Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-12-03
CHAPTER v

truth is often stranger than flctlOn,
she said. ''You will not be surprised to
near that my husband and l did not agree
for one hour. Before the sun had set on
my wedding day, l felt sure that l had
made myself miserable for life. We could
not agrec-wc could not understand each
other. He seemed to me Il grim, stern
guardian: l appeared to him IL foolish, UNI
disciplined child; and, after a time, the
usual result was attained-the very in
tensity of his love changed into dislike.
Our first violent quarrel took place
about the time my father died. l had
wept as one who could never be comfort
ed. 1t seemed, however, to my childish
mind, a source of some comfort to reflect
that my father should nave one of the
finest nun in Lima. My husband
refused to listen to my request: it was all
nonsense, sentimental rubbish-a plain
headstone would do just as we'll as a mar
bic monument. One hard word led to an
other. We had the most violent quarrel
Of our lives. 1t all seems very childish
to me now. and very foolish; but then it
was IL terrible tragedy. We did not speak
at my fathers funeral, but when it was
over he came to comfort me. l was lying,
sick at heart, OH a; couch, and he tried to
kiss me. DO not cry so bitterly, Grace
he said: Il will try to be very kin to
YOU do not touch mel hate you,' l
cried. DO you mean that, Grace?' he
asked. Yes, l meal it. l am sorry that
1 eve saw you'll am sorry that l mar
ried you. l wish that l could be freed
from you, and never see you again-I
wish that l lay dead by my fathers side!
He stood quite still while the torrent of
my wrath rolled over him. When he
turned to me again his face was as the
face of the dead. Had he acted wisely,
he would have horne with me until my
humor hnG changed; as it was, he invest
ed childish passion with the dignity of q
woman's anger. He repeated, DO you
mean that. GraceY I mean ten thou
sand times more l replied; and he bowed
and left me.
after that we rarely spoke; when we
did, it WAS to quarrel most violently-and
I never failed to tell him how intensely l
hated him. I believe YOU hate me, poor
child he said to me once; and it is IL
hard belief. too. l married you because
1 loved o so dearly l cried out that l
had never wanted his love. I believe
that, too he said; but why did you let
me marry you if you knew how little you
cared for meg Because l was a child,
and Il foolish one,' l cried; and l am so
miserable now that l wish Il thousand
times over that l were dead He looked
SO strangely at me that l was frightened;
there was a terrible expression on his
face; his eyes seemed to flame. l saw the
fingers of his hand clinch.
"'1Are you going to kill me, PeterY l
nsked: 4 do not KNOW he replied. AT
times l think that the wisest thing 1 can
40 90. 70 LII fsrsf oyI Yny.co1f uftnr-
UNDERWRITING would be better thar this
terrible pain which you make me suffer-
And from that moment l felt sure that he
would murder me. l resolved upon run
ming away All the stories that l had ever
read of jealous, angry husbands Staying
their wives. all the horrible tragedies ever
perpetrated, came back to me, and l felt
quite sure that some such story would one
day be told about me. 1 am no coward,
but this idea took a morbid hold of me. 1
packed Il small bag, collected the little
sums of money that from time to time lie
had given me-, and went away, hoping new
er in this world to see his face again. 1t
was n strange coincidence, but on that
very day Il favorite and confidential clerk
of my husbands ram away; and from the
advertisements that l saw, l had IL strong
conviction that my husband thought W.
had gone away together.
"From that day that l left the house of
Peter Lennox, Il frightened, terrible child,
in fear and trembling. l have never held
my communication with him. l was even
coward enough to be pleased that he
should have Il completely bad opinion of
me. left Lima, and, with the few
pounds that l had, came over to England.
Then something occurred that altered my
whole life. Five months after l left my
husbands house my dear son Bcltran was
born"
Lady .Ailsa uttered n low cry of sur.
prise: and for the first time during the
telling of her story. Mrs. Carcw's voice
tremblcl and faltered.
II did wrong. them" she said-"you will
find it hard to forgive me. Mind, when ]
left Peter Lennox, l was but a foolish
ignorant child. Still l did wrong to con,
ccal from my husband the fact that liz
had IL son. l ought to nave written to him
at once. and told him. even had l hidden
the child from his sight forever. l loved
my little Beltran so dearly; he was n fine
handsome child, and in my passionate love
for him l swore that lie should be my owl
forever and that 40 one should ever share
i'll his love. Before that time l had called
myself Mrs. Lennon: now l resolved upor
calling myself by my maide name of Ca.
rev. took all precautions. though. abou'
my on-the registration of his birth, I'll,
certificate. go to prove the truth of wha'
say. Though l sworc that Peter Len,
nox should never know even of his birth
stiff arranged everything so that ut an!
omc l could prove my boys claims"
"It is Il wonderful story" said Rea
triS. in a low voice.
ii have hut little more to add contin
1ed Mrs. Carcw. when. after being il
society for many years. heard nj last %
Peter L.cnHoX of Erceldean. the grca
millionaire. it did not occur to me that i
WAS iuy husband of twcnt#-four years be
Gore. | ,boiglii the name was Il strang,
..-.. -4lau. -,-nSnll ulia I.,lli1 " lil