The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-08-05
BY CHARLOTTE M. BRAEf1E.
INTERNATIONAL PRESS ASSOCIATION.

should prove dangerous in the end. II
was better, he thought, than she should
go away at once.
lie made two announcements to his
household, which no one even thought
OF connecting. The first and most
startling was, of course, that Lady
Hamilton had been shot accidentally
chance shot-though why a ball car
fridge had been used was a puzzle
supposed to have been fred by poach-
ers in the wood; the second was that
Lady Caraven had been suddenly sum
money to her fathers home in London.
NO one dreamed of connecting the two
announcements, and in the disordered
state OF the household it never occurred
TO any OF the guests to question the
servants as to when the countess had
gone. She had been sent for after din
ner, and the apologies that the earl
made were deemed quite sufficient.
Some OF the guests indeed said that it
was as well Lady Caraven was out of
the way, as she would probably have
been greatly distressed. To this day
the earl Is uncertain what in his panic
he said or did. The only idea quite
clear to him was that he must shield
the woman who bore his name.
1t was not very long before the doc
tor arrived, and then all alarm was at
an end. He found the ball at once;
it had not gone very deep into the
shoulder. 1t was extracted and the
wound bound up.
Then lovely Lady Hamilton raised
her golden head and asked, languid-
ly:
Shall be very Ill, doctor?'
mo, hope not. You will suffer a
little pain-nothing much, trust
Shall be i'll for long timer" she
asked. "Ah, me, how little l dreamed
that l was coming to Ravensmere to be
shot,"
ut is very unfortunate" said the
doctor; "but I do not think you will
be Ill very long, Lady Hamilton. You
must take heart"
ITO think that Of all the people in
the world they should select me! I
suppose it was quite an accident,
though. They were poachers, 1 am
told. Now, doctor, want to ask you
a very serious question"
The doctor seemed to imply by his
manner that he was all attention.
Il shall be very happy to answer it,
If it lies in my power" he said.
Tell me, shall 1 lose-that is-will
my temporary seclusion interfere at
all with what l may call my good
looks?"
He told himself that the amusement
he felt must be carefully concealed.
Il think" he replied, confidentially,
chat l may reassure your ladyship. l
do not see how it can possibly affect
you in that fashion, and the needed
rest will be most beneficial to you"
Then she was content to remain in
her room, not suffering very much
pain.
The keepers had made strenuous eff
forts to find the poachers, but they
had evidently made their escape, fright
ened doubtless at what they had done.
No trace Of them could be found.
1t was with sense of relief that
Lord Caraven went to his room that
night. He wanted to be alone to
think over the events of the day. He
found himself dwelling less on the ter
rible fact that his wife had shot Lady
Hamilton than on the wonderful fact
that she loved him.
II have gone mad-I love you-let
me die!"
The words haunted him like the re-
frain of a song He could not sleep.
All night the pale, passionate, beauti-
full face was before him. The words
rang in his ears. as they had rung
when he saw Hildred in the star
light, pleading, praying, accusing him,
all in one vehement storm of words.