Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-03-19
Continued.

by anu Dy, lOI the sake VI ueI uedlIu
but if we stay in England l shall study
law and amuse myself a little by
literature"
Shall you be poor-or rich?" said
Madeline; and Lance laughed at the
naive question.
Neither one nor the other. My
father has some money and my mother
IS fairly we'll off-an old relation left
her his fortune some years ago; but
of course | do not mean to work for
myself; some day, Madeline-I mean to
work for you"
Madelines eyes dilated with a happi-
ness which she did not know how to
express.
you will forget me-" she said, in a
lower tone.
Forget you? Never"
But if we do not see each other for
four years"
Who said we should not see each
other? | shall come here and see you
periodically and I shall get my mother
to invite you to my house. You will
see that we shall meet very often, so
you need not be afraid of my forget
ting you
The prospect was delightful and
Madeline gave herself up to the plea
sure of little dreaming that all these
plans were as nothing when con-
fronted with the iron will which
shaped Lancelot's destiny and her own
SO much more than she knew.
She had two or three days of perfect
enjoyment and then Lancelot went
back to London, promising to write
to her before she left Mrs. Gervase's
house. But when the letter came it
did not altogether fulfill Madeline's
expectations. 1t was affectionate, it
was also a little-a very little-apolo-
getic His mother was so delicate that
she could not make visits or receive
visitors. He himself would come over
to Chaplain again as soon as possible,
but in the meantime he was obliged
to be very busy, altogether he would
not forget her let him be as busy as
he could be. And he was hers most
devotedly
Madeline was puzzled by the letter.
Its loving tone pleased her. the alb
sence of any message or invitation
which he had promised so confidently
from his mother disappointed her.
But Lancelot had written that letter
under considerable difficulties. For
the thing that had happened had taken
him by surprise.
Nine Zavertal, as she still called
herself, had listened with interest and
some amusement to his account Of the
pretty child whom he had met at Dover
and who had afterward turned up at
the school where Constance Esler and
Lady Frances Aylmer were pupils. Up
to a certain point she seemed anxious
to meet his wishes and to invite the
girl to his house. But then there came
q change.
What is her name, by the way?"
she asked carelessly.
"Despard- Madeline Despard"
His mother turned upon him with
white change in her face which he
could not fail to notice.
What name did you say, Lancelot?"
'Despard mother. Her fathers
name was Oscar, I remember. Oscar
Despard"
"A fair man, with a long mustache?"
said Nine Zavertal, quickly, Rather
understood light-something theatre
cal ard affected about him?"
I've only seen him once, but I think
YOU have described him exactly" said
Lancelot do you know him."
Il used to know him. He is one of
the greatest rogues in Europe, in a
mean, pettifogging way. He and his
friend, Rene de Marsac, a friend also
of your fathers by the way, were of
the same kind-birds of a feather, as
you English say Oscar Despard was
a spy, traitor, a coward want moth
ing to do with him or any of his
breed"
But, mother" said Lancelot, in
some dismay, his daughter is not like
him She is like the Armstrong;, to
whom her mother belonged"
Nine Zavertal shook her graceful
head. she will never lose the faint
of her fathers blood. No, Lancelot.
am very sorry for the girl. She may
be. as you say. sweet and beautiful;
she may also have claim on our
pity, as one who has been deserted by
her faithless and wicked father-but,
for all that, you must put her out OF
your mind Forget her, mon enfant;
it is not possible that she should ever
be ADMITTED to this house"
IF you saw her, mother, you would
soon lose your prejudice against her"
Nine. Zavertal held up her pretty
hands. But l do not want to see
her. | will never see her. Her father
was my enemy-the enemy of all who
upheld the cause of liberty. Speak no
more of her, my Lancelot. | would
ask the beggar in the street into my
house sooner than any one who bears
the name Of Despard."
Lancelot was: wise enough TO re-
linquish the contention. He had
learned by this time that it was use
less to argue with this sweet-looking,
fragile little woman; on matters
wherein she had made up her mind she
was impregnable to argument.
So he sat down and wrote that dis
appointing letter to Madeline but even
as he wrote it his mind was full of
plans for overcoming his mothers dis
like to the name of Despard and with
the sanguineness of youth he said to
himself that in time he should succeed
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