Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-04-30
CHAPTER XxyI.
Conspiracy.

sought an interview. II was seldom
that the count now expressed any de-
sire to see her They had arranged a
system by which they could correspond
freely and with absolute secrecy, but
meetings We're more difficult TO compass
than correspondence. Sometimes
rarely Constance visited her husband
in London, and more rarely still De
Marsac came down to Hurst. BY Mar
tins connlyance Constance had some
times been able to see him in her own
rooms, which were easily accessible
from without, but this involved risks
which neither of them was anxious to
run and therefore happened rarely.
But on this occasion 1t was Rene de
Marsac who had written to Constance,
telling her TO meet him at a certain
place, as he wished to speak to her,
You must manage to keep this APP
pointment at any cost. he had written,
for shall not have time to come
down again
What bondage live In" Constance
sighed to herself, as she read the letter.
Il never know what | may be called
upon tc do or when | may have to go.
And have been suddenly taken i'll so
very often that | am sure Aunt Selma
Is beginning to suspect something,
Thursday at 9 o'clock just after dim
ner, In the shrubbcry as usual. There
is no dinner party that night, thank
goodness | must set Iancelot to fiirt
with Madelinehe Is always ready
enough TO DO it, and then slip quietly
away. Nobody will notice that am
not in the room
For the next evening or two she be
gan to make skillfully suggestive re
marks on the beauties OF the great con
servatory: she sat there with book
and had her favorte chair carried into
its green recesses. IF they miss me
they will think that | am in the con-
servatory," she said 10 herself
And when Thursday night came she
enseonced herself as usual with novel
among the palms and flowers, but as
soon as she heard the notes Oh the
piano, by which she knew that Made
line was going TO sing, and that Lance
lot was turning over the leaves Of her
music for her, she rose from her seat,
wrapped herself in long cloak which
she had secreted for that purpose, laid
her book face open on the cushions Of
her chair as If TO show that she would
be absent for moment only. and sped
away through the garden door 10 meet
ter husband In the dark shades OF the
corse or shrubbery which had SO often
been their meeting place.
Her love for Rene had developed
since her marriage 1t had grown into
he passionate yet half-crnging love
Of slave for q master or dog for Its
owner. It was not the love of an equal.
i was the slayish fonduess Of an in
teror, ready to accept kicks or caress.
-. without nquiring why Rene de.
spised her for It, but he was ready
enough to accept the advantage which
this affection gave him He knew that
be could turn her round his little finger
1y mere threat Of anger or Of alb
sence
On this occasion he had met her with
some GOODNESS. allowing her 10 kiss
him but giving no salute in return.
He VAS ont Of temper So much Vas
perfectly obvious He had seated him.
self on rustic bench which had been
placed in the depths Of the shrubbeiy
through Constanoe's intervention of
course and Who stood beside him.
lmidly waiting until he should be
leased 70 speak % her
/ suppose YOU know that cannot
go on much longer without money ,"
ne began
Are things going badly with you ."
she asked
! shall have to leave he country In
2 fortnight i ! don't get l600 within
that time he said
She started and reeotled little.
SIN hunard pounds Il IS a great
ieal I'M 1T onee
great deaf Women are s mean
in their Ideas said IL NIarsac WITH
sheer on 10y Hrs gsll i baa3
'elle But ! mpst hape II ~ Ieave Ene
land Is deb' ~ honor ana hq4t
TO pay
A deb, ~ honor A gambling dcbt
suppose rema6ed Constance. nItter
III Dearly as she loNcd him sto eoulC
uot always restrain ha venom ~ hai
tongue ! Sometimes wonder vha.
men mean Is honor f IS something
apparently, very different ron Vha
We mean
Women maze e conception ~ 4
all said ~ Narsae earelessly A
}east | never knew j woman who ba,
amy idea of III Nou dont yet 4oursei
mp as standard do yous
oh, dear ne SAID Constance il
i high. clear voice ee 4ainly not
never pretended 60 he better than mi
husband
aTtanft eneaE * lona r. ea{3 III.