The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-22


lissom. So many things she did Jared
OH her relatives that they were not fully
aware Of the great improvement in her
appearance. Even Richard admitted her
trying at times.
Marion went up to town to stay with
Mrs. Townley, and there had to face
good deal of curiosity. People looked
at her sometimes as if it was she and
not Lali that was an Indian. But she
carried things off bravoly enough and
answered those kind inquiries which
ones friends make when we are i'll en-
barrassing situations with answers so
calm and pleasant that people did not
know what to think
"Yes, " she said in reply to Lady
Balwood, ''her sister-i law might be
i'll town later i'll the year, perhaps be-
fore the season was over. She could not
tell. She was tired after her long yoy-
age, and she preferred the quiet Of Grey
hope. She was fond of riding and coun-
try life, but still she would como to
town for a time, " and so on.
"Ah, dear me, how charming! And
doesn't she resent her husbands alb
sence during the honeymoon, or did
the honeymoon occur before she came
over to England" And Lady Balwood
tried to say it all playfully, and cer-
tainly said it somewhat loudly. She
had daughters.
But Marion was perfectly prepared
Her face did not change expression.
"Yes, they had had their honeymoon
on the prairies. Frank was so fascinat-
cd with the life and the people. He had
not come home at once because he was
making she did not know how great
| fortune over there in investments, and
so Mrs. Armour came on before him,
and, of course, so soon as he could get
away from his business he would follow
his wife.
And though Marion smiled her heart
was very hot, and she could have slain
Lady Balwood in her tracks. Lady Bal
wood then nodded a little patronizingly
and babbled that 'she hoped so much
to see Mrs. Francis Armour. She must
bo so very interesting, the papers said
so much about her.
Now, while this conversation was 60
ing on some one stood not far behind
Marion who seemed much interested
in her and what she said. But Marion
did not see this person. She was startled
presently, however, to hear a strong
voice cay softly over her shoulder,
"What a charming woman Lady Bal
wood is! And so ingenious.
She was grateful, tremulous, proud.
Why had he, Captain Vidal, kept out
Of the way all these weeks just when
she needed him most, just when he
should have played the part Of man?
Then she was feeling twinges at the
heart too She had seen Lady Agnes
Martling that afternoon and had no.
ticed how the news had worn on her.
She felt how much better it had been had
Frank come quietly home and married
her, instead of doing the wild, scan
dalous thing that was making 50 many
heartburnings. A few minutes ago she
had longed for chance to say some
thing delicately acid to Lady Haldwell,
once Julia Sherwood, who was there.
Now there was a chance to give her
bitter spirit tongue. She was glad, she
dared not think how glad, to hear that
voice again, but she was angry, too, and
he should suffer for it, the more so be-
cause she recognized in the tone and
afterward in his face that he was still
absorbingly interested III her. There
was little burst of thanksgiving in
her heart, and then she prepared very
notable commination service in her
mind.
This meeting had been deftly ar
ranged by Mrs. Townley, with the help
of Edward Lambert, who now held her
fingers with kind of vanity Of posses
sion whenever he bade her goodby OF
met her Captain Vidal had, in fact,
been out Of the country, had only been
back week and had only heard Of
Frank Armour S mesalliance from Lam
bert at an ''at home" As hours before.
Mrs. Townley Guessed what was really
at the bottom Of MaTion's occasional
bitterness, and piecing together mary
little things dropped casually by her
friend had come to the conclusion that
the happiness of two people was at stal-e.
When Marion shook hands with Cap
tain Vidal, she had herself exceedingly
well under control She looked at HIN
in slight surprise and casually remark.
cd that they had not CHANGED to meet
lately III the run Of small and earlieS.
She appeared to be unconscious that he
had been out Of the country, and aisC
that she had been till very recently in
deed at Greyhope. He hastened to as.
sure her that he had been away and tc
lay siege to this unexpected barrier.
He knew all about Frank S affair, and
though it troubled him he did not soC
why it should make any difference in
his regard for Frank sister FastidiouS
as ho was in all things, he was fas
tidiously deferential. Not an exquisite,
he had all that vanity as to appear.
ance so usual with the military
man. Himself Of the most perfect tenn
per and sweetness of manner and con
duct, the unusual disturbed him. Not
possessed of a vivid imagination, hC
could scarcely conjure up this Indian
bride at Greyhope
But face to face with Marion Armour
he saw what troubled her, and he de
termined that he would not meet hel
irony with irony, her assumed indiffer
ence with indifference. He had learned
one Of the most important lessons of life
never to quarrel with woman
Whoever has so far erred has been fool
ish indeed. 1t is the worst of policy, Il
say nothing Of its being the worst O.
art, and life should never be without
art. 1t is absurd to be perfectly natural
Anythinr, anvbodv. can be that. Well