Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-06-17

that he did not love
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 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 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-
j structed by some one who knew how
human nature longed for rest. Few
of the Ravensmere people knew of its
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
nv 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 seem
of roses came to her on the wind; il
was like reprieve to enter that quie
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 che seated herself tt
rest-alone There was no sound o
mems voices or of light laughter; nj
: sheer could reach her where she was
there was nothing but the blue SIX.
. above, and the breath of the swee
.. western wind. She was shut out from
, her life in her hands.
Suddenly-she could not tell why
the self-command of long years brok
! down. Her pride, her courage, he
: high spirit, the proud sense OF resent
ment that had sustained her, brok
. down, and she wept as she had seldom
q wept in her life before. The passion
n ate tears seemed to relieve her.
q was a luxury to weep there alone-fo
q once to give herself up to full sens
" of her l1isery, of her disappointment
4 of her blighted life-for once to dar
d to look the truth full in the face, an
= own to herself that she was one of tn
q most miserable, most wretched girls Il
: the whole wide world.
a She sobbed out the words. 1t was
: relief to say them, relief to sa
O even to herself that she was miserable
It she had been SO proudly reticent, s
a seif-restrained.
y Suddenly hand was laid upon he