Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-03-11

possession OF MS senses. she thorough
" understood and gagged the depth Of
Maggie's love for her brother. If b
display OF unse!fsh devotion te
Sholto, devotion lavished uuo1 him
without hope OF reward, she could win
Lady Gwenap over tG her cause-theiI
cause, Sholto's and hers-then indeed
would she have done a good days work
Sholto would come cut OF the fiery fur
mace unhurt end Lady Gwenap would
win forgiveness for tkem both for in
dulging in foolish but frantic passion
from the shattered but still sensible
Sir Andrew.
Among the jewels which she carried
up in her well-secureG handbag were a
black pearl pin and a pigeon s-blood
ruby ring, both of which Sir Andrew
had given to ner in the days before she
threw him over to marry his friend
Cumberland. She knew they were
valuable, and she told herself their
value would be well empoyed in raising
funds for the dellverance of her new
lover, Sholto Graham.
But first of all she would see Maggie.
Lady GWenap was in her boudoir
fretting about her brother and the in
terruption to her latter-day season
festivities The shock which Sir And
reW's condition On the previous even
ing had caused her had passed away
She was far more anxious about her
brother than about her husband.
NJ +
the sisterly and affectionate point Of
view, but also from the selfish and
society point. Unless Sholto's charac-
ter was cleared from this idiotic but
ignominious charge there would be an
indefinable slur on her, for she was
his sister. She was chatting against
this possibility when Mrs. Cumberland
was announced, and she hailed Lena
gladly, though she was still in ignoc-
ance of the bond that made Sh0lto's
interests as dear and vital to ner friend
as they were to herself.
How is Sir Andrew? VIII he ive?'
Mrs. Cumberland gasped out. For once
she was thoroughly spontaneous. Sir
Andrews life was as precious to her
as Sholto's liberty. She felt that she
could not live without either of the n
or, rather, without beth.
Lady Gwenap was elegant rather
than spontaneous even in the midst of
her grief and enxiety about Sholto.
Hurry and excitement and unbecon-
ingly vulgar Russian leather handbags
would avail her brother little, she
thought and it annoyed her thai at this
juncture, when all her surroundings
were liable to being iercely shown and
and commented upon for the good of
the press and the public, her conspicu-
ously beautiful friend Mrs Cumber-
land, should be less well equipped %
command admiration than was her
wont.
Sir Andrew is going on we'll. Much
better than could be expected consider
ing his age and the depth Of the
wounds on the back of mis- head and his
forehead. 1t is about my brother thai
l am feeling most distressed--suc an
ubiquitous, such a frivolous charge TO
have brought against him?'
Maggie, I am feeling it more even
than you are" Mrs. CCm berland gulped
out with a sob. Only the day before
this dreadful thing happened Sholto
came to me, told me he was free from
his engagement to Miss Laugherne,
and asked ne to marry him. Oh,
Maggie, don't look Ike that love
him sol do love hin. so"'
And you have beer his ruin, for if
there was row between him and Sir
Andrew yesterday it must have been
idiocy of yours" Lady Gwenap said,
remorselessly. Poor boy! Poor Sholto!
Poor fool! To let himself be lured away
from that dear girl Patrice by you!'
''You wished it only the other day,
Mrs. Cumberland expostulated, feeling
very much aghast at this change of
front on the part of her quondam
friend.
Wished it only the other day! Yes,
perhaps I was misguided enough to
wish it while I believed you to be what
you professed-a wealthy, Independent
widow. Now I know that your wealth
is a sham; that you are entirely de-
pendent on my husband and that II
you offend him he can reduce you to
pauperism in a day Nothing will Of
fend him so much, if he ever gets well
enough to know it, as your marrying
my brother. And if he never gets well
where will your suppo7ed wealth be?
It will vanish into thin air and with Il
Sholto's silly fancy for YOU
Mrs Cum berland threw off her plead |
ing air and faced Lady Gwenap and the
situation bravely.
Your brother is less weak than YOU
think. My influence over him is
stronger than yours, Lady Gwenap, for
he loves me- AS for my being a pauper
thanks, have no fear of being that.
[ am not wholly destitute, and even if
I were I should not consider myself
pauper as the wife of man with
thousand a year I came here in good
faith to consult you as to the best
means of soonest securing your
brothers acquittal and freedom. shall
go my own way to work now, without
considering you at ALL
Lady Gwenap, in reply to this, rung
the bell by her side sharply, and when
the servant answered it, she said, calm
1y: