Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-02-06
"TKE DUCHESS"
CHAPTER XIX.-CoNrIrTEp.

Peft, THAT IL was only momep>s folly
passing temptation.
''Were you the temptation" with short
laugh Then all at once touch of passion
breaks up her icy composure. "See! Once
for all, " she says, coming step nearer,
don't imagine that you can impose upon
me. Act your part to the others, blind
them if you will, but don't hope t. take me
in. From the very first moment my eyes
lit on you have seen through you. Your
pretended avoidance of Denis, your care
fully assumed GOODNESS toward him, your
clever little role of petulant dislike; has
been clear TO me, and beneath it what
DO you think" insolently, 81 cou,d not
read your eyes? And what eyes you have"
with gust of bitter haired: 'they tell
what you dare not put into words; ,ey
WOO silently the man you know 10 be in
honor bound u another; they say such
shameless things as you are afraid to utter.
Do you thnl," vehemently, ''taat,
watching you daily, hourly, as | have
done, have not read your secret in them
Yes, cover away fl ON me as you will, YOU
shall hear what have learned-that YOU
love h m"
Norah puts out her hand as if to ward
off blow. "Hah Does that make YOU
shrink? Does that hurt YOU L." vindic-
tive.y, lam glad of it. Now go! And
remember
The insolence of this dismissal rouses in
the Luchess feeling of intolerable indig-
ration.
II shall remember you-forever, she
says, breathlessly-childishl perhaps yet
with n w thering contempt that cuts deep
into the naughty woman before her, las the
most bred person have ever met. +"
Heartsick and wearied by this addition TO
the secret grief she always carries, and
crushed by sense of bitter humiliation it
is because Of n feigned headache that tho
Duchess declares her inability to accom-
pany the others to the military theatricals
at Cloubree that take place this evening
"What has Katherine been doing to
youy'' asks shrewd Miss Blake. looking
down upon very pale little Norah, who is
sitting languidly in huge armchair in the
Library, where they have all assembled,
whilst waiting for the carriages She is
dressed in n very pretty white gown, made
high To he neck, but with no sleeves, and
her face is as white rs her frock
Katherine? Why should you think
that growing crimson. Il am not well;
my head aches, but"
''Never mind Ill let you off the rest.
Fibbing isn't much in your line, " says Miss
Blake, with a sapient nod. II cen wait
anu get III al out OF you UO-nOlTOW'
She moves away with little provoking
glance over her SHOULDER at Norah, as she
Sees Madam De aney approaching with a
rather anxious expression on her face.
II hope you won't feel lonely, darling, I"
:he saws tenderly, bending over Norah.
''Oh, no. / am too tired, ~ with a smile,
ito feel anything"
1.-THE carriage is waiting, aunt, " saws
Miss Cazalet in measured tones, sweeping
up TO them in an exquisite gown Of black
and gold.
Every well, my dear" placdly. "Now,
Norah," turning again with fond glance
70 her other niece, 'you will promise me,
won't you, dearest, 70 go TO bed at once?''
IAN easy promise to give. l wish / was
h il this moment"
.'To confess n terrible truth to you" she
says, II wish with all my heart that toe
in mine. y
She kisses the girl affectionately, and
soon afterward they have all gone out OF
the room; there is the last sound of their
.notsteps in the hall; faint far-otf laugh
inat was Maryland now even the roll OF
the carriages up the avenue has ceased
upon the air.
What curious scene of loneliness has
<allcn upon the house. almost ii seems rs
though the very servants had left it, There
II nolnlHR 10 SIT W. ltls anu vel
in spite of that promise given 50 readily to
Madam Norah cannot bring herself to 90
to bed. The spirit of re tessness has taken
possession of her, and rising from her chair
she wanders in an aimless fashion about the
library, touching n book here trifing with
set of rare prints there, now stirring the
already glowing fire, now staring idly at
the large well-flled bookcases, hut always
and in every case without int rest.
One of the servants rings her presently
cup of tea. which she accepts gladly, yet
after all forgets to drink, aud after that no
one comes 10 disturb her solitude. which is
perhaps the worse thing that could have
happened to her. Left thus entirely alone
with her thoughts, they turn to, and dwell
With a most unhappy persstency upon the
-. ents Of to-day and the past night, paint
ing them in their blacklist colors, until
finally, worn out with grief and misery,
ste sinks upon low lounge and bursts into
bitter weeping
And then. wearied by her EN- otion, hsi
1,ad droops heavily upon the soft cushi os
. the lounge ard rests there gratefu ly,
1ith n happy sense Of relief; and after
svhile that sense of relief turns to kindly
sleep, which, growing on her, she draws
up, half unconscously, her feet TO this well
some restful couch and with n few FAINT
Gas falls into profound slumber