Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-10-17

Iully. he 100 mucu like Ills ldtntI
to commit so base an act. The boy
may be careless, selfish perhaps, a
dreamer STEPPED in Dreams but some
how / cannot bring myself to think
that young Ruy Penrith wculd de-
liberately wrong a woman. No; there
must be some other solution to the
riddle of this fitting Alicia Leigh"
Lady Penrith had become an altered
woman, and the change In her was
remarkable. She shut herself up at
Oldfriars, and would see nobody.
People called there, but she sent them
away. 1t was whispered in Garth
that Sir Rugs disgrace was breaking
the proud mothers heart: at any rate,
it was known-and the fact was
freely commented upon-that sorTow
had turned her hair gray. She loved
the lad so fondly, said everybody,
had been so proud of him. it was
most grievous to realize so soon that
he was no better than other men.
Not even to Herman Merryweather
was Lady Penrith visible. She could
see no one yet; she was too Frustrated.
He wrote and told her that he be-
lieved Sir Ruy to be wholly guiltless
Of the sin imputed to him, and that
he would like to talk the matter over
with her ladyship. But at this,
strange to say Lady Penrith was
more obdurate, more emphatic than
ever, In her declaration that her
privacy should not be intruded upon.
Why could not people leave her alone
in her trouble, she cried, yehemently,
and not poster her with distastefui
commits alton?
A fortnight had gone by, and July
was now come. The gossips of Garth
the novelty of the affair being past
were gradually growing weary Of
the theme Of Alicia Leigh.
Lady Penrith sat by the open win
dow in her sanctum upstairs, an
apartment built in a western tower,
which served her as study and bou-
dor in one, resting her head YEARLY
upon her hand Her face was pale
aud haggard; her once beautiful hair
was turned g ay. The last two weeks
had aged her considerably; she looked
like a woman upon whom myster-
ious blight had fallen.
The dusk wa settling over the land;
the sky, with a blood-red haze still
staining the fading vest, was grow
ing darker every minute. In the
dense purple gloom, in the pleasaunce
under the window, the grasshopper
was chirplng a welcome to the night.
For the sombre masses of Ivy which
clothed the turrets of Oldfriars a
drowsy owl was hooting at the slowly
rising moon.
The rush Of the river could be
heard in this chamber, but the wild
stream itself could not be seen. Lady
Penrith heard it as she sat there, and,
hearing, shuddered violently.
"Heaven help mer' she cried with
a passionate gesture; "am | never to
know peace again?"
She leaned over the broad stone sill
Of the easement, and raised her bag
gard eyes skyward. Great banks Of
murky clouds were rolled athwart
the sky, engulfiing the spot where the
sun had gone down. From out that
rising mass a flaming brand had ap-
peared, which, all zigzag, cleft the
heavens for miles. like that sword of
fire described by Milton at the east
ern gate of Paradise. How calm,
how wondrously lovely, was the
aspect Of the parting day! How hot
and feverish, with burning unrest,
was the anxious soul within her"
IF I might only die" moaned Lady
Penrith, nhefore my boy returns"
She swept the gray hair from her
brow and rose to pace the room, but
suddenly stood quite still, her hand
pressed tightly to her heart. Foot
steps had traversed the pleasaunce,
and had entered the house by the
tower door. A few moments elapsed,
and they were on the stairs lin the
corridor outside the door Of the
apartment.
Lady Penrith stood as If turned to
stone, her lips apart. her nanus sun
pressed upon her bosom. And then
Sir Ruy, travel-stained and strange
looking, his blue eyes yengeful, his
face as white as dea tn crossed the
threshold and demanded his promised
bride.
Mother" he said sternly, with M
word Of greeting. "where is Alicia
Leigh?"
With a great effort Lady Penrith
composed herself to her
aid strength and nerve that was al
most super human. Her heart yearnli
to throw herself upon her sons
breast, to cling III u, to weep out
her misery then and there in his
arms; but something in the white,
set features of Sir Ruy forbade even
the very shadow of caress.
1T ls-it is for me to ask you that
question, Ruy." his mother returned,