Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-05-21

Madeline had gone.
"She gave us her word that she
would stay"
"Ah you are so good, 80 trustful.
said Constance. pensively, II should
lave beer afraid that she had the
rubies in one Of her boxes and should
have wanted to search them, and
should have felt inclined to take good
care that she did rot get out Of the
mouse without my knowledge whether
she liked being locked in or no.
II believe you are right" said Lady
Esler, but much more irresolutely
than She generally spoke. Still
can hardly do 1t unless Of course your
uncle insisted or IT,"
Constance smiled to herself. Lord
Esler was a complete norenity in the
hands of his wife.
" will consult him said Lady Es-
Ter, rising from her seat. Say moth
ing to any one else, dear. Not to any
of our guests. II is such very un-
pleasant thing to have happened"
Very" said Constance, IN sym
pathetic voice. Then. in lower and
more diffident tone: Don't you think
It would be well II we could get Lance
lot Vanbrugh away? 1t is particu-
larly unpleasant for him % know
about IT,"
"Of course 1t Is, said her aunt, after
a moments reflection Il quite under
stand you. But how can we get him
away"
III you leave II to me-" said Con-
stance modestly, Il think could bring
1t about"
every well. dear, do as you like
about 1t. | am going to see your un-
Gle"
Left alone, Constance dropped the
an expression of malignant triumph to
appear II have done for her at last, .
she muttered to herself II have de-
stroyed her reputation with Aunt Sc
line and shall get her turned out, and
when she is gone | think | can work
upon the old woman's feelings and
make her put me down for good
round sum in her will. Rene won.
have me penniless and a dark shade
crossed her handsome face. "Pah, If
it were not for him, would | soil my
fingers with this dirty work-this plan
ming and plotting and conniving? 1t
Is for Rene's sake-for my husband s
sake. What would Aunt Seine say if
she knew that had robbed her myself
and that my husband had carried
away one-half the spoil and Oscar
Despard the other, | think she would
have a fit, really do.
It was with the same malignant
unpleasant smile that she went down
the corridor Rene and | will be
equal with Miss Madeline before long, :"
she said to herself, "and she shall not
have Lancelot Vanbrugh. though / do
not want him for myself"
She was playing a dangerous game
and she knew it; but she had many
reasons at work within her, First
her husbands Count Rene de Mar
sac was in very truth-had ordered her
TO work with him and for him in the
matter of rubies. and had fatty de
clared that he could not have her to
live with him unless she provided him
with means Constance was heartily
was safe; whether any one had got
sick of her present life-which she had
endured for fear of the pinch OF pow
erty and of Rene's sarcastic tongue
rather than from any more heroic mo-
tive. and she was ready to take almost
any method of prcclaiming her mar
ridge She would not have been very
sorry even II Madeline had spoken
abont II to Lady Esler; it would have
relieved her OF a disagreeable task
looming in the near future, And then
for many reasons she had always dis
liked Madeline. She had begun with
despising her when she first came to
Miss Joyce's school, but contempt was
useless when Madeline was so pretty
and, in spite of her misfortune, 80
much admired Constances friend
ship with Lady Frances also had
never been what 1t used to be after
Madeline came or the scene Then
the accident by which she felt herself
in Madelne's power had intensified
her hatred OF the girl and made it ten
times more dangerous and she felt now
there was nothing she would not say,
nothing she would not do, to preeipi-
tate her downfall.
The first thing now was to persuade
Lance 10 20 away for the day. and she
did II rather skiltully Madeline, She
said was lying down with bad head
ache and Very much wanted peculiar
remedy which could. according to Con
stance, be obtained only at one shop in
London How she wished some one
We're going to London that day and
would fetch il. Laneelot's spirit was
fired on the spot with a desire TO OBJ
tain the required medicament and he
declared that he was wanting to go TO
London that very day that nothing in
heaven or earth could keep him from
going and so on In half an hour
Constance had the triumph of seeing
him start off Mt full speed for the sta
ton and turned from the door in full
9npyiHfinY tbat hafNrn IA at,,a Iorlr