The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-14

on the whole discontinued with her lot. he
had been a plump, short widOwer when she
had married him, and he had now developed
into very stout little man. But he was
perfectly harmless, and quite agreeable to
entertain any number of young men whom
| Lady Hastings chose to invite.
Lady Hastings had admired Maj Aud
ley, it was said, before his marriage, and
had felt somewhat piqued by that event.
But she was perfectly ready to DO on friend
ly terms with his wife, and received Ruth
in her pretty, gushing manner, and Aud
ley felt pleased to see Ruth looking so at
| tractive
"You must often come TO see u.s." said
Lady Hastings; Maj. Au3ley, promise now
to bring her to Amhursta Sir James here
| will be delighted he admires pretty women
you know don't you, James"
James smiled acquiescently; If he had a
weakness it was desire to be thought rather
dangerous, which, poor man, he happily
was not
II show my good taste then, " he replied, in
| thick voice, for his throat was very fat
which somehow seemed slightly to impede
his utterance
1--WE have living proof of your excel
lent taste, Sir James," said Maj. Audley,
looking with his bold, smiling eyes at Lady
Hastings, who smiled coquetti hly.
What pretty things we are all saying to
each otherm she said. But l mean what
say, and men, you know" aud again she
| smiled at Audley, "some times DON'T
THAT is unfair, and protest against e."
| he answered .t.
well, will you promise to bring your
| wife very soon. thenl Let us fix day
| will you come to luncheon next ruesdayp
Before they left this was arranged, and
they parted on very friendly terms, and
Audley was evidently satisfied with tho
| visit.
"What do you think of her9" he asked,
after he had escorted Lady Hastings
| to the carriage, when he returned to the
drawing room. r,
'She is pretty and very, nice, L, think"
| answered Ruth. ;,..
'She is pretty little firt; all the same,
| | would rather be her admirer than her
husband; but she is good enough for Sir
| James,
| Ruth gave little laugh, and turned
away wondering If she had married
| "Sir James," if she could ever have &C
| quired the easy light-heartsdness of his
| wife. But she could not; Lady Hastings
| was a shallow little woman, skimming on
| the surface of life, and her sentiments and
| feelings (of which she was apt to talk were
| OF the tiimsiest nature. A wound to her
vanity lasted longer than wound to her
| heart, for her strongest emotions were con-
nected with admiration, not love She
| wished to win back Audley, merely for the
pleasure of making him unhappy. not for
tho sake of any affection she felt to him
self.
1t was on Saturday when she paid this
first visit TO Al, High street, and somehow
| Audley was more amiable after it than he
had been before. He laughed at her, but
all the same he liked her flatterY, for he
also was vain and Ruth had wounded his
| feelings to the quick.
But perhaps Lady Hastings praise of his
young wite's good looks had softened his
heart to her, for he made no objections to
spend the next day Sunday at Sudley, and
then Ruth heard all about Seafortn's visit
there.
''He was so agreeable" Frances told her,
land Hugh has taken quite a ia cy to him !;
likes him better than poor Beaton," and
| Frances smiled.
And how does he looks O. asked Ruth, with
a certain ring in her voice that to an acute
ear told its own tale.
| We'll, of course, his face is very much
marked, but still he is handsome-win al
ways be handsome" answered frances, who
had mistaken the object of her inquiry.
you mean Mr.. Beauon. | was thinking
u oftalsother"
| "Oh, Seaforth? Well, do you know he is
chtnGH somehow; he looks older, and his
manner is different; he talks more too,
\ and, very well, | can tell you, though he
gsffectsito be little cynical occasionally. He
asked after you"
Eyes" aud painful blush spread sudden.
I ly over Ruth's face. '1
Just in an ordinary way, you know, my
dear; don't make tragedy Of it, l fancy
he has got over his little tenderness very
quickly, as they all dor 49,.
Ruth did not speak. Frances would not
have said this il she had known the sharp
paug her words plunged into Rath's heart
Was it so thenl Had he forgotten her SO
soon? thought the poor girl, and this Sunday
at Sudley seemed to her. the drearies day
Frances, however, was in high spirits, and
was as pleasant to Audi y as If she had
never spoken a word against him. These
two indeed, who were always abusing each
other when one was not present, seemed the
be It of friends when they met.
l.. True, Frances sometimes inwardlv cow
ered before Audley's cold smiling gaze,
which never let her quite forget he knew
more than he ever hinted at with his tongne
to her; and Ruth was too true aud tender
hearted to repeat his hard words.
~ would manage him better than you
do" Frances told Ruth, and there is no
doubt that she could have done SO, for size
would have attacked tbinly- hidden weak
ness in his character. She would have fat
tered him, and it was as incense to Audley's
soul
And he took Ruth to Amhurst hall on the
| appointed day to see the other little woman
| VINO ndUUereO Nun, WIN a smile on his lace.
Lady Hastings received them both gu III
| ingly, as was her won't and Sir James did
| everything that was expected Of him She
had married him for his money, and he
gave it to her freely, and she liked him TO
| be civil to her friends, aud he always was.
| HE is a good creature. " she told her adj
MIXERS, and in his slow, dense way he was
| contented with her, or at least dare not say
| he was not. Perhaps, sometimes, he may
have vaguely wondered why she never
| talked to him, unless she wanted something,
and why the small boy in the nursery knew
very little of a mothers love- But he never
expressed such sentiments, and grew yearly
stouter, therefore they could not have trou-
bled him acutely.
II wanted TO have you all TO myself at
| lunch" she told Ruth, $50 that we may get
| to know each other really, you know; but /
| have asked some people in the afternoon for
tennis That darling man, Col. Kenyon,
| and your sister; called on them yesterday,
and they are coming, and thres Young men
from tine fort, a I'D the billiard girl, aud the
Lewishams, and one or two more"
"You are very kind" said Ruth, with a
fast-beating heart.
Lady Hastings was alone with her when
she said this, for Sir James had carried or
Audley to see his grape house and his peach
cries, Of which be was proud.
Poor Sir James, they serve TO amuse
him. his wife said, smilingly, to Ruth
| "but fear he will sadly bore Maj. Aud
ley -
Mai. Audley did look rather bored when