Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-07-26
CHAPTER VIII.

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by and BY"
CHAPTER VIII.
CHAD you LOVED ME ONCE As YoJ HAVE
NOT LovED,n
Gilbert Sinclair said very little to
his wife about the lainting fit. She
was herself perfectly candid upon the
sub. ect. Sir Cyprian was an old friend
"a friend whom she had known ana
liked ever since childhood and Mr..
| Wyatt's news had quite overcome her.
She did not seem to consider it neces-
sary to apologize for her emotion,
If have been oyereXerting myself u
little lately, or should scarcely have
tainted, however sorry felt, she said,
quietly and Gilbert wondered at her
self-possession, but was not the less
convinced that she had loved that she
still did loye-Cyprian Davenant. He
watched her closely after this TO see if
he could detect signs Of hidden grief,
but her manner insociety had losG none
of its brightness, and when the Har-
court expedition was next spoken Of
she bore her part in the conversation
wi h perfect ease.
Mr., and Mrs Sinclair let Davenant
early in May for q charming house in
Park Lane, furnished throughout in
delicate tints of white and green, like
u daisy-sprinkled meadow, in early
spring, style in which the upholster-
er had allowed full scope to the senti-
mentality Of his own nature, bearing
| in mind that the house was to be occu-
pied by q newly married couple. Mrs.
Sinclair declared herself perfect
ly satisfied with the house, and Mrs.
Sinclairs friends we're in raptures with
it. She instituted Thursday evening
supper after the opera, whic was an
immense success, and enjoyed a popu-
larity that excited some envy on the
part OF unmarried beauties. Mrs. Wal
singham heard of the Thursday even
ing parties, and saw her beautiful
rival very often at the opera, but she
heard from James Wyatt that Gilbert
Sinclair spent great deal OF his time
at his club and made point of attend
ing all the race meetings, habits that
did not augur well for his domestic
happiness,
He will grow tired of her, as he did
| VI hllOuR llb Val ~ w dlolllB lldllls
But Gilbert was in no way weary of
his wife. He loved her as passionately
as he had loved her at the first with
an eXactng selfish passion, it is true,
but with all the intensity of which his
nature was capable. If he had lived
in the good old feudal days he would
have shut her up in some lonely turret
chamber, where no one but himself
could approach her. He knew that
she did not love him; and with his own
affection for her there was always
mingled an angry sense OF her GOODNESS
and lngratitude.
The London season came to an end
once more, and Mr.. and Mrs, Sinclair
went back to Davenant Nothing had
been heard of Sir Cyprian or his com
panions throughout the summer, and
Gilbert had ceased to trouble himself
about his absent rival. The man was
dead in all probability, and it was
something more than folly to waste a
thought upon him. So things went on
pleasantly enough, until the early
spring gave a baby daughter to the
master Of Davenant, much to his dis
appointment, as he ardently desired a
son and heir.
The birth of this infant brought q
new sense of joy to the mind of Con-
stance Sinclair She had not thought
it possible that the child could give
her 70 much happiness. She devoted
herself to her baby with a tenderness
which was at first very pleasing to her
husband, but which Became by and by
distasteful to him. He grew Jealous Of
the child's power to absorb so much al
lection from one who had never given
, him the love he longed for. The eX-
istence of his daughter seemed to
bring him no nearer to his wife. The
time and attention which she had given
J to society she now gave to her child;
but her husband was no more to her
than he had ever been, little less,
} perhaps, as he told himself angrily in
the course Of his gloomy meditations,
t Mrs. Walsingham read the an.
I nouncement of the infants birth in
extreme bitterness of spirit and when
: James Wyatt next called upon her she
t asked him what had become of his
= promise that those two should be part
} ed by his agency,
t The lawyer shrugged his shoulders
e deprecatingly. 81 did not tell you tha'
: the parting should take place within
any given time, he said; but it shall
o go hard with me If do not keep my
l. promise,sooner or later.
J. He had indeed not been idle. The
e wicked work which he had set himsel
g to do had progressed considerably. l
was he who always contrived in a sub
}" tie manner, to remind Gilbert Sinclair
L of his wife's GOODNESS toward himsel
and to hint at her affection for anoth
s err, while seeming to praise and defent
n her. Throughout their Acquaintance,
l. his wealthy client had treated hin
ID with selfish Indifference and a cool
unconscious insolence, that had gale
ir him to the quick, and he took a mall
VI cious pleasure in the discontinue whic'
,u Sinclair had brought upon himself b
h. his marriage When the Sinclairs re
ID turned to London, some months afte
20 the birth of the child, James Wyatt
contrived to make himself more tina
O. ever necessary to Gilbert who ha
On taken TO play higher than of old, an
d. who now slsnt four evenings out OF tn
Six lawful dava at n notorious WhiI