Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-03-11

wv
dependent until he saw her settled in
safe groove.
She had just enough money to take
up to town and 70 Lady Gwenaps
house in hanSom--once in town she
could dispose of some of the jewelry
which she carefully packed away in a
uperfcial-looking little Russian
leather handbag. This bag was strap
ped to her wrist by a steel band and
secured by a locked paddock.
She was frantic to reach Lady GIVE
maps side before Sir Andrew regained
ly understood and gagged the depth of
Maggie's love for her brother If by
a display of unse'dsh devotion TO
Sholto, devotion layished "onn him
without hope of reward, she could win
Lady Gwenap over tG her cause-their
cause, Sholto's and hers-then indeed
would she have done good days work.
Sholto would ccme out of the fiery fur
mace unhurt end Lady Gwenap would
win forgiveness for them 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-secured handbag were
black pearl pin and pigeon s-blood
ruby ring, both of which Sir Andrew
had given TO her 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 delverance of her new
lover. Sholto Graham.
But first of all she would see Maggie.
Lady Gwenap was in her bcudolr
fretting about her brother and the in
terruption to her latter-day season
festivities. rhe shcck which Sir And
rews condition On the previous even
ing had caused her had passed away.
She was far more anxious about her
brother than about her husband.
Anxious not only about Sholto, from
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 ignor-
ance of the bond that made Sholto's
-. nd ,,,t al IN j, fri nd
aus they were 10 herself.
How is Sir Andrew? VIII he live?
Mrs. Cumberland gasped out For once
she was thoroughly spontaneous. Sir
Andrews life was as precious to her
as Sholtos liberty. She felt that she
could not live without either of the n
or, rather, without both.
Lady Gwenap was elegant rather
than spontane Gus even in the midst OF
her grief and enxiety about Sholto.
Hurry and excitement and unbecom
ingly vulgar Russian leather handbags
would avail her brother little, she
thought and it annoyed her that at this
juncture, when all her surroundings
were liable to being fiercely 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 20
command admiration than was her
wont.
Sir Andrew Is going on well, Much
better than could be expected consider
ing his age and the depth of the
wounds on the back of his head and his
forehead. 1t is about my brother that
| am feeling most distressed-such AN
Ubiquitous, such a frivolous charge to
have brought against him."
Maggie, | am feeling it more even
than you are, Mrs. Cumberland gulped
out with 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 me to marry him. On,
Maggie, don't look Ike that love
him SOL do love him so!'
And you have beer his ruin, for If
there was a row between him and Sir
Andrew yesterday it must have been
on account of this-this abominable
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 1t while believed you to be what
you professed--a wealthy, Independent
widow Now ! know that your wealth
is 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 we'll
enough to know it as your marrying
my brother And II he never gets well
where will your supposed wealth be?
It will vanish into thin air and with il
Sholto's silly fancy for you"
Mrs Cumberland threw off her plead