The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-09-15
LOLA lRAVSHAY.
By A. v. NAROHN0NT. B. 4,
Author Of "Mtser Hoodley's Seora."
sThs Mvstezy of Norttmore Strdn9s,"
by Whose Hawds" "1hs Old
Mtll MysteTy," etc., etc.
copyright. 1897. BY the Author.1

what you call its humdrum, dead alivl
sameness and responsibility. A mar
rusts in such q place. There ia no risk,
no danger, where peoples wits are &c
stupid as here. Why, even murdereEs
might live here all her life unsupported.
while as for bigamists they would find
1t perfect haven Of rustic rest" He
paused and glanced at her, but Lola
took no notice Of his words, and he re-
sumed: ''But what you promise me
now Is Just the one touch that is wanted
to make life life and worth living. You
at any rate must see that such place ia
most admirably adapted for that form of
your English virtue of self denial whah
consists in denying your own identity. If
others can do this, why not II" And he
laughed with malicious glee.
II tell you you must not come to stay
In this house. You shall not" said Lola
vehemently.
pardon me. madame" and his
shoulders went up and his hands spread
out as he bowed again, "but I most as
suredly shall"
"You shall not, at any hazard, said
Lola very firmly, when she was inter-
rupted by Sir Jaffray, who said, with q
good natured laugh:
Hello, you twol ! hope you're not
quarreling there because the violin mis-
sion isn't getting forward"
Pierre Turrian turned and laughed
gayly.
"No, no; Lady Walcote and I are,
trust, too old friends to quarrel over
that. Her energy is all friendliness. 7
WAS telling her that you had asked me
to come hero after your return from
town. and I was explaining to her that
am going on the continent for awhile
to perfect plan which is often in my
thoughts, and she was insisting that !
should not break off my arrangements
thers in order to return here, because in
soma slight respects the two things
might rather clash. But assured her
that ! could not think of letting any
other considerations interfere with the
pleasure of visit here. OF that am
determined, but Lady Walcote is too
SOLICITORS on my behalf"
"Oh, of course you'll come if you
can. professor!" said Sir Jaffray. II
should be sorry if you didn't. Pm glad
you two weren't at loggerheads IwuGt
you to be friends, you know"
II trust we shall never misunder-
stand one another more than we do at
present" And the Frenchman bowed
and shot a swift, cunning look at Lola
which stung her like poisoned barb.
"What say you, madame?" he asked
softly and courteously. And Lola hated
herself and her aocomplice at being
driven into this course of loathsome de-
oeption 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 ut Wulcote. He longed |!
TO see Lola at the head of his splendid
old home, and he was keenly anticipat-
ing the shooting Thus he left Loudon
full Of the most pleasurabIe anticipa-
lion.
Sir Jaffray and Lola were alone in
The house for two Or three days before
my Of the guests camo, and during that
lime Lola struggled against the pre-
sentiment Of evil which depressed her.
But she could not shake it Off, and as
,ho day approached on which Pierre
rurrian was to arrive she grew dull
md moody and even irritable. !
She had dono all that she dared to
prevent his coming to stay in the house,
md the idea of it both angered and dis
,usted her. She had entered on the de-
option without at all realizing the
onstant association with lies which it
lecessitated.
She shrank from having the two men
nder the same roof. She had expected
hat Pierre would have taken her
Money, and, after staying perhaps
hort time at Walcote, would have gone
way to the continent, back to that dis
equitable, roaming life which he had
lways lived. She could have borne
hat, but this constant association with
i'm, his presence in the house and the
fe of continuous deceit and lying
.hich it forced upon her made her sin
gainst the man she loved SO patent, so
agrant, so ever present and pressing
nat she began to repent that she had
yer chosen the path of deceit.
Sir Jaffray caught her III one Of her
is of moodiness on the day when Pierre
urrian arrived. Mrs. De Witt and
eryl were also in the house. Sir Jaffray
I'D surprised Lola with her mask off
lst before dinner.
He crept up to her quietly. and, run
ing his arm round her waist, kissed
n.
''Whnt's the matter, Lola?'' he asked
,ntly. "You look sad and ill., and both
g strange for you, though I've seen
~ SO two or three times latsly. Is
,ything up?"
To his CONSERVATION, she burst into
ars. He had never seen her do such
lug before, and he did not know what
do.
Like everything with her, her grief
as violent, stormy and passionate, but
soon passed.
Il am a fool" she cried, "a child,
ightenod by shadow. If I were to
II you, you would laugh or be angry.
"Sec if | Should" he said kindly,
Tell me-"
Her husband looked Mt her thought