Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-02-27

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Mr. Mountjoy," she said sternIy, You
insult me by asking the question. Dear
Miss Henley" she continued, turning to
Iris, you will do me justice | am sure.
Am / capable of allowing my own feelings
10 stand in the way, Wnen your tiliai duty
is concerned? Leave me, my sweet friend.
90! | entreat you, go homer
She retired up the stage-no, no; she
withdrew to the other end of the room
and burst into the most becoming of all
human tears-theatrical tears. Impulsive
Iris fastened to comfort the pers0nifca-
ton of self-sacrifice, the model of all that
was most unselfish in female submission.
For shame! for shamep' she whispered,
as she passed Mountjoy
Beaten again by Mrs. Vimpany-with no
ties of relati nship to justify resistance
TO Miss Henley: with two women against
him, lntrenched behind the privileges of
their SeX-the one last sacrifice of his own
feelings, in the interests of Iris. that Hugh
could make was to control the impulse
which naturally urged him to leave the
house. In the helpless position in which
he had now placed himself, he could only
wait to see what course Mrs Vimpany
might think it desirable to take Would
she request him, in her most politely ma
liciOus way, to bring his visit to an end?
No: she looked at him-hesitated- direct
ed furtive glance towards the view of
the street from the window-smiled mys-
teriously-and completed the sacrifice of
her own feelings in these words:
Dear Miss Henley, let me help you to
pack up"
Iris positively refused
No" she said. 81 don't agree with Mr..
MountjOy. My father leaves it to me to
name the day when we meet. l hold you,
my dear, to our engagement don't leave
an affectionate friend as / might leave a
stranger"
Even if Mr.. Mountjoy communicated his
discoveries to Miss Henley on the way
home there would be no danger now of
her believing him. Mrs. Vimpany put
her powerful arm round the generous
Iris, and, with infinite grace, thanked her
"Your kindness will make my lonely lot
in life harder than ever to BEAR" she MUIR
INJURED, ''When you are gone"
tBut we may hope to meet in London, !"
Iris reminded her; unless Mr.. Vimpany
alters his mind about leaving this place -
My husband will not do that, dear He
IS determined to try his luck, as he says,
in London. In the meantime you will
give me your address, won't you? Per
haps you will even promise to write to
me?"
Iris instantly gave her promise, and
wrote down her address in London.
Mountjoy made no attempt to interfere;
it was needless.
If the maid had not fallen i'll on the
journey, and if Mrs. Vimpany had follow
ed Miss Henley to London, there would
have been little to fear in the discovery of
her addreSs-and there was little to fear
now. The danger to Iris was not in what
might happen while she was living under
her fathers roof but in what might han
pen if she was detained (by plans for ex-
cursiOns) in MIR. Vimpany's house, until
Lord Harry might join her there.
Rather than permit this to happen.
Hugh Gn sheer DESPERATION meditated
charging Mrs. Vimpany, to her face,
with being the Irish lords spy, and prov
ing the accusation by challenging her to
produce the registered letter and the dia-
mOnd pin.
While he was still struggling with his
own reluctance TO inflict this degrad-
! ing exposure on woman, the talk between
| the two ladies came toan end. Mrs. Vimp-
| any returned again to the window. On
this occasion, she looked out into the street
with her handkerchief twas it used as a
signalO exhibited in her hand. Iris, on
her side, advanced to Mountjov. Easily
moved to anger, her nature was incapable
of sullen perseverance in a state of enmity
To see Hugh still patiently waiting-still
rist1ing the chances of insult-devoted to
her. and forgiving her-was at once a re-
proach that punished Iris, and mute
appeal that no true Woman's heart could
| resist.
With tears in her eyes, she said to him:
! "There must be no GOODNESS between you
and me. | lost my temper, and spoke
shamefully to you. My dear, am indeed
| sorry for it. You are never hard on me-
you won't be hard on me now?"
She offered her hand to him. He had
just raised it to his lips-when the draw
ing-room door was roughly opened. They
both looked round.
The man of all others whom Hugh least
desired to see was the man who now en-
tered the room. The victim of Eight
claret"-privately directed to lurk in the
street. until he saw handkerchief f1utter-
ing at the window-had returned to the
house; primed with his clever wife's in
structions; ready and eager to be even
with Mountjoy for the dinner at the inn.