Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-01-01

.lic heart OF the girl whose chief fault in
his eyes was the great love She bore her
mother.
You call this place an abbey, Laura"
said the Captain, %laughingly, one morn
ing. ut is really IL hermitage. PRAY lot
us have some visitors down"
You can invite whom you WILL" re-
turned Indy Laura.
II wish to heaven l could!.' he cried.
im%petuously; and she knew we'll of whom
he was thinking. "Givc me carte blanche.
Laura, hc went OH, and you shall have
the gayest party ever gathered within
these wallis"
Her mind went back for IA minute to
the noble men and fair women who had
lived under the roof of Rood, and the
smile that curved her lips was one of un-
utterablc contempt. The Captain, in no.
wise dauntcd by this, became only more
eager i'll respect of his plan.
They were n happy and noisy party:
music, laughter and singing hardly ceas-
ed Resembling within the old walls. The
guests seemed scarcely ever to be mt rest,
Every hour of the day brought some new
amusement, some new occupation, and the
captain thoroughly enjoyed hustle and
movement. Lady Laura, however, felt
that she should be thankful when it was
over and quiet once more secured.
So the rest of October passed. The
captain contrived always to have the
Abbey full of visitors: but he did not
again propose to invite Lady Kinloch and
Gladys Rane.
The state of affairs Mt Rood Abbey did
not quite escape the notice of the guests
assembled there. 1t was n matter of COM
ment that the handsome Captain, SO
chivalrous, so devoted to other women,
was most neglectful of his wife.
One morning the Captain and Sir Hal
Markham stood on the terrace, smoking
and talking after their usual fashion.
What n grand old place this is" OBJ
served Sir Hal. "What n fine thing for
you to step into it! You were close to the
waters edge at the time, were you not?:"
YES; l could not have held my ground
another month";" replied the Captain.
What would You have done if she re-
fused you?" asked Sir Hal.
II knew that she would not refuse me-"
said his friend. 81 was pretty sure of
success"
"But what" persisted Sir Hal, "should
You have done if she had said No."
II must have left the country" the Cap
tain replied.
Then ut least you owe her some graft
tude," said Sir Hal.
II suppose so" responded his compan-
ion. carelcssly.
Then. after a few seconds, Sir Hal
asked. abruptly:
what became of that beautiful girl we
met i'll I.ondon-Miss Rane?"
fNl.o So
"She is in Paris again. with Lady Kin
lock-" he replied.
You were very fond of her, vancc?"
said his friend.
"She was the one love of my life!"
"Thnt is hardly fair to the woman you
have married"
ut makes but little difference" was the
Captains comment.
"1ou have certainly been n most fortu-
nate man," remarked Sir Hal.
II should consider that I was If the
estate were wholly mine and without in
cumbrnnce," said the Captain.
II have heard people speak of the late
Sir Charles Roodcn's WILL" continued Sir
Hal. Rather an extraordinary one. was
it not?"
"a very foolish one, some people think"
replied the Captain. "He left the whole
of his estate and fortune, without any re-
striction, to his widow, and after her de-
cease it was to go to her daughter"
"Thcn. if Lady Laura died, you would
be a poor man again, Vance?"
II should indeed, unless"
| But he did not finish the sentence.
"Unless what:" asked Sir Hal.
"Unless her daughter died Also" re-
piled The Captain.
"And what then?' asked his friend.
"Why. then-but remember, Hal, it is n
most unlikely thing to nappcn-the whole
of the property would come to me!'
Sir Hal gave a prolonged whistle, while
the Captain looked at him with serene un-
consciousness.
"Only those two lives between you and
n vast fortunc?" he said, musingly.
THAT is ALL" responded the Captain;
"but those two lives are good ones"
II do not know" said Sir Hal, gravely.
"Angela seems strong. certainly; but
Lady Laura looks very delicate. do not
think hers will be a long life." Then, as
if suddenly making n discovery. Sir Hal
added: But, Vance, If anything hap
pened to your wife. you would be worse
off than you were before your marriage.
You would be a dependent on Angela's
bounty"
THAT 1 should never be-" said the Cap
tain.
Vance" observed his friend, "you
must change your tactics. This will
never do. You must turn OVER another
leaf; you must TAKE more care of Lady
Laura. What a misfortune it would be
for you if she were to die! Suppose she
fell i'll Tomorrow and died in q few days.
where would you be?"
The Captain looked up with a startled
face. The prospect of such a sudden
change in his circumstances had never
occurred to him.
"You are altogether on the wrong
road." continued his friend. "Instead Of
making your wife miserable, az I see you
do. instead of crushing her and making