Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-28
LADY GILMORE'S TEMPTATION
BY DORA RUSSELL.
Author of footprints in the Snow" "The
Broken Seal" ssThe Track of the
stOrm,'"A Strange Mes-
sage" &c, &c.
BY DORA RUSSELL.
JAIL RIGHTs Reserved


fast drifting clouds, and as its rays stol'
through the blinds of Mays room at the
Rookery, near Maidenhead, she rose
went TO the window, drew up the blind
and tried to shake off the depressing eff
feots of her bad dreams of the night be-
fore.
81 hope the wind was not so bad al
sea, ;" she thought, pitifully, for hel
mind still fingered on the old days Rnc
the old man who dwelt on the storm
washed coast. "Poor father, - she
KEEP: thinking softly, recalling how
vividlY bis rugged, weather. beaten
features had appeared 20 her in hel
dream, and how kindly John Summers
blue eyes had gazed at his absent child.
Then her thoughts turned to Gilmore
70 Gerard as she still always called
hIm-and she kept musing on his strange
fate.
ave should have been far happier II
they had never taken him from Cragside
farm she reflected, sadly enough;
"he would have been content with me
then, and not ashamed of his wife as he
is now. But must just try to make the
best OF it, and dress and be more like
the ladies he mixes with, l suppose.
In pursuance of this resolution poor
May got out her last new morning gown
"a delicate soft blue material trimmed
with cream lace-which suited well her
fair skin and light hair, and proceeded
to adoru herself in it in expectation of
her husbands return. Then, after
breakfast, she went INTO the rain-washed
garden, the leaves still spangled with
moisture, and selected some pink hya-
cinths to adorn her rooms, placing one
also near her own pretty throat. After
this she ordered Undertaking care that
the viands were those that Gilmore loved
and then she waited for him, but she
waited in vain.
Noon came, when he had said he
would be back, and then the afternoon
glided away, and still there was no sign
OF Gilmore. May was not exactly I'M
easy, because when he went up TO town
he sometimes remained a few days, but
to do him justice he always let her
know when he was gong to do this.
But when the evening came, and then
night, and he was still absent, she
began to be very anxious and afraid.
And the night passed as the day had
done, and then the next day, but on the
third day May could bear 1t no longer.
She therefore wrote an urgent letter to
Gilmore, at his rooms in Piccadilly, tell
ing him how uneasy she was at not
having hear from him, and asking him
when he received her letter to telegraph
q reply to it.
She waited hour after hour for her
telegram, and none came. She waited
until the last post came in and there was
no letter, and then she felt sure that
something must have happened to her
husband. Could ne be ilI-or-and her
heart seemed to faint within her, and her
face grew deadly pale. Could he have
left her for another? He had been
changed of late May knew well-ohanged
and cold-snd was this the end of it?
May tortured hertelf by these surmises
and miserable doubts all through Sleep
less night, and then on the fourth day of
Gilmore's absence, she wrote TO Mr..
Whitmore, whose address she knew, and
whom she knew also to be q friend of
Gilmore's, asking him if he knew any,
thing of his Whereabouts.
To this letter she received a reply IN the
shape of telegram from Mr.. whitmore,
on the same day that she sent it to tell
her that he would be at Maidenhead
early the next morning. Then another
sleepless night had TO be borne-a night
haunted by dire rorebodings-snd about
twelve CLOCK Mr.. Whitmore arrived at
the Rooksry, and with, trembling foot
steps May went downstairs TO hear his
news.
He had none to give heri He had
neither seen nor heard of Gilmore, and
could not understand his disappearance.
"He went up to town on. the night of
the Goth of April said May, with
faltering lips; "he said he would be
home next day-he said he was going to
a dance given by some bachelor friend of |
his-he left here in time to catch the 9 |
train. -
cit would be Escourt's dance, - In |
terrupted Mr.. Whitmore eagerly, as May |
paused; al was there, and Escourt told |
me Gilmore was expected, and we Won
dered that he never cast up, and the |
next morning.
But now Mr.. Whitmore paused and |
and cast down bis eyes.
"Oh, go on, - cried May; 'stell me |
all you know
al am afraid of alarming you-but |
still, had better tell you, L think.
Well, the next morning after Escourt's
dance, went TO Gilmore's rooms in
PIccadilly, as thought he might be in
town, and l saw the landlord. Gilmore
bad not arrived in town the night before,
though he had been expected, for ne had
sent on portmanteau there during the
dsy, as he always did when he was oom-
ing up for the night. This is all l know,
and the next thing 1 heard OF him was
when received your letter yesterday. j."
"Then-then something must have
to himi' burst from Nays
pale lips, and she clssped her hands to-
yether despairiugly.
''It 10 very strange, certainly; suppose
60 to the station here and inquire il be
lid go up to town on the night of the
e9th; they are sure to know him by sight
there -
"ohl yes, yes. Obi please go. Mr.,
Whitm0re. Obi what shall l do?''
"Don I distress yourself, Mrs. Mayo
aid Whitmore, kindly; al dare say
he III cast up all right; he's a thought
ess fellow, you know, but he certainly
should have written. However, IN go
% the station and inquire. -
And Mr.. Whitmore did go to the
tation and inquire, and the station
Master remembered the night of the
18th OF April perfectly, because it was
he night OF the storm. the man said.
land do you know Lord Gilmore by
ight?'' asked Mr.. whitmore.
HI