Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-10-24


assure her by telling her the doctors were
set OF old women aud Sir Fergus the
biggest old duffer OF the whole lot. And
then he had clapped Stephen on the back
and had told him that he ought to be
ashamed of himself, Il broad shonldered
stalwart fellow like him to be shammIng
I'll like a schoolboy who hadn't learned his
lessons.
And after they had gone Julia turned
round to her husband and asked him
question.
''Stevie," she said, ''are they both sham
ming. or don't they know anything2"
Know anythiug!' he cried, looking at
her in horror. "Why of course not, not
word''
She saw enough of Mrs Bob afterwards
to be quite sure that he had spoken the
truth, aud that she really did believe her
brothers. health to be bad and, if he re-
manned in England, his life in danger
And believing this, she had Of course 20
choice but 10 20 to the dinner which was
given in their honor.
'Tt is, perhaps" said Mrs. Bob, when
their guests began to arrive, "rather pre-
sumptuous of US to give this dinner, as
Mrs Trafford might have wished to en-
terrain them the last night. But we talk
ed it over. Bob and /, and we found that
Mrs. Traff0rd did not mind. ana that. In
fact, having 1t her fiat it woHld be most
inconvenien for her to have dinner,
however small, so we determined TO do
it"
Having come to this determination,
Mrs. Bob had done her work thoroughly.
Mrs Trafford WAS there with Miss Theo-
dosia: Marcus Oxford and Madge were the
next to arrive-and as Julia turned from
them to see her sister and Anthony Staun-
ton annouuc }, and to see them followed
by Lord aud Lady Luciter, she felt that
the cup Of her individual suffering was
indeed full, aud that if any more of the
people whose names had become marked
in her own mind as being connected with
the cause of her exile appeared, she should
lose control over herself and commit some
foolishness such as shrieking aloud. The
others, however, who came afterwards
were happily one and all harmless people
who had neither robbed others of their
wealth nor yet been robbed themselves.
Nevertheless. that evening proved a terri
bic ordeal Everybody telt that the Oc-
casiou was somewhat sad one and that
It beho0vcd them to be as gay and festive
as possible by way of keeping up two
hearts which they suspected were sad, lit
tie thinking that one of them had gone
nigh almost to breaking.
But at last it came to au end-their
hcalths had been drunk and Stephen had
got up in his chair and bowed, saying
THANK you, very much" and nothing
more so that part of the ceremony was
got through far more easily than poor
Julia had expected, and very soou after
that they began to say goodnight, good
night, and gOOd-by.
The first to leave were the Lucifers who
were going on sOmewher5. well, good
by, my dear Mrs. Stephen" said Lady
Lucifer, taking Julia kindly in her arms.
1--WE are all very, very sorry to part with
you, and dear old Stephen is dear Old
friend Of mine as You know. We shall
often he thinking about you and wonder
ing how you are getting on and how the
poor chest is Mind, ! don't believe there
is anything the matter with him. think
Stephen is IL complete fraud aud that rou
look far more i'll than lie does. However.
| hope You will both h. back next sea-
son as if nothing had happened and when
ever YOU do come back we will make
Md!tlitt give duObhtI hiHuSl " wish JSu
wecomi ."
But Julia had nothing to say. She chung
to Lady Lucifer for a minute or two. aud
kissed her with white trembling lips, for
IA good many of the gay rafting words
had gone deep down into the heart that
was bursting with the weight of shame
which knowledge had laid upon it. Aud
then when the Lucifers had gone Miss
TheOdosa thought she, too, would ne go
ing.
Good by, my dear" she said: Il dare
say shall never see you again, Tor my
time is getting short, and my poor dead
and gone Laynia WAS ten years younger
than |. hut always r member that the
old womdn's good wishes went with yuu
and her prayers will follow you. God
bless you, my dear, aud lessen your anXi-
ETY. for Stephen" aud then Miss TheOdosia
ssed her and set her free, hurrying out
OF the room with the tears streaming down
her cheeks
IL should like to CO." said Julia to
Stephen. 81 don't see why you need all say
goOd-hy to me tonight. | shall see YOU
all in the morning. Do let us GO" and
then she hurriedly said goodnight to
them all and went Off followed by her
husband. who being perfectly well and
having every intention of coming back to
London before a year had gone by, was
naturally only distressed at the effect all
this would have on his wife. aud SO far as
he was concerned, was rather amused
than otherwise by the fuss which they one
and all thought fit to make about their de.
parture on n long pleasure trip, Ostensibly
In search of health.
81 ann sure" said Mrs Bob to Mrs. Traf-
ford when the. had gone, of one of two
things. Either Stephen is much more
seriously i'll than he chooses to admit and
that Julia knows it, or that Julia's OVID
state of health is such as may give US the
gravest anxiety"
"What do you mean?v cried Mrs. Traf.
ford, in alarm.
We'll. to be candid don't think that
Julia is fit to 20 off on an indefinite yacht.
ing tour"
but why notY'
because they are taking no doctor with
them"
"Weu?"
"Weil, think they will want one, aud
nurse, too, before long"
'Nou don't surely mean" cried Mrs.
TmfTord.
We'll, I'm afraid do" returned Mrs
Bob driIy.
Thus prompted Mrs TrafTord drew Julia
aside wnen they were all assembled on
the platform at Waterloo from which She
aud stephen were to $ art for Southump.
ton, where thev would join the Yacht.
Julia, my darling" She said. anxious
~, tell me one thing before we part. You
are looking very ills il your anxiety for
Stephen which is max NJ You look SO, or
Is there any cause for YOUR pale face and
hollow eyes?"
No, mother dear" she answered. "T
am perfectly well-and anxious about
stephen, of cOurse-but-bu that is all"
YOU are quite surei"
"Oh, yUSi quite sure. And. mother"
she said, in a troubled voice, there is one
thing | want to say to YOU aloue-I am
going away and ii is possible that may
never come back again"
Obi my dear" Mrs Trafford cried.
1T Is more than possible" said Julia,
solcmnlv, that may never come back.
and besides that we never know what will
happen What | want to tell Won is this.
that whatever happens, whatever you
hear, will you always remember that. al
though it almost broke my heart to leave
Won all, vet went happily aud of my own
free will, that l was quite happy to go.
You will remember"
You ara keeping something back"
cried Mrs Trafford.
mo, don't think that. Only do what ]