The Globe-republican., 1891-11-19

che cannot escape-til . strong hand
comes from afar, to open and set her
free!"
Pale as death, the ladies looked at
each other.
~What can he mean?" whispered Viva.
@Nothing, nothing but the rawlings OF
fever, faltered Lady Dunraven; but to
herself she said: sIs this . prophecy?
Is deliverance at hand?"
CHAPTER III.
You'd swear,
As her delicate feet in the dance twin kle
round,
That her steps are of light and her home
And she only par complatsdnce touches the
@Alice, is that Lord Inchcape? See,
your husband is going to meet him
there by the private door,"
ayes, it is indeed that unfortunate
man. We had not ventured to expect
him, although We always send him invi-
tationS Dear heaven! what q wreck of
his former self! Laura, can read in
his face that his heart is broken"
The two ladies who exchanged these
remarks were, Alice, the wife of Squire
Crecy of Stafford, and The hostess of the
occasion; and Laura Dellamere. q beau
tiful widow of 81
They were longtime intimates, and
had many chords of sympathy between
them.
"Eive years since he left England, in
the zenith eff a useful and abe public
life, with his sweet yJung wife,, contin-
ued Mrs. Crecy: "then came the mysteri-
GUS calamity which has blighted him,
and snatched her from his side. Sweet
loyal soul! All, Laura, you and knew
how truly she loved her lord.
Each heart knoweth its own bitter
ness" answered Mrs Dellamere, her
proud face paling; "and If my lord had
cause fOr-shame" (she whispered the
word after a momentary struggle with
herself), "he has hidden it we'll.
"He never had. through EngelOnde,
never, never!" exclaimed Alice Crecy,
with energy! "If the faintest shadow
Of blame ever fe / Upon her, it was
through the wicked folly of that era
ven"
Hush! Don't utter that name, inter-
rupted Mrs. Dellamere, the blood mant-
ling to her brow. II know to whom you
refer, though what your grounds for
suspicion in that quarter are l cannot
guess.
Mrs. Crecy was silent, her sweet face
Swallowed with the sadness Of her
thoughts, for her friends challenge had
thrown open q gate in the past, through
which crowded "reminiscences little sus-
pected by the proud Laura, and not for
worlds would she have Inundated her
by betraying her knowledge of her sad
secret.
Mrs. Dellamere eyed her searchingly.
and. perceiving that she did not int md
to speak, remarked:
81 have noticed that your suspicious of
the Colonel date from the day Of his de-
parture from Stafford. Is it not SOP"
"Perhaps it is" faltered Mrs. Crecy;
Sat all events l am convinced that a
great wrong was committed by that
man. and that an innocent lady was
made to suffer the consequences.
"Innocent!" repeated Laura Della
mere. in an indescribable tone.
ayes, innocent, white. fawless as
truth ITSELF" said Mrs. Crecy, firmly.
II would pledge my life upon that. But
surely you are mad to breathe such a
theme here. Hush. Forget, it, DEAR.
my Lord Inchcape CONES"
These two ladies were seated side by
side in two great blue easy chairs, in the
center of brilliant company: the pace
was the little gem theater in Dorman
the Crecy residence, and the occasion
was a grand entertainment given to the
Local gentry by the Squire and his wife.
in honor of their only sons return home
from the university for the last time.
A fairy extravaganza was about to be
performed by several of the youthful
bellies and beaux of the neighbOrhood,
and the goodly company were enjoying
light talk while waiting for the azure
and silver act-drop curtain to rise upon
fairy land.
"Faith! 1 take this as very kind of
YOU" exclaimed the jolly Squire. who
had hustled forward to meet Lord Inch
cape, and he grasped the pale, sinewy
hand his lordship offered with warmth
that might have crushed the f1abby MEM
Der Of fine gentleman.
81 wanted to see your boy, Hail." re-
piled Inchcape, his dark unsmiling eyes
softening little as they met the simple
delight expressed in the SQuire's.
Nineteen now, isn't he? I've heard
Edgar Arden speak about him-he likes
him."
"Auberon's his mothers boy There
amt much of rough cd Hal in him."
said the father, proudly. "But come
along, George; won't Alice be pleased?"
He led him down the aisle towards
Mrs. Crecy. a murmur of surprise and
interest following them.
The Earl of Inchcape was still in the
prime of life: noble martial carriage
and the easy grace which is learned in
courts, spoke of time not far past
when he must have participated in all
that was most stirring and glittering in
life: and yet, as he walked down the
center Of that gazing throng, he might
have come from the antipodes so struck
were they by his appearance in public,
and so sternly unresponsive was he to
all their glances
But his proud mien altered when he
stood before Alice Crecy and Laura Del
lamere-they were indissolubly linked
with time when his earthly felicity was
at its zenith
These two fair women had been the
favorite associates of his wife, En-
gelonce. his beautiful young wife whom
the world had for five years deemed
dead. The lady had been his second
wife a fascinating American; and for