The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1895-08-17

4 CHAPTER Nil. tContinucd)
Il am no sensitive young girl. Lady
/ Darlington She said at length. with a
kind If slow bitterness. Ito shrink from
expressing my feelings and | think you
viii admit that your brother has deceived
mo. basely. treacherously. He had DC
I0ubt found il convenient TO lead his cred
itJrs - believe that he was on the point
Of marriage with a rich widow. aud 81
gain time for the settlement Of his affairs.
Tor this he did not hesitate 10 make me
an object Of remark 10 all the company
at his house when was his guest.
Il am not surprised at anything you
SAY" cried Lady Darlington. greatly dis
trrssed and even alarmed at the sup
pressed. concentrated fury which she per
cniyyd under Mrs. Ruthven's carefully
preserved seIf-coutrol. Il am infinitely
ashamed Of Clifford; but. indeed, he i IN
every way incapable OF making the use
yuu suggest Of his position with you. lie
is the mvreSt slave Of his whms and fan
cy IL. w-s know. greatly taken with
ypu: ana then an that horrid business
of the robbery kept You apart, and he fell
in with \ora-and- il is all beyond
my comprehension, 1t makes me perfect
ly III when think Of Chfford's unuttera-
bic folly. | had. indeed, hoped to call You
my sister"
Il think YOU are honest. and alive 10 the
advantages that marriage with me offers.
| shall always consider you my friend.
As To your brother, | have made up my
mind how To act He will find | am not
20 be trihcd with: but must gather a
little more strength before | can deal
with The matter
surely. my dear Mrs. Ruthyen. no
legal redress could possibly atone for the
wrong DONE: said Lady Darlington. in
uncertain accents. very different from her
usual decided tone, 50 appalled, was she
by the prospect of the commonplace yul-
-aTty of an action in court
Are you afraid of a breach of promise
trial." was her guests cpunter-queStipn,
accompanied by . mocking, contempmous
laugh That would be a very weak and
Inefficient payment of the debt | owe Mr..
Mar~dcn hut | viii not allow myself 70
speak more on the subject 1t must be
most painful 70 YOU; it is too much for me.
| can write no more to-day. May trust
5p yonr kindness to send for Sir Harley
rorrman: And Will YOU be SO good as to
ask Nir=uie to bring ne my MEDICINE:
must resi- and be quite quiet now"
Lady Darlington felt herself dismissed.
II she had gone 10 Mrs. Ruthyen in an
anxious. angry frame of mind. She left her
with Il sense Of danger and trouble intonsi-
fed tenfold. The change in Mrs. Ruth
yeu'S manner from its ordinary carrssins
spftnc>s To the abrupt decision Of one who
knew her power and would use it. seemed
, l.. r},.. : .
( higher breeding from under the elder
woman's feet. Mrs Ruthycn was. in
deed, not to be triticd with The vague
ness of her threats made Lady Dorriuy-
ton still more uneasy. bid she know of
amy crooked corners in Clifnrd's conduct
which would brand him with disgrace.
We're they known and blazonod abroad :
II SO, how mercieSS she would be. i
wish never had had anything to DO with
her, thought Lady Dorrington. as She sat
down IN the refuge Of her own morning
room. 1t is useless TO try and help
( Clifford He is hopeless. But | think |
/ must send him line Of warming | am
really afraid of that woman. | shall
never care To be with her again. She was
naturally angry, and do not wonder mt it;
5ut there was murdcrouS look in her
/
, OF Eastern blood, How unprincipled II
/ was Of Mrs. L'Estrange and Nora to at
tract Clifford They are quite aware that
! am most anxious he should marry Mrs
/ Ruthven, quite; yet they set themselves
/ against me; and have been 50 fond of
Nora, and 50 kind to Der too"
Here her reflections became chaotic,
/ Though of the strong minded order Of
/ women, Lady Darlington had both family
PRIDE and family affection in abundance.
i III" idea Of open scandal or disgrace
I attacking her brother was intoIprahle.
( ana her anxiety TO shield him was not one
/ Whit lesSened by her Indignation and
wrath win his inconsiderate folly.
Clifford Marsdcn meantime sped Lon
( tonWari, we'll content with the result Of
ms visit. II" had put matters in train;
There was II" room now for Lady Dorriur-
ton 10 say that he had kept her in the
dark about So important a matter rs his
marriage. and She would no doubt impart
m" knowledge 10 Mrs. Ruthven. Tbay
would have ample opportunity IL obusa
/ hIm together, aud 10y the time they All mat
again the worst would have blown over
4 II" arrived in town late ana resolved
not 10 disturb Nora and Mrs. / Estr,u,,o
/ al that hour. Next morning woUId Il,
I lie had deep. though uuacknowIe,Jrpl
4 conviction that he must bc careful ana
cautious in his conduct TO Nora.
~. In spite Of his love. there were mo
/ m"nts whom a kind Of Iurid revelation
/ flashed across him that. if he could M
/ succeed in warming her coIdnass into
something akin TO his own fire the div
/ might come when he would hate her with
I Q deadly hatred, ny, aud revenge himself
/ cruelty on her, if she persisted in her mad
/ Icnng Indifference. He could scarce ON
/ Dur" the torture il gave him. when she
/ >HrWnk from the CHrCSScS with which Ea
/ would fain have loaded her. ana his lou.-
I inE for the reciprocity Of natural nm.
4 forced tenderness. was painfully intense.
However. absence always made him
4 NOR" hopeful. h had not seen Nora for
4 tire" DAYS. AMI who could tell what
/ change that interval might have wrough,
i ID the comprehensive heart Of Young
I girl:
Ih" post brought him n large number Of
/ letters, most Of which needed notice. and
/ before MarSlcn had finished the bri.fr>r
4 replies Ao was informed that gentleman
+ wished ID see him. This proved 10 be- n
. clerk from tn" office Of NesSrS. CookSor
Dunn. his solicitors. who was the bearer
+. 81 q letter announcing that fresh tenant
4 Tor Ev"S.ciGh bad offered better terms
and i WAS desirable that the question
/ should be- discussed without loss Of time.
finally twas past midday before Mars
len could pry~"nr himself at s. street.
Nora was hooking he Thought. we'll. ana
/ very handsome. She had more color than
usual, and her manner was less TRANQUILITY
- %.