Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-05-30

I truth. she lldu sent away ttle carriage,
as, Of course, her coachman and foot
man would witness against her, liking
to walk across the Heath, and thinking
( ii would be a great lark TO come home
( by herself, by the underground"
I And you told me. Gerald, never 70
+ do it again" she Whispered sorrow
4 FULLY, only comfortel at all by his
close clasp and soft kisses. 81 went
10 the housed row of smallish houses
! where | expected to find old Mrs
Ray, our rector's widow and found
her gore. Then | Iost my way to the
station. and got there rather late-you
remember, | told YOU
II know. darling What did you
wear, DO YOU repember?'
MY long sealskin. ii was cold that
cay in March, and the sealskin toque :"
Gerald sat silent and thoughtful
stroklng her bright hair the whilst. 1t
4 was all terrible near thing. and
either there was some shameless per-
Jury. or it was a case of mistaken
Identity.
The case. OF course, excited the most
intense interest. The Egertons were
so we'll known. the relations between
Gerald and his wife always consid-
cred so perfectly satisfactory, that the
name Of Lady Hyacinth dragged into
the divorce court, was Il bombshel
coming down in the midst of society
Society was aghast, and was hope
lesSly divided as to the evidence to be
given 10 the report.
7 Many stoutly believed in her; others
were shaken: others sneered and said:
''oh, these virtuous women know how
to keep things quiet others said
sadly. who are we to believe in?"
4 All the time that ella psed before the
trial, Hyacnth bore herself bravely
and calmly though heaven only knows
what 1t was to her to do soto
face the world she knew was critics.
ing her talking her over. weighing
pros and cons as to whether she was
a faithful wife or no.
She and Gerald went about together
as usual. neither more or less.
She shrank from no invitations
smiled ana talked, and If graver than
her wont that was no more than
natural TO 4 woman over whose head
hung terrible charge-one that If
/ proved, whether true or not. would
blast her name and her husbands
honor to the world, and cast a shadow
on her childrcn'S name.
1t was a terrible ordeal for that
pure woman. wife and mother to
stand in court accused of a sin So
horrible 10 her 10 face those hundreds
to be questioned ana cross-cXamined
on such a charge.
Those who knew her best wondered:
and in all his agony for her. for the
honor Of his name, Gerald. her hus-
band, must feel thrill of passionate
admiration for the noble steadfastncss
81 his Wife
But alas. 1t availed her nothing: toe
many independent witnesses had seen
her that day.
She was SO remarkable, SO beautiful.
that everyone would notice her
One man had seen her get out Of
her carriage, and had heard her tell
the coaclman To drive home Return
Ing little while afterwards he had
seen her enter ut the garden gate Of
the house named. described her dress,
everything.
The servant ut the house gave evi.
dence that seemed 10 set her guilt
beyond a doubt.
Ana SO on, through a chain Of eyi,
dence. against which a bare denial
sounded 50 pitifully lmpotent.
The respondent called looked at Lady
! IIyacinth, and said of course that was
the lady he hau met.
And Hyacnth's story about return.
ing by the underground sounded 50
lame.
she thought II would be fun" she
had never been on it before-she
missed her way.
The poor young wife in despair read
incrcdulity in every face all but one;
those dark eyes looked at her with
Steadfast faith. and only that gave
her strength.
Well the long agony was over at
last.
The girl stepped down blindlyto
feel her hand taken IN her husband :
firm warm clasp.
Courage, my child"
She heard the low whisper and sba
rallied then and was calm
In the teeth Of So much evidence Of
her participatlons in guilt what was
the worth of her denial of her pas
Sionate protest
Mrs Murray got her decree; judge
and jury, most friends and the public
alike ruled Lady Hyaciuth Egerton
guilty Gerald Egerton's name and
honor blasted
lie sWore il there was God in
Heaven liz would have justice yet,
lie would have the matter sifted to
the bottom; aud the people said Ne
,vaS {tt Il, tt1ufa1 Ia ltplittyp In his wife