Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-05-07


eemed to be profound depression.
"Ah. my friend, times seem to have
! changed with you" said Oscar, looking
round him, with a smile. Has the
good colonel turned rusty at last?
always thought you carried matters
little too far in that quarter"
81 did we'll enough" said DE Marsae,
sullenly, $50 long as his son was at
home. concentrated all his thoughts
and feelings on the boy-persuaded
him to let me tell Lancelot the story
and send him off to see his mother
kept them all in fret and fume, you
know. and left him no time to look
into his own affairs. OF course | made
money when so much was left in my
hands"
Naturally. And what came next2p
THE boy Joined his mother alto
gether and quarreled with his father.
yanbrugh had nothing to do and took
to flirting with a little aristocrat OF the
neighborhood--La Frances Aylmer,
who happened to have a prejudice
against me.
Il don't see how that would affect an
old established position like yours.
Col Vanbrugh always believed in you
In them the most extraordinary
way" said Despard, with sneer
Women upset everything" answer
ed De Marsac, without noticing the
implied taunt AS it happened /
could hirt as well as Vanbrugh. There
was a handsome girl at Hurst, one of
the Eslers, and she, was soon desper-
ately in love with me. | don't mind
telling you, Despard, that matters went
pretty far, but the matter got wind and
there was tremendous uproar was
almost expelled from the house and
Vanbrugh turned the cold shoulder to
me ever afterward.
Didn't the girl stand by you?"
Would you expect it of woman?
The storm was too severe. Constance
swore that she did not care a rap for
me and all that kind of thing and made
her peace thereby l might have said
a good deal, but | thought 1t would be
more profitable for me to hold my
tongue, Constance las paid for it
since.
Paid for it? Howl"
Never mind how said Rene. with
sinister smile, But for her | should
be worse off than am now
You have hold on herr said Des-
pard. with increasing interest
Rene shrugged his shoulders Which
would be gone If impaired the -secr,t
to any one else" he said. Take a
cigarette and something to drink Des-
pard, and don't be inquisitiye. What
did You want to see me about?"
Il called ON that young Lancelot Van
hrugh the other daya little matter of
business between us-and he induced
me TO show him the documents reiat-
ing TO Madeline's relationship to the
ESers
He did? | thought your little game
was played out there. By-the-bye, 1t
was an awfufly clever stroke Of yours,
Despard. to desert the girl in the way
you did Old Joyce was softer-hearted
than | expected She kept her, as no
doubt you know. and educated her for
nothing
i know that, and the girl IL worth
money now She could earn any
amount, And it's just my luck-l've
been tl Westbourne house and could
not hear anything about her there, they
spirited her away somewhere or other
and | can't find ont where she has
gone
You We're never very clever Des-
pard Cant YOU guess"
Guess said Despard, setting down
the glass Of brandy and water that he
was mixing for himself and staring
helplessly at the count
You fool, Did YOU not give the
papers about your daughters birth.
ETC. TO Lancelot Vanbrugh ?"
"He paid me for them | did not let
him have the originals. He had copies,
Don't you know he il hand ana
glove with the Eslers He has been
telling then. about her and inducing
Them to take her mp"
There was i cold smile on his face
as lie spoke; ii suggested 10 Despard
that Rene knew more than he cared to
mpari He sprang up in absolute fury
You know where she iS9 Tell me
or IN III strange YOU with my own
hands"
You would have considerable dill
euty IN doing -, mon cher said Rene,
ccolly Therefore | advise YOU to alb
stain from useless threats
II know know i am a fool said
Oscar y spard sinking down again,
With his elbows on the table and his
taoe pressed between his hands hut
70 think that | and my children should
BE- absolutely wanting the necessaries
Of life, while Madeline, who could help
Iii 80 much is simply wallowing I'M
Injury
Tor once Rene ia Marsac laughed
aloud from pure amusement
Nhat i'm expression Wallowing iu