Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-01-13

know of any worst that l would not
bear for Philips sake"
Lady Winsleigh studied the lovely
face, eloquent with love and truth, for
some moments in silence; kind of
conjunction pricked her conscience.
Why destroy all that beautiful faith?
Why wound that grandly trusting ma
ture? The feeling was but momen-
tary.
Philip does run after the We're"
she said to herself-"it's true, there's
no mistake about it, and she ought to
know Of it. But she won't believe
without proofs-what proofs can get,
wonder?' And her scheming brain
set to work to solve this problem.
In justice to her. it must be admit
ted, she had good deal of seeming
truth on her side. Sir Philips name
had somehow got connected with that
OF the leading actress at the Brilliant,
and more people than Lady Winsleigh
began to make jocose whispering COM
ments on his stage amour, com
ments behind his back, which he was
totally unaware of. Nobody knew
quite how the rumor had first started.
Sir Francis LennoX seemed to know
good deal about it, and he was an init
mate of the We're" magic circle of
attraction. And though they talked,
no one ventured to say anything to
Sir Philip himself; the only two
among his friends who would have
spoken out honestly were Beau Love
lace and Lorimer, and these We're alb
sent.
One evening". contrary to his usual
custom, Sir Philip went out after the
late dinner Before leaving, he kiss,
his wife tenderly, and told her on no
account to sit up for him-he and Ne
Vile were going to attend to a little
matter of business which might de
tain them longer than they could cal
culate. After they had gone, Thelma
resigned herself to a lonely evening,
and, stirring the fire in the drawing
room to a cheerful blaze, she sat down
beside it. First, she amused herself
by reading over some letters recently
received from her father,--and then,
yielding to a sudden fancy, she drew
her spinning wheel from the corner
where it always stood, and set it in
motion. She had little time for spin
ming now, but she never quite gave 1t
UP, and as the low, familiar whirring
sound hummed pleasantly on her ears,
she smiled, thinking how quaint and
almost incongruous her simple imple1
ment of industry looked among all the
luxurious furniture and costly nick
nacks by which she was surrounded.
Il ought to have one OF my old
gowns on" she half murmured, glanc-
ing down at the pale-blue silk robe she
wore,-"I am too fine to spin!"
And she almost laughed as the
wheel flew round swiftly under her
graceful manipulations. Listening to
it's whirr, whirr, she scarcely heard
sudden knock at the street-door, and
was quite startled when the servant,
Morris, announced y
"Sir Francis Lennox!" E.
Surprised, she rose from her seat at
the spinning wheel with slight air Of
hauteur. Sir Francis, who had never
in his life seen lady Of title and fash
ion in London engaged in the print
tive occupation OF spinning, was en-
tirely delighted with the picture before
1.-THE tall, lovely woman with her
golden hair and shimmering blue
draperies, standing with such stateli-
ness beside the simple wooden wheel,
the antique emblem OF household in
dustry Instinctiyely he thought OF
Marguerite; Marguerite as q
crowned queen, superior to all temp
tations Of either man or fiend.
"Sir Philip is out" she said, as she
suffered him to take her hand.
80 was aware!" returned Lennox
easily. Il saw him little while ago
at the door of the Brilliant Theater."
She turned very pale, con-
trolling the rapid beating Of her heart
by a strong effort, she forced a care
less smile, and said brayely--
Did you? am very glad--for he
will have some amusement there, per
haps, and that will do him good. He
has been working so hard!"
She paused. He said nothing, and
she went on more cheerfully still
"Is it not very dismal, wet even
ing! Yes!-and you must be cold
VIII you have some tear
That nks!" drawled Sir Francis,
staring at her admiringly. IF It's not
too much trouble"
"Oh MOI" said Thelma. why should
it be-" And she rang the bell and
gave the order. Sir Francis sank
lazily back in an easy chair, and
strokeo his moustache slowly. He
knew that his random hit about the
theater had struck home.-but she al
lowed the arrow to pierce and possibly
wound her heart without showing any
outward sign OF discomrosure. "A
plucky woman!" he considered. and
wondered how he should make his
next mov. She, meanwhile. smiled
at him frankly, and gave light twirl
tn her spfr ning-WhHel