The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-05-20


her! They would never dare to
speak to her as they did but
for that knowledge. How well
they must know it, when they dared
to try to insult her through her father.
Lady Caravan felt something like
despair Was such a life after all
worth living? Her heart ached, her
head throbbed. She longed with des-
perate longing for few minutes re-
pose-it seemed to her that her life was
hurrying on like swift river into an
unknown sea. She wanted to stop and
see whittier it was going. Everywhere
there was the same notes.-the deep
voices and deep laughter of men, the
light tones and gay laughter of women
There was not a spot in the whole
place for rest. She pressed her hand
against the temples that throbbed so
violently. She looked around her half
irresolutely. whittier should she go?
Then she bethought herself of the plea
saunce-the only spot where she could
even imagine herself alone.
The pleasaunce must have been con-
structed by some one who knew how
human nature longed for rest. Few
of the Ravensmere people knew of it's
existence-the visitors did not. Some
of the servants were in perfect ignor-
ance as to it's whereabouts. 1t was con-
structed for the sole and exclusive use
of the Ladies Caraven.
The young countess bethought her
self of this retreat She had one key
of the dark green door that led to it;
Sir Raoul had another She would go
thither she said to herself, and look
her life in the face, and then decide
what to do with it. 1t was slowly
dawning across her that she would not
be able to bear her trials much longer;
that she could not and would not en-
dure them; that there was brighter
life somewhere, which she was de-
termined to find out; that she could
not sacrifice her whole life to a shadow
of duty; that, in fact, she would go
forth free.
Free! The very word made her
heart beat quickly.
She went to the pleasaunce. If she
were interrupted there, it could be only
by her husband or Sir Raoul; there
was no fear of intruders. A sense of
relief came to her when she found
herself between the four high walls.
The blue sky smiled down upon her,
the languid air stirred family, the scent
of roses came to her on the wind; it
was like reprieve to enter that quiet
retreat and feel alone.
She walked down one of the broad,
straight paths to where crimson car
nations grew side by side with white
lilies, and there she seated herself to
rest-alone. There was no sound of
mems voices or of light laughter; no
sheer could reach her where she was;
there was nothing but the blue sky
above, and the breath of the sweet
western wind. She was shut out from
all sounds-alone, with the thread OF
her life in her hands.
Suddenly-she could not tell why
the self-command of long years broke
down. Her pride, her courage, her
high spirit, the proud sense of resent
ment that had sustained her, broke
down, and she wept as she had seldom
wept in her life before. The passion
ate tears seemed to relieve her. 1t
was luxury to weep there alone-for
once to give herself up to a full sense
of her misery, of her disappointment,
of her blighted life-for once to dare
to look the truth full in the face, and
owA to herself that she was one of the
most miserable, most wretched girls in
the whole wide world.
She sobbed out the words. 1t was a
relief to say them, a relief to say
even to herself that she was miserable;
she had been so proudly reticent, so
self-restrained.
Suddenly a hand was laid upon her