was clapping and
cheering and stamping for Madame
Elfna.
"You must go on again." said the
manager eXcitedly. "Neyer was there
greater success. L'Estrange, you
ought to be proud of your young wife,
The little figure was again before the
public.
Il am" returned Paul; "but | con-
fess Iwould rather have been consulted
The stage is very well for me, but not
for my wife
"Yet you have to thank the combina-
ton for keeping roof over your head
during the past six months"
He started.
'Is that the case?"
Very much the case. Mrs
L'Estrange has worked very hard to
support you; she is a brave little
woman" and the manager went away
to attend to his duties.
Paul understood it all now.
Her absences. Cecil Rainsford's visits,
the written love words, the strange
condemnatory inter lew, all every
thing.
And Paul waited for Elfie's return to
HIM, and the managers brougham
conveyed them both to their home.
tiny note was put into Lord Gran
burns hand. 1t was in Mrs.
'Estrange's writing.
paul goes home with me-" it said.
Join us at supper.
'Our friend is cured.h said his lord
ship with a smile. Miss Rainsford,
will you object to solitary drive with
meP"
Mary raised her gentle eyes to his
with a touch of reproach in them.
Il thought you knew would not"
she said simply, and somehow her
answer gave him a strange unwOnted
pleasure.
When supper was over. Ellie extended
both her hands to Lord Cranburn.
''Thank you for Civ ng Paul back to
me-" she said. 'If ever l can do you
good turn, | shall not forget that |
am your debtor. You will feel quite
lonely, Lord Cranburn, now both my
husband and Mary have deserted you"
"You stay here, of course?" answered
his lordship, turning to Mary.
'For tonight; but tomorrow duty
calls me away. / nursed an old
gentleman before / came here, and left
him wonderfully well; but he has had
relapse, and has sent for me, and |
am glad am able to 90 to him. l shall
start tomorrow the first thing"
Tomorrow! Why, it will be Christ
mas dayr'
"The better the day, the better the
deed. l shall leave quite early"
''But your luggage?"
81 was in the plot, you see; SO |
packed it up and it is here.
''You are a good nurse, Miss Rains
ford. Iwonder if were i'll, would you
come and take care of me?"
'.Of course l would" she answered
with an heightened color.
And happy look settled upon Lord
Cranburn's face.
II wish you could have spent Christ
mas with us, Mary" said Ellie af1ec
tionately. Your brother is to be here,
and hope Lord Cranburn will join us;
in fact Paul and | want him to take up
his quarters with us for while, instead
of remaining alone in lodgings. What
w you say, NY iichN' anu Sh0 WI h'u
to him kindly.
THAT WILL" he answered with hon
est pleasure; latter all these years
ind l don't altogether appreciate my
own society"
The following day Mr.. and Mrs
Ravenswood arrived, too late to help in
reconciling Ellie to her husband, for
the reconciliation was complete; but
not too late to be present at the
recherche Christmas dinner which their
daughter had provided, and to which
not only Cecil Rainsford, but the stage
manager was invited, and ii proved
very merry party.
''My dear" said Mr. Rainsford, when
they were alone, Il have been hard and
wrong, and have been well punished
by my anxiety since we received Lord
Cranburn's letter. But why did you
not ask for help, my dear child You
must have known it would have been
granted you readily" he said with
emotion.
81 couldn't" she returned with a
flush, while there was a proud flash
from her beautiful black eyes; II could
work more easily than 1 could beg"
ellie" continued her father, Il will
settle forty thousand pounds upon you,
II you Will promise not 10 appear upon
the stage any more" he cried excitedly.
"It is terrible to me that l should have
driven you to it."
II must act for six months" she
answered with quiet smile; 81 have
engaged to do So
"Then not one day more"
II will go and ask Paul. she said,
and went.
"Paul," she said, ''do you object to
my actingp"
He looked at her, and took her hand
in his lovingly.
Darling,' he replied, 81 shall
never feel that you are quite my
own while you belong to the pub
lie. You have behaved very bravely
and nobly, but would rather not see
you ON tn stage, my wife,"
She raised her. lips TO his. and kissed
him; then went back to her father.
III accept your offer, papa" she said
softly; land il is kind of you to make
It."
PauIs health rapidly improved, but
he was stronly advised not to risk the
excitement of acling any more, and
when Elfie's engagement was over, Mr..
Rayenswood placed the sum he had