Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-04-16
I Roger Vapbrueh's Wife. !
u BY ADEILNE SERGEANT


I
parties and entertainments of that
/, kind. besides various little novelties in
the way Of shoes and gloves and ribbons
which Madeline had never been able to
buy for herself.
II won't have them say you look like
a pauper when | have the turning OF
you out; it would not be creditable to
my establishment" said Miss Joyce,
grimly, when Madeline demonstrated.
And on the ground of its being all for
Miss Joyce's credit and not in the least
for the adornment of Madeline Despard,
the girl laughed and accepted the pres
ents joyfully
Who would have thought that Miss
Joyce, whom | used to think horrible,
could be so kind to me?" Madeline
soliloquized in the train, as she was
whirled away to Hertfordshire. How
frightened l used to be of her! And
she certainly can scold sometimes, but
she is very warm hearted after all"
I As she concluded her meditations.
I she raised her eyes and glanced at the
other occupants of the carriage 1t was
second-class carriage and not very
full. Two old ladies sat in the corner
seat near the window. Madeline and
another passenger occupied the remain
ing corners She looked at the ladies,
then at the man; he vas young and
apparently good-looking, but as she
found that he was gazing intently at
herself, she Immediately averted her
eyes. She was not at all prepared to
see him bend forward and to hear him
say:
"Madeline Surely it is Madelinew
She looked at him full in the face
then and was vexed to feel that she
was changing color.
rs it-surely it is not
"Lancelot Vanbrugh Your old
friend"
There was touch of reproach in his
tone which she could not understand.
She held out her hand as he seemed
to expect it, but drew it away again
as soon as his fingers had touched hers.
you have forgotten me?" he said,
looking at her earnestly.
Not quite" she said, smiling easily.
She had recovered her self-possession
by this time 1--WE were very good
friends when | was little girl,
remember"
mot 50 very little, surely"
ooh, yes, a mere baby" said Made
line. sweetly.
Lancelot pulled his mustache and
certed
Are you going to Hurst?" he asked,
after moments pause.
yes. And you are going to your
home, suppose?"
81 am going to Hurst, too"
1t was Madelines turn to feel a little
disconnected, and perhaps she showed
her feeling more than she knew, for
Lancelot leaned forward and spoke, so
that no one else should hear;
IF you do not mind, | hope. If you
object to my coming l will make an
excuse and stay away will indeed"
why should mind?" said Madeline,
lifting her eyebrows with a look Of
extreme hauteur. at really does not
signify to me whether you go or stay"
She took up paper as she spoke and
began to turn over the pages, while
Laneelot with a sense of mingled col
lapse and injury sank back in his place
and devoured his modification as well
as he could.
What a change had come over her,
he said to himself What a proud, cold,
stately woman she had grown. How
different from the gentle. smiling, low
ing girl of earlier years. Was it Miss
Joyce's school that had worked this
change in her? He wished he had not
meddled in her affairs.
The train slackened and stopped at
station when the two old ladies got
out and Lancelot and Madeline were
left alone.
She glanced over the top of her paper
at him and saw that he was looking
vexed gloomy, almost sulky. He had
thrust both hands deep into his pockets
and was staring out of the window with
an air of deep depression.
Don't let us quarrel" said Madeline,
smiling at him. 1--WE are older-and |
presume wiser-than we were, so we
might as well be good friends still"
The cloud was dispelled from Lance's
face as if by magic. He met her eye
with quick, answering smile. at
isn't fair to ask, | suppose" he said,
frankly. ''but | should like to know,
il you don't mind telling me, why you
did not answer my letters"
II answered all that I received" said
Madeline, coloring in spite Of herself.
But why should we talk about that
nonsensical correspondence"
"Yon answered all that you re-
ceived2" Lancelot repeated, in a tone
of unqualified surprise "Do you know
that I wrote to you six times without
getting any reply?"
Madeline shook her head. II wrote
twice. in answer to two Of your letters
and then got no more / did hes
itatingly-"T did write once again, but