Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1894-04-06

20 tired. Oh, Bertram, how that music
SO tired"
my darling, you have boon doing
Q much. Your spirits carry you
away, and then you are exhausted. Do
not go back to the ball-room-let me
bring you some wine and rest yourself.
L Will not even speak to you, MOI will 1
allow any one else to tease vou."
NO. no." she said, II must go back
I have been away SO long"
She made a desperate effort to rouse
herself. He looked at her in silent
wonder. She reminded him of q fair
and blooming flower blighted by some
cool, frosty wind. The bloom and radi-
ance had left her face-cven the queen-
ly. graceful figure seemed to shrink
and grow less, while the regal robes
and jewels had lost half their bright
ness.
"Ieonie," said Sir Bertram, "you
brighten me. 1 am quite sure you are
II am not. Do as you propose-go
and fetch me some wine, and bring it
to mo in the morning-room."
He placed her in chair, and left her
without u word. Her brain was whirl-
ing u,u
1O-mOrfOW, Snc Salu-"all this VIII
be over tomorrow. Ishall be aattered
and lovcd[I shall be queen of q brill
liant fete-I shall be mistress of Crown
Leighton until tomorrow; and then all
will be over, and tho sun of my life set,
Tomorrow. Shall l live to face it ali
tho comments, the g~ossips, the
sneers! These fine ladies who protest
that / am o model of graceful manners,
will find Out then that | am lOw-brcd
and very deficient-what has passed
for animation will become vulgarity.
| know tho world, and hate it while 1
love it. Its triumph over me shall not
begin tonight. For this one night it
shall be at my feet, and l will trample
| on it."
Then Sir Rertram came in with tho
wine, and she drank it. 1t brought the
warmth and color back to her face,
He was much relieved.
You r better, Leonie. Oh, my
darling, you must v look that way
again! Promise to be careful of your
self; you are not strong. You alarmed
me when | saw you. / thought the
peared to YOU"
A deep, fearless sob broke from her
lips:
"The ghost of the oak-room," she re-
peated, w%earily-"I saw it, and it has
nearly killed me-"
he thought her manner strange, but
ascribed it all to over-fatiguc. He
drew nearer to her, and rearranged her
diadem, which had half fallen from
the fair, stately head.
"You have all a queens dignity, and
all q woman's CHARM" he said. sOh,
Leonic, was any n ever so fair and
SO peerless as you?"
She smiled; the wine had given her
a kind Of courage that she mistook for
strength.
Are my jewels all in order, or need
I send for Florette?" she asked, care
lessly.
They arc in perfect order. Your
appearance o is my care, Leonie; it
| concerns no one but myself"
He did not know what had happened.
What would he say or think when he
poor and obscure Leonie Rayner, the
ex-governess? Would it make any diff
ference to his love?
She looked up at him.
Give me your arm, Bertram. 1 must
go to the ballroom. Hank! that is my
~favorite waltz. Tell me before you 90
do you love me very much?:"
A beautiful light came into his face.
"You will never know how much.
sweet"
would you care just as much for me
If ! were very poor, and you knew me
only as Leonie Rayner?:"
"Just as much," he replied, my love
does not depend on your circumstances.
If yon we're made queen tomorrow, I
should love you just as dearly; and if
tomorrow you became q beggar, it
would make no difference in my atfec-
tion--nay, l am wrong-I should love
you all the BETTER"
as it true?:" she asked.
"Most assuredly it is; the only thing
I should regret in that case would be
that I am not a rich man-that 1 could
not surround you with all the luxury
and magniiceqce to which you have
been accustomed"
"Are you not rich, Bertrand" she
asked, w%istfully.
He laughed.
mo. my queen-not what people call
rich, in these luxurious times; my es-
tates are mortgaged. I wish that I
were rich enough to purchase the
whole world, so that I might endow
you with it,"
"You shall not spoil that compliment
by any other" she said; I'VE viii go.
Where is my programme? I have
missed two dances. I have to apollo
gize to two gentlemen. The next is
the sLancers,' and I am engagedto Lord
Ho!dene. He ought to thank me for
these silver buckles"
Then from the very depths Of her
young heart there came q most woeful
sigh. If he had never asked for those
buckles, that will would perhaps never
have come to light.
For a few minutes after she re-en-
tered the ballroom, Leonie stood be-
wilde.ed Then she recovered her
self. Lord Holdene anne up and
Offered a hundred apologies for having
mentioned the silver buckles. She
looked up at him with a vague. dreamy
smile, as though she did not even UNI
derstand the words. She was think
ing to herself that it was not his fault
that it was not what people would
call fate or chance that had led her to
the darkroom, but the very hand o
Providence, and he had been led
thither in order that justice might be