La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1898-04-16

sorrowfully into his kinsman's face.
You have suffered very much.
Raoul." he said. quietly.
Yes. and never thought to see you
again. You are changed, too. Uric
feel inclined to ask where is the
sunny faced boy whom loved % dear
ly?"
''The truth ia. Raoul. have not
turned out very well may have been
= good boy. but l have scarcely been
good man"
"A fault acknowledged II often half
amended" said Sir Raoul.
Yes" admitted the earl. carelessly:
but feel no great desire to amend
half wish that I did"
II hear wondrous news. Ulric-that
you are married. Is 1t true2"
Yes" he replied. gloomily. Il am
married.
And your wife. have been told. had
q large fortune"
That is true" he said. Have they
told you anything eise!"
mo. except that she was Miss Hill
dred Ransome. the great lawyers
daughter
THE great money lender and
schemer's daughter corrected the
earl.
fathers faults. What Is she like.
Uric. this young wife of yours!
never had sister. and my mother died
when was boy. II will be quite n
novelty to me to claim kinsmanship
with lady"
''All the novelties are not agreeable
ones.'' was the moody reply.
This one will be, am sure.
shall be quite proud to address MY
cousin. Lady Caraycn.'
You are preux chevalier. Raoul-
you believe in the SEX" said the earl.
And do you not, Ulric?"
mo. not in one Of them. The fact
is. i feel quite certain that you will
not like my wife. and It annoys me-"
Like herr" echoed Sir Raoul. How
strangely you speak! Certainly shall
do more than like her. your wife and
my cousin. tell you that the
thought of seeing her Is a positive
pleasure to me-"
With hasty steps Lord Caraven
walked up and down the room. He
seemed as though about to speak. but
then stopped abruptly. He stood at
last in front of his cousin.
''Raoul." he said. Il am not good at
keeping a secret. The truth is. do
not like my WIFE,
MOT like her. Uric! You are Jest
ing. surely"
Il wish to heaven that l were! 1
know I am a prodigal. a spendthrift.
but I think sometimes, now that am
a little older. that l might have been a
better man had been happily mar
ried''
But. II you did not like her." said
Sir Raoul. with an air of utter aston
ishment. why did you marry herr
THAT is the question. think the
answer is-because her father wished
her to be a countess"
What has his wish to do with you,
Ulric!"
Some day will tell you all" he re-
piled. 1T is not a pleasant theme
But. with all my faults. dislike deceit
and would not have you think that
you are about to enter upon q scene Of
domestic felicity"
But the lady herself" said Sir
Raoul-"since you confde In me I may
speak-does she know that you do not
love herr"
"Yes. there has never been any pre-
tense of affection between us"
Then" said Sir Raoul. slowly, cit
seems to me that the lady II the one
to be pitied-Abetween her father and
you"
you can pity her IL you like-shs
can hold her own remarkably WELL"
returned the earl "I do not want to
talk about It. Raoul. Every man pays
the price Of his folly sooner or later
I am paying It now. do not care
ever to mention the matter aRain. but
I thought, II you had some idea OF
entering an earthly Eden. you had bat
ter be disabused."
81 wish that It were an earthly
Eden" said Sir Raoul. slowly. .
{ my wife brought me largo for
tune-a fortune that saved me fror.
ruin-and / insist always upon all re-
spect being shown to her. Shs -. ~
she ought to be. entirely mistreas Of
the house. I am always particular
about that. Now that We have finished
with the matter there -, perhaps. one
thing more that I should say. Ny
wffs VIII Be very pleased to see you:
she viii make ron very welcome.
rAnd you do not like herr" intssro-
gated Sir Raoul.
WELL" replied the earl. 'you sse.
me Il not my sty1e-n0t At all myStyle.
1 like fair voneA-ahe = dark; besides
I never think that 3 sman loves 8 wom-
An whom he u compelled to marry"
! 'sYou Wefe 1onvslled to mary her,
thenf~ said Sir Raoul.
TT unss Dithtsg thAt - suln-such
ruiv y would have isft ne pennilcss.