The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-09-14

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doing some mad thing in the hour that
she wakened to the secret behind her
marriage.
His apprehensions were not without
cause, for slowly there came into Lali's
mind the element Of comparison. She
became conscious Of it one day when
some neighboring people called at Grey
hope Mrs. Armour, in her sense Of
duty, which she had rigidly set before
her, introduced Lali into the drawing
room. The visitors yelled their curiosi-
ty and said some pleasant casual things
to the young wife, but she saw the half
curious, half furtive glanoes, she caught
sidelong glance and smile, and when
they were gone she took to looking at
herself in mirror, q thing she could
scarcely be persuaded to do before. She
saw the difference between her carriage
and others, her manner Of wearing her
clothes and others, her complexion and
theirs. She exaggerated the difference.
She brooded OH it. Now she sat down
cast and timid and hunted in face as
the first evening she came Now she
appeared restless and excited.
III Mrs. Armour was not exactly SYM
pathetic with her, she was quiet and
forbearing, and General Armour, like
Richard, tried to draw her out--but not
ON the same subjects. He dwelt upon
what she did-the walks she took in
the park those hours in the afternoon
when, with Mackenzie or Colvin, she
vanished into the beeches, making
friends with the birds and deer and
swans. But most of all she loved to 90
to the stables. She was, however, asked
not to go unless Richard or General Ar
mour was with her. She loved horses,
and these were wonder to her. She
had never known any but the wild un-
groomed Indian pony on which she had
ridden in every fashion and over every
kind OF country. Mrs. Armour sent for
a riding master and had riding costumes
made for her. It was intended that she
should ride every day as soon as she
seemed sufficiently presentable. This
did not appear SO very far off. for she
improved daily in appearance. Her hair
was growing finer and was made up in
the modest prevailing fashion. Her
skin, not now exposed to an inclement
climate and subject to the utmost care,
was smoother and fairer Her feet, in
cased in fine, we'll made boots, looked
much smaller, her waist was shaped to
fashion, and she was very straight and
lissom. So many things she did Jared
ON 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
good deal Of curiosity. People looked
ut her sometimes as if il was she and
not Lali that was an Indian. But she
carried things off bravely enough and
answered those kind inquiries which
ones friends make when we are in en-
barrassing situations with answers SO
calm and pleasant that people did not
know what to think.
eyes, " she said in reply to Lady
Balwood, "her sister-in-law might be
in town later in the year, perhaps be-
fore the season was over. She could not
tell. She was tired after her long voy.
age, and she preferred the quiet of Grey
hope. She was fond of riding and coun-
try life, but still she would come to
town for time, F" 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.
eyes, they had had their honeymoon
on the prairies. Frank was so fascinat.
ed with the life and the people. He had
not come home at once because he was
making she did not know how great a
fortune over there in investments, and
so Mrs. Armour came on before him,
ana, 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 little patronizingly
and habbled that 'she hoped so much
to see Mrs. Francis Armour. She must
be 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 say softly over her shoulder,
what charming woman Lady Bal
wood isl 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.