San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-09-26

herself and her aocompiice at being
driven into this course Of loathsome de-
ception of the man she loved.
The moment after she turned and left
them. She was sick of the part she had
to play.
She began to feel already that in at
tempting to guide events to suit her
own purposes she had undertaken task
which might lead to infinitely greater
trouble than that she was striving to
avoid, and this fear led her to associate
the idea of coming disaster with this
visit Of Pierre's to the manor.
While she and Sir Jaffray were in
London and the Frenchman was absent
the feeling wore away, but as the time
for the return to Walcote approached it
came back again, and could she have
had her choice she would have taken
Sir Jaffray right away out of Europe
for another long tour, such as that
which had made their honeymoon so
pleasant
But Sir Jaffray would not hear of it.
He was anxious to spend the late sum-
mer and autumn at Walcote He longed
to see Lola at the head Of his splendid
old home. and he was keenly anticipat-
ing the shooting Thus he left London
full of the most pleasurable anticipa
ton.
Sir Jaffray and Lola were alone in
the house for two or three days before
any of the guests came, and during that
time Lola struggled against the pre-
sentiment of evil which depressed her.
But she could not shake it off. and as
| the day approached on which Pierre
Turrian was to arrive she grew dull
and moody and even irritable.
She had done all that she dared to
prevent his coming to stay in the house,
and the idea of 1t both angered and dis
gusted her. She had entered on the de-
ception without at all realizing the
constant association with lies which it
necessitated.
She shrank from having the two men
under the same roof She had expected
that Pierre would have taken her
money, and, after staying perhaps a
short time at Walcote, would have gone
away to the continent, back to that dis
reputable, roaming life which he had
always lived. She could have borne
that, but this constant association with
him, his presence in the house and the
life of continuous deceit and lying
which it forced upon her made her sin
against the man she loved so patent, SO
fragrant. SO ever present and pressing
that she began to repent that she had
ever chosen the path of deceit
Sir Jaffray caught her In one of her
fits of moodiness on the day when Pierre
Turrian arrived. Mrs. De Witt and
Beryl were also in the house. Sir Jaffray
had surprised Lola with her mask off
Just before dinner.
He crept up to her quietly, and, run
ming his arm round her waist, kissed
her.
Whats the matter, Lolap" he asked
gently. lyon look sad and i'll, and both
are strange for you, though I've seer
you SO two or three times latsly Il
anything up?"
To his CONSERVATION, she burst into
tears he had never seen her do such a
thing before. and he did not know what
to do.
Like everything with her. her grief
was violent, stormy and passionate, but
1t soon passed.
81 am fool" she cried, "a child,
frightened by shadow. IL / were to
tell you, you would laugh or be angry"
"See il I should" he said kindly.
"Tell me-"
Her husband looked at her thought
fully.
"a shadow that seems to be ahead
often looms up out Of the past. he
said.
The remark put her ON her guard in
a moment.
Partly the past, partly the present
and partly the future" she replied. 81
have never played the hostess on such a
scale as shall have to here in few
days. and think the prospect of it I'M
nerves me.
els that alli" There was something
in his tone which made her feel he did
not quite accept the answer, and he
took his arm away from round her
waist. "You are creature of moods,
Lola, he continued tboughtfully, land
I sometimes think that some of the
things In your past life which you have
never told me depress you.
"Why do you think there is anything
I have not told your"
"You have told me very little.
There is only little to tell, F" she re-
piled, surprised at his words, for he
had never pressed her as to any incident
of her life with her father, "and GER
tainly nothing not to tell" Her quick
ness to read in his words a suggestion
Of doubt reused her into an attitude of
defense.
He noticed the change, and he stopped
and kissed her.
"When / doubt you, child. will tell
you so openly. l am with you and for
you against the world"
She answered his caress impulsively
and threw her arms round him and.
kissing him passionately, exclaimed:
a n Il