Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-10-15
CHAPTER XXI.


Will Cassilis was a simple minded
English gentleman whose mind was not
adapted to tragedy or wrestling with
occult influence that made him feel All
ont and out scoundrel, and as it was
perfectly useless to argue with Mamie
about passion which she clearly could
not resist, bnt must certainly be saved
from, he went clear away for 48 hours,
hoping that he might see daylight OH
his return, though he scarcely expected
it. How he spent that time he hardly
knew, but thought constantly Of Trc-
lawny's wanderings, when he, too, tried
to escape from his pain and wrestlcd
with and fought 1t down. Will had the
manliness not to blame Trelawny for
what had happened. The man had be-
haved extremely we'll. 1t was Nanni.
who had taken the initiative-Nannie,
whose seemingly true and loyal nature
had proved so poor and shallow that
mere breath OF jealousy could send her
fancy veering to Trelawny. 1t was as
though q strong hand had taken slide
out Of the girls heart and replaced it
with another, and the love and devotion
flowed steadily ~ before, but toward
another object, one man being substi-
tinted for another. And how it happened
he could not tell, but it seemed as nat
ural to her now to turn with JOY to Ire
lawny when he entered the room as it
had been formerly to turn to himself.
Yet what was before her? She had loved
him yesterday. She loved Trelawny to-
day. She might love third man tomor-
row, and viii groaned in his anguish
as he thought Of it and remembered
Lord Straubenzee's warning that they
were very young to know their own
hearts. And was he not to blame, for
without being in the least tired Of Nan
ME had he not slackened little III his
devotion simply because-and it is often
the wife's sole crime-she was always
there when he wanted her: Alas, alas,
If when We marry we could call and sec
each other, say, once week, with all
sorts Of difficulties bristling in our way,
would not the first keenness and fresh
ness Of love last infinitely longer than
1t does, and SO keep US ever on the eager
tiptoe of desire? And he had made a
fool Of himself with Hagar, not once,
but again last night, not because he
liked her, but because she had some con-
founded influence over him that must
be directly attributable to the devil.
He had loft his dressing room and
gone into his wife's room early to leave
q note on her dressing table telling her
that he WAS going away. but giving no
reasons, and he had stepped softly to
the side OF the bed and seen her lying
there almost lost in its whiteuess, with
the traces Of tears lying on her young,
round cheeks.
If only he had staid. If ever Mamie
wanted friend, she wanted her now,
and viii, not knowing, had delivered
her over into the hands Of the enemy, to
be dealt with even as it willed. when
he drove away early to the station that
morning.
Mamie woke with an overpowering
headache and said at once before her
brain could form the thought, Il will
send for Hagar." She did so after read
ing Wills letter with indifference, and
to her own astonishment received the
girl warmly, submitted to be sent to
sleep by her as usual, and for the whole
Of the time that Will was absent hardly
suffered her out Of her sight, She had
forgotten her Jealousy, or at most IL
was a vague memory, and she seemed to
have gone back at bound to the school
days when she was absolutely under
Hagar's sway. And they talked Of Tre.
lawny-always Trelawny. Wills name
was never mentioned between them.
Lady Lirriper raised her brows when
she found herself alone at almost every
meal, for Blake was also away, and che
thanked her stars that the inside Of an-
other fortnight would see her at home.
Meanwhile she drove over to see Lord
Straubenzee, and left him wretched,
whereby her own equanimity was con-
siderably restored.
"Good gracious, child" she said to
Mamie after dinner that night, you
look as if you were walking in your
sleep, and why do you follow Hagar
about like q poodle7 1t fidgets me to
SEQ you!'
II want Blakei" cried out Mamie
sharply and suddenly, and the servants
who were handing coffee stared at her.
"Where is he7 Send for him. Tell him
Iwant him." Then mutter1ng and with
her face flushed she fell back asleep on
the satin pillows Of her couch.
Lady Lirriper got mp, shaking in eF-
cry limb, when the men had gone, and
came near and looked down on the girl,
her goddess old face white as chalk
through its rouge. ,,,,., ..,, E,
HAS It come out in her, the curse7"
she said hoarsely. 1.-TWO OF my BROTH
ers drank themselves to death. Oh, my
God, she must have been drinking be-
fore she came here tonight-drinking
and month old bride! Well may she
call for Blake--he is strong and would
have prevented it, but that fool Cas-
silis"-- She pulled herself together and
tottered away, grown suddenly into .
haggard, shrunken old woman. And
it's Blake she loves now, she said with
terrible eyes, land it will be all shame,
disgraoe"--
At that moment Will came into the
room. He had come to decision more
quickly than he sxpected-he would
take her abroad at once and see what
change would do and 30 returned unex-
pectedlv, but now stopped short, alarmed