Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-11-09
patty Of her maid was offered to the lone.

pHthN VA IVA bAntA Wet1 VAAtA0a " thG ipn0~
ly wife.
With the welfare of Iris as her one end
Ia view Fanny Mere honestly believed
IL would be better and safer for Lady
Harry IL she and her husband finally de-
cided on living separate lives. The longer
my lord persisted in keeping the doctor
with him rs his guest. the more perilous-
lg he wns associated with q merciless
wretch who would be capable of plotting
the ruin of any one-man or oma high
person or low p~ersou-who might happen
TO be m obstacle in his way. So far as a
person in her Sit uation could venture on
taking the liberty the maid did her best to
widen he reach between her master and
her mistress.
While Fanny was making the attempt
TO influence Indy Harry. aud onlv pro
ducing irritation as the result, Nimpaus
was eXerting stronger powers o, per.
suasioD in the effort 10 prejudice the
irish lord against any proposal for recon.
ella ion which might reach him through
his wife.
II find m ~unforgiying temper in FOUR
charming lady, the doctor declared. 'lt
doesn't Snow itself on tue surface, my dear
fellow, but there IL Is. Take "A wise al
vantage OF circumstinces--say you Will
raise no announcement objections If she
wants "A separation by mutual consenf.
Now don't misunderstood me. only re
commend the sort of separation wh,ch will
suit our convenience. You know MS well
as do that you can whistle your wife back
again"
Mr.. Vimpany's FREUD was rude enough
TO interrupt him there.
~ call that a coarse way Of putting It,"
Lord Harry iDterposed.
Put 1t how you like for yourself" the
doctor rejJined. Lady Harr, may be
persuaded to- come back 10 you when we
want her for our grand project. In the
me tntime Qor / am always a considesate
man where women are concerned) we act
deiicately towards my lady IN sparing her
the discovery of-wnat shall 1 call our
coming enterprsef-venturcsome y|iilainy,
which might ruin you ia your wife's es-
tiulation. Do you see our situation now,
Is 1t really isy Very well. Pass the bot
tie and drop the subject for the present."
The next morning brought with 1t ny
event which demolished the doctors In
genious arrangement for the dismissal OF
Iris from the scene Of action. Lord and
Lady Harry encountered each other acct
deutallv on the stairs.
DISTRESSING herself IL she ventured TO
look at him Iris turned her eyes from
her husband. He misinterpreted the ac-
tiOn as an expression OF contempt. Anger
at once inclined him TO follow Mr.. Vimp.
anvS advice.
lie occac! the door ~ he dining-room.
tfilDAN AT lUib HDllltJNs nun Ablt IT'S
that he wished to speak with her. What
his villaiuOus friend had suggested that
he should say, on the subject OF n separ-
alton. he now repeated with a repellent
firmness which he was far from really
feeling. The acting was bad, bat the effect
was produced. For the first time his wife
spoke TO him..
DO YOU really mean it," she asked.
The tone in which she said those words.
sadly aud regretfnli7 telling its tale OF
uncomfortable surprise: the tender re
membrance of past happy dys i'm her
eyes; the quivering pain, expressive of
wounded love, that parted her lips in the
effort to breathe freely, touched his
heart, try as he might in the wretched
pride of the moment to conceal it. He was
silent.
"lf you are weary OF our married life,"
she continued. ''say 50, and let Us part. !
will 20 awar. without entreaties aud with
out reproaches. Whatever pain | nav
feel YOU snail not see it!' A passing flush
crossed her face aud left it pale again.
She tre mbled under the consciousness OF
returning loye-the bliud love that had 50
cruelty misled bert At a moment when
she most needed firmness. her heart was
sinking; she resisted, struggled. recover
ell herself. Quietly, aud even firmly. she
claimed his decision. Does you silence
mean" she asked, that you wish me TO
leave you?'
No man who had loved her as tenderly
as her husband had loved her coull nave
resisted that touching self-contrOl. He
answered his wife without utterin2 $
word-he held out his arms to her. THe
fatal reconciliation Was accomplished in
silence.
The post Of the mex morning brought
with il two letters.
One of them bore the postmark Of Lon
don. and was addressed TO Lldy Harry
Norlaud. IL WAS written by Mrs. Nimp-
any. and il contained "A few liues added by
Hugh MountjJy. my strength is slow
in returning TO me-, he wrote; but my
kind and devoted nurse says tlat all dan
ger OF Infection Is at an end. 1ou NAV
write again TO your old friend If Lord
Harry sees no objection, rs harmless as in
tue happy past time. Ny weak hand be-
gins 10 tremble already. How glad | shall
be to hear from you, IL Il, happily for me,
quite needless to i'd"
I'm her delight at receiving this good
news Iris impulsively assumed hat her
husband would give ii a kindly welcome
on his side. Sac insisted on reading the
letter u him. lie said coldly. ii an glad
10 hear Of Mr.. MountjOy's recovery" and
took up the newspaper. Was this un-
worthy jealousy still strong enough TO
master MIN even AT that moment His
wife had forgotten il. Why had he not
forgot en- il. too?
On the same day Iris replied to Hugh,
with the confidence and affection OF the
bygone time before her marriage. After
closing aud addressin. the envelope, SHE
found that her small store OF postage
stamps was exhausted, and sent for her
maid. Mr.. Vimpany happened TO pass the
open door of her room. wnile she Was ask
Jug for a stamp; he heard Fanny say that
she was not able to accommodate her mis-
tress. ALLOW me 10 make myself useful
the polite doctor suggested. He produced
"A stamp, aud fixed IL himself on the en-
yelope. When ne had proceeded on his
way downstairs, Fanny's distrust or him
Insisted on expressing itself.
"He wanted To had out what person
you have written to-" she said. Let
me make orr letter safe IN the post" In
five minutes more il was in the box at the
office.
While these trifiing events were in
course OF progress, Mr.. Nimpany had gone
INTO the garden 10 read the secoud OF the
two letters, delivered that morning. "A al
dressed to himself. Ga her return from
the p~ost-ofice, Fanny had opportunities OF
observing aim while LIE was IN the green
house, trying to revive the perishlng How
e~rs-neglected in the past days OK domes-
tic rouDie.
Noticing her, after he had read his letter
over for the second time. Mr.. Vimpany
sent the maid into the cottage to say that
lie wished to speak with her master. Lord
Harry Joined hin in the garden-looked
tat the ietter--and, handing IL back, turned
away. The doctor followed him, and
said something which seemed TO be re
ceived with objection. Mr.. Vimpany
persisted nevertheless, aud apparently
carried his point. The two gentlemen
consulted the railway timetable, and hur'
Fed away Together, ~ catch the train tc
Paris.
Fanny Mere returned TO the conservatory
and ausently sunle her employment
among the flowers. On what evil GRAND
had the doctor left the cottage' Aud why,
on this occasion. had he taken the master
with himy
The time had been when Fanny might
have tried to set these questions at rest
by boldly following the two gentlemen
TO Paris, trusting 10 her veil, 10 her luck
aud to the choice OF u separate carriage
in the train TO escape notice. but although
her iil-judged interference with the do
nestle affairs of Lady Harry a been
forgiven, she had not been received again
into favor unreservedly. Conditions were
imposed which forbade her to express any
| opinion on her masters conduct, aud
which imperalively ordered her TO leave
the protection OF her mistress--if protec,
ton was really needed-in his lordship's
competent hands.
II gratefully appreciate your kind In
tentions." Iris had said. with her custom
AIRY tenderness OF regard for the feelings
| Of others, but | never wish to c again
Of Mr.. vimpany, or OF the strange sus-