Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-03-12
! Roger Vapbrugh's Wife. !;
BY ADELINE SERGEANT.
BY ADELINE SERGEANT.



could not forgive her"
Frances looked up Mortified.
Then you did not love her?'
4 Il loved her as my own SOUL
She had never heard that deep heart
felt tone before. 1t made her shrink a
little, but she could not restrain her
self from saying what she felt.
Then she-she could never loved
you"
II believe that was the truth of the
matter, Frances" said Roger Vanbrugh,
very gently, very sorrowfully, but with
perfect conviction of tone.
Then, why-why-"
why did she marry me? All, that
is the question. You are never likely
to be tempted, child, but will say to
you as would to every woman knew
never marry for anything but love;
never marry for position or wealth or
social advancement; and never marry
even for the sake of cause which
YOU think you may advance by that
marriage. My wife was Pole; she had
the interests of her countrymen at
heart; and she thought that | could help
them in many ways which seemed to
me impracticable. She loved her
country better than she loved her
husband-that is, | think, the best ex-
PLANTATION of the matter"
But surely after so many years you
might come to some better understand
ing. All the gossip would die away if
you brought her back to Aldersleigh."
"She would not come"
Perhaps you have not asked her
perhaps she does not know the harm
that she is doing YOU
Col. Vanbrugh smiled bitterly. Il
think she would be pleased to know
THAT she is harming me. You do not
understand her nature, Frances. She
hates me now | have sent a friend of
mine from time to time to her with
a view of soothing matters, but there
is nothing to be done
did you send the Count de Marsac
Was he a friend of yours?"
Eyes"
n "And you trust him?"
Il did. do not trust him so much
now"
He did not look to me like a man
to be trusted. Oh, won't you go your
self some day and see whether any
thing can be done?"
Col. Vanbrugh turned to her and
studied her face attentively
Child he said, why are you SO
eager? Why do you wish me to be
reconciled to my wife? Is it for Lance
lots sake?"
NO said Frances, firmly, at is for
your own
For mine? Why for my sake?"
81 think you are a good man." she
said, raising her troubled but steadfast
eyes to his face, "and | hate to hear
people say that you are cruel, and un-
true. That is what they say, you
know, and | have to hear it in silence,
because my mother will not let me de-
fend you, although she believes that
you are good, but she says | must keep
silence. And | cannot bear it-beeause
it is unjust-because | believe in you.
Roger Vanbrugh sat silent and rigid
as a stone AT last wave of emotion
passed across his face and he spoke in
a low, moved tone:
Frances Alymer," he said, II think
that in all my life no one has ever
trusted me like YOU
ut has been their fault, then You
deserve trust"
"You think So" he said, almost wist-
fully. 81 have often been hard and
severe-or have seemed so; but
I should have been different If anybody
had trusted me as you do. ! will not
be unworthy of that trust. Frances.
For the sake of your courage and Of
your faith in me- l will do the best
to end the differences between my wife
and myself If | fail you at least will
not say that it has been my fault"
Mono. indeed"
"Whateyer happens, said Col Van
brugh. with a strange, low smile. Il
shall always be able to count upon
your friendship, shall not? II | am
out of England, shall think of you
sometimes and say: My little friend,
Frances Alymer, believes in me at
least Shall I say that, Frances?"
ooh, yes, yes. But you are not go
ing away?"
For your sake" said the colonel,
steadily, Il will make one more effort
at reconciliation with my wife. | will
try to persuade her to come back
with Lancelot--to Aldersleigh and II
that fails. think | shall go away. 1t
will be sitter for me to 90 then"
81 hope, l trust, you may succeed"
1T will be your doing II | succeed,
Frances. How little you know-you
women-of the forces that you can
sometimes put in motion. Perhaps you
would be less powerful, because more
cautious, If you knew. But you do
not understand me, do you, Franees?
mo. | do not understand" the girl
said, bravely. "but l hope I have not
/ done wrong
"You have die right; you have done
what a friend should always do.