Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-11-22

great cunning. Inc DelRlan scnOol-
mistress, the members Of the family
in which she had been governess, re-
membered Estelle Egerton, and were
willing to give me all the Information
l required. Both spoke OF her as
shy, proud, morbidly sensitive girl,
neither handsome nor clever, and in
very delicate health. She had spent
her life in the way Estelle Gerard de-
scribed, and left Madame de Mora ut
the time named-since which she
had been lost sight OF altogether.
81 rather expected her here said
Madame Ledru. The child had no
other home, and could find work for
her always; but she never came.
have often thought of writing TO
Madame de Mora; but in a busy life
one forgets so soon
"Undeniably true, but not very
helpful, l thought, wondering what
steps had better take next. Sudden
ly my eyes fell upon gaudily bound
album on the polished table beside
me; and an idea occurred TO me at
once.
".Have You your pupils portraits
there, Madame? Would Miss Eyer
tons by any chance be among themg
l asked; and, Madame asserting with
a cheerful nod, / turned the pages
eagerly, and presently. with shock
of surprise and such keen pang of
remorse as almost took my breath
away, came upon Estelle Gerrard's
beautiful face. Madame, peeping over
| e1 aA
"'You are like the rest of the
world, monsieur lingering over that
fatal face and forgetting what you
seek.
lis not this Miss Egerton?' | ask
ed, looking up quickly; and Madame
Ledru shook her head.
My faith, no This is Estelle."
She turned the leaf and showed the
portrait OF thin sharp-faced girl,
whose only claim to beauty lay in the
large melancholy eyes. But, oddly
unlike as those two were, they were
close friends.
Il turned the page again. Estelle
Egerton could watt must hear moro
OF the woman who had taken her
name and place.
And this then
This has no business here said
Madame, with peremptory haste.
This was girl as headstrong and
wicked as the poor Estelle was patient
and good She gave me more trouble
than all the other pupils put together.
But how brilliant, how beautiful she
was born for no common fate
land her fale-you know it.
Madame p
Il know il, as you know it, as all
the world does, monsieur. She went
upon the stage-after marrying an
Italian musician, the manager of the
theatre in which she first appeared,
, Ma fol, II he bought her with a pric G
he must soon have been sorry for his
bargain She was beautiful and sue
cess; she turned all heads, and per-
, haps her own. He, loving her madly
grew jealous. first of the public, then
of one man. With reason or not
how should | know ?-he shot the
, man, ard tried TO shoot his wife, She
: gave the evidence that sent him to the
, galleys, and never dared to show her
! face upon the stage again. My faith
/, "a splendid spoiled life-a wonderful
= woman | cannot, as you may believe,
> quote Ida Nertuni as a prize-pupil,
, monsieur; but neither can | part with
= her portrait.
. but you will lend me that of Miss
Egerton perhaps p l asked; and
4 Madame with smiling readiness grant
ed my request
Armed with this proof of her de-
ception, came back TO England and
=. confronted the woman who had SC
:, cruelty traded upon your uncle's weak
y ness, Madame Ledru is right, Irene
she is wonderful woman, strong,
self-controlled, and keen-witted. arm.
0 ed at all points. She was taken aback
{ for just one mo ment, then seemed al
once to realize the strength and weak.
y ness of her position, and broke into g
: curious ringing laugh.
. $50 you have actually found me out
:, and tracked me down, Mr.. Richard
q Martineau p she said You are toe
d clever for Ludleigh And, though
l. must pay the price for it, your clever
u ness is almost a relief. | was quite
ashamed OF wasting my talents on tina
u good, wearisome, mournful Archi,
y and the dunderheads here
IL "She laughed again, walked on ;
little more quickly, saying with +;
/, shrug OF her graceful shoulders
of I'VE had better return to the house
l. You will want TO tell Mr.. Gerard a
n once. Poor old man, he viii be glat
'r to break his fetters-he has found on
lie enough to make him hate me already
Ia lies that have told, something o
my stage life-no matter what =
Of Come, then, and make him happy
1T let him know that | am not his wife
Id not the child OF his old love-"
r Where is that child?'I asked, fix
n ing my eyes upon hers; for thi
K, was the one point that puzzled m,
at still. How came you in her place
and with her letter to Mr.. Gerard
r "She did not shrink from my scruti
/ ny; but in the clear moonlight say
/ her beautiful face grow suddenly grave