Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-03-22
AT WAR With HERSELF.
The Story Of a WOman's AtOnement,
by Charlotte N. Braeme.
cnAprrR XXyn-ContInued.

CHAPTER AANll--COnInueus
She was no countess after ali; the
rorgeous fabric Of wealth and magni-
fIcence had crumbled to nothing be-
meath her feet. She was no countess
nothing but Leonie Rayner; the grand
inheritance of Crown Leighton was
not hers, after all; she who had
layished thousands on petty caprlces
and graceful iancies had not one shil-
ling IN the world that was legally her
own. i
81 was so happy moaned the girl
II was 30 happy, and now
Then rose before her the dim vista
Of years when poverty and privatlon
would be her lot--hard work, toll,
obscurity her portion-an this after
she had reigned queen OF the bright,
cav world. She was too stunned for
tears-no words could describe the
chaos OF her thoughts, the whirl OF her
emotion. No longer o countess-no
longer the mistress of that superb
mansion no longer queen no longer
one OF the richest heiIe5ses in England,
of whose wealth men spoke with won
der. 1t was as great Il fall as woman
ever had. Two minutes before she mad
reached the climax of magnilicence
and grandeur. peerless in her radiant
beauty. dressed in the robes and
Jewels of queen. Now, what was
she? An usurper an intruder, an
interloper. She had no right to Crown
Leighton-no right to the diamonds
that crowned her-no right TO the
name that had been as music in her
ears a cry Of despair escaped her
utter, hopeless despair.
81 will kill myself, she said, in her
anguish; FOR never can go back to
that life again.
How long she crouched there, her
brain burning and her mind full OF
dark, confused thoughts, Leonie never
knew. A noise upon the stairs aroused
her, and she started up.
Her first honest impulse was to rush
down through the crowd, to tell Paul
Flemyng. and TO place the will in his
hands. That was her first impulse,
and she rose to act upon it, AS she
passed the Urge mirror, she caught
glimpse of herself and it frightened
her. Was that the radiant, beautiful
girl she had seen so short q time be-
fore? All the bloom had died from her
face, leaving it ghastly white; the vio-
lot eyes were dim and wild; the light
seemed to her excited fancy to have
faded from her jewels. Oh, cruel
mockety, that diadem Of gems, those
queenly robes, She laughed to her
self--a harsh, discordant laugh, UNI
pleasant to hear.
81 am no longer a countess. | am
penniless, obscure, pauper not a
queen.
1t was surely the sorest blow that
could have befallen her, She had
loved her position her magnitlcence,
so we'll. She had enjoyed them so well
she had graced them so prefectly.
II will 90 and put this in his hands,"
she said, "and then I will go straight
out from that brilliant crowd-out to
cold darkness and death. l have drunk
of the wine OF life, and cannot taste the
lees"
Was there hot breath on her white
shoulder, or was it only her fancy?
Was there a voice Kissing in her ear,
or was it delusion? What was the
voice saying?
"Let it be as it is for one night longer.
Go.down and complete your triumph
god0Wn where men wait for you with
honeyed words. Reign queen tonight
tomorrow let poverty come and do
its worst. There is no need to make u
sensation among all those people--no
need, to publish your downfall tonight. T"
Was there Kissing, sharp voice
whispering these words, or was it her
own fancy? She pushed the diadem
and the golden-brOwn hair from her
hroW,,
MANY O. woman would have been
driven. mad by such shock, she said
to herself.
Then she stood hesitating, with the
parchment in her hand.
"Shall | take it to him now, or shall
| wait until tomorrow?
Tomorrow will do" said the
tempter. What difference can it
make? Enjoy your reign a few hours
iOnger--make the most of the next few
hours Leave it until tomorrow
Il might Just as we'll wait until to-
morrow, she said, piteously; "it would
be so sad to spoil the fete and turn all
into confusion.
Then sudden hot anger flushed in
her face and famed in her eyes.
Il would fain do as Sardanapalus
did" she cried" burn Crown Leighton
TO the ground, and die in the ruins.
Then the fierce hot anger died Il was
SO happy" she said, despairingly;
Heaven might have let me keep what
believed to be mine. Perhaps l had
better take this to Paul at once-it
will be less torture than keeping it by
me until tomorrow"
She walked toward the door; she
saw herself seeking him, placing the
will in his hand, and saluting him by
his new title-Earl of Charnleigh.
Then came vivid remembrance of the
time when her heart had thrilled with
ecstasy at the sound of her title.
Il will not be so hasty-I will wait
until tomorrow, she said; Il will en-
Joy these few hours, and then"
In the anguish of the moment she
even forgot her love and the lover who
was waiting for her. She took the
parchment, hid it in the wardrobe,
locked the door, and then slowly de-
scended the stairs.
Tomorrow, she moaned to herself
sit will be all over tomorrow.
CHAPTER XVIII.
"Leonie, how long you have been,