Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-01-06

with his intending membership for
Parliament, occupied Sir Philip from
morning till night. The old insidious
feeling OF depression returned and
lowered over Thelma's mind like a
black bird OF Ill omen, and though she
did her best to shake it off she could
Lot succeed. People began to notice
her deepening seriousness and the
wistful melancholy OF her blue eyes,
and made their remarks thereon when
Trey saw her at Marcia Van Clupp's
vedding, an event which came off bril-
| liantly at the commencement Of No
vember, and which was almost entire
ly presided over by Mrs. Rush-Mar-
yelle. That far-seeing matron had in
deed urged on the wedding by every
delicate expedient possible.
Long engagements are great mis-
take" she told Marcia,-then, in a
warning undertone she added, Men
are capricious nowadays, they're all
so much in demand, better take
baskerville while he's in the humor."
| Marcia accepted this hint and took
tim,-and Mrs. Rush Marvelle heaved
a sign of relief when she saw the twain
safely married and off to the Continent
on their honeymoon-trip,- all
sparkling and triumphant,-Lord Algy
tr< mulous and feebly ecstatic.
THANK Heaven that's Overt" she
said to her polite and seryile husband.
II never had such a troublesome bust
ness in my life! That girls been
nearly two seasons on my hands, and |
think five hundred guineas not bit
too much for all I've done.
Not a bit-not a bit!" agreed Mr..
Marvelle warmly. Have they-have
they" here he put on a most be-
1.evolent side-look- quite settled
with you, my dear?"
Every penny" replied Mrs. Mar
velle calmly. "Old Van Clupp paid me
the last thing this morning. And poor
Mrs. Van Clupp is so very grateful"
She sighed placidly, and appeared to
neditate Then she smiled sweetly
and, approaching Mr.. Marvelle, patted
his shoulder caressingly 81 think
we'll do the Italian lakes, dear-what
do you say?"
"Charming-charmingn' declared,
not her lord and master, but her slave
and vassal. Nothing could be more
delightful"
And to the Italian lakes accordingly
they went. A great many people were
out of town,-all who had leisure and
money enough to liberate themselves
from the approaching evils of an Eng
fish winter, had departed or were de-
parting,-Beau Lovelace had gone to
Como, Lorimer had returned
with Duprez to Paris, and Thelma had
leigh, who was more often with her
now than ever. In fact, her ladyship
was more like one of the Errington
household than anything else, she
came so frequently and stayed So long.
She seemed sincerely attached to Thel-
ma, and Thelma herself, too single
hearted and simple to imagine that
such affection could be feigned, gave
her In return, what Lady Winsleigh
had never succeeded in winning from
any woman,-a pure, trusting, and ut
terly unsuspecting love, such as she
would have lavished on twin-horn
sister. But there was one person who
was not deceived by Lady Winsleighs
charm of manner and grace Of speech.
This was Britta Her keen eyes
flashed sort of unuttered defiance in
to her ladyship's beautiful, dark Ian
gushing ones-she distrusted her, and
viewed the intimacy between her and
the "Froken" with entire disfavor.
Once she ventured to express some
thing of her feeling on the matter to
Tholma--but rhelma had looked so
gently wondering and reproachful that
Britta had not courage to so on.
IL am so sorry, Britta." said her
mistress, that you do not like Lady
| WiEslcigh because | am very fond Of
her. You must try to like her for my
sake"
But Britta pursed her lips and shook
her head obstinately. However, she
said no more Mt the time, and decided
within herself to wait and watch the
course Of events. And in the mean
time she became very intimate with
Lady Winsleigh's maid. Louise Rem
aud, and Briggs, and learned from
these two domestic authorities many
things which greatly tormented and
puzzled her little brain, things over
which she pondered deeply without ar
irving at any satisfactory conclusion.
On her return to town, Thelma had
been inexpressibly shocked at the
changed appearance of her husbands
secretary, Edward Neville, At first
she scarcely knew him, he had altered
so greatly. Always inclined to stoop,
his shoulders were now bent as by the
added weight of twenty years-his
hair once only grizzled, was now quite
grey--his face deeply sunken and pale,
and his eyes by contrast looked large
and wild. as though some haunting
thought were driving him to madness
He shrank so nervously from her gaze,
that she began to fancy he must have
tokeu some dislike to her and though