Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-04-22


peared out of place. She was very
popular, very much liked, but not
quite understood. Fair ladies whose
lives were one gay round of pleas
ure wondered why smiles did not come
as readily to her lips as to theirs
why she was graver, more thoughtful,
more distracted
1t was so strange a life; the world
around her was so brilliant, so gay,
there seemed no room in it for any
thing but laughter and song. There
were times when she looked wonder
ingly at the bright faces of others, cry
ing from the depths of her soul. MY
heart is empty!'
One morning she was restless and
could not sleep. She had been think
ing about her strange lot in life until
her head ached The pillow was hot;
she longed to be up and breathing the
sweet, fresh morning air. She touch
ed the repeater; it was just four She
thought book might soothe her, and
she was much interested in new
novel. She was always considerate
about her servants. Many ladies would
have rung for her maid, and have sent
her for what they required; but Lady
Caraven rose and put on her dressing
gown, intending to go into the draw
ing-room herself Then the clear,
cold water in her dressing-room look
ed so tempting that she stopped and
bathed her face and hands in it. She
drew her wealth of dark hair behind
her pretty, shell-like ears. She had
no thought of the lovely picture that
she presented-her beautiful face
glowing with roses from the cold
water, her hair falling in most pic
turesque disorder, the graceful lines
and curves of her figure showing to
the greatest advantage.
She went down stairs, and was sur
prised to see the large lamp still
burning in the hall. She thought it
had been forgotten, and went forward
with the intention of putting it out.
To her still greater surprise, she saw
Adolphe, her husbands valet, asleep
in the great arm chair. She spoke to
him:
"Adolphe," she said, what are you
doing here? Why is this lamp still
alighte 1t is morning."
The tired man-servant looked round
him with an air of stupefaction for
half a minute, then arose, and, seeing
the young countess, grew puzzled and
half alarmed. What was he to say if
she repeated the question?
What are you doing here?" she
asked again.
He dared not say that he was wait
ing for his master; but before he had
time to reply, there came fortunately
a knock at the hall door, and the next
moment the earl stood before her. In
amazement he looked at the vision
before him.
"Hildred,' he cried, what are you
doing here?"
81 came down to find a book, be-
cause 1 could not sleep, and, seeing
the lamp burning, l intended to ex-
tinguish it"
Lord Caraven took out his watch.
-Four O'clock" he said. Il am late
or rather early l have been play
ing at billiards since eleven
She looked contemptuously at him.
Il believe" she said, that your
whole soul is engrossed in billiards"
Il have played the best game to-
night that | have ever played in my
life," he told her, laughingly.
She made no reply. He continued:
Il will quote popular line--if
you're waking, call me earlv'-that is,
some time after noon. We shall have
a grand match at the club tomorrow
evening, and l have staked a small
fortune on the champion billiard play
er of England"
Hildred looked at him-the hand
some face was worn and haggard, the
eyes were tired and dim. The picture
was striking one-the girl-wife in all
the fresh beauty of her youth: the
husband, still in his evening dress,
haggard, pale, yet handsome even in
his fatigue; the lovely light of the |
struggling with the garlsh