Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-12-07
CHAPTER LIV.
A Mothers Appeal.


sunbeams Keeping in her room told
her 1t was time to rise. She turned
her face to the wall and said it would
be easier to de-her life was spoiled
nothing could give her back her faith
and trust in her husband or her love
for him.
Life had nothing for her now. 1t
was noon before she rose, and then she
went to her boudoir Lord Chandos
had gone out leaving no message for
her. She sat there thinking, brooding
over her sorrow, wondering what she
was to do, when the Countess of Lans-
we'll was announced.
Lady Marion looked up. 1t was as
though an inspiration from Heaven
had come to her; she would tell Lady
Lanswell and hear what she had to
say
"You have been crying" said the
countess, as she bent over her daugh-
ter-in-law. Crying, and how i'll you
look-what is the matter?"
Something very wrong is the mat
ter" said Lady Marion. Something
that | cannot bear-something that
will kill me If it is not stopped"
my dearest Marion" said the
countess, what is wrong? l have new
err seen you so distressed before.
Where Is Lancer"
IT never know where he Is now"
she said. ooh, Lady Lanswell, I am
so miserable so unhappy that wish
were dead"
This outbreak from Lady Marion,
who was always so calm, so high-bred,
so reticent in expressing her feelings,
alarmed Lady Lanswell She took the
cold, trembling hands in her own.
Marion she said, you must calm
yourself; you must tell me what is the
matter and let me help you"
Lady Chandos told her all, and the
countess listened in wondering amaze.
Are you quite sure?" she said.
Lady Ilficld eXaggerates sometimes
when she repeats those g0ssiping sto-
ries"
1T must be true, since my husband
acknowledged it himself, and yet re
fused to give me any explanation of IL,
Some time since, found that he passed
so much of his time away from homo
asked you if he had any friends with
whom he was especially intimate, and
you thought not. Now | know that it
was Madame Vanira he went to see
She lives at Highgate, and he goes
there every day"
Il should not think much of it, my
dear, If | We're you, said the countess
Madame Nanira is very beautiful and
very accomplished geLuemen like
to be amused"
Il cannot argue" said Lady Chan
dos; II can only say tina, my own in
stinct and my own heart tell me there
is something wrong, that there is
some tie between them. | know moth
ing of til cannot tell why | feel this
certain conviction, but | do feel it,"
ut is not true, am sure, Marion,
said the countess, gravely. II know
Lance better than anyone else; | know
his strength, his weakness, his virtues
HIS ldllluSS, lbNS VI MI lSuS 10 Hp'
one, neither is lightness of love"
Then if he cares nothing for
Madame Nanira, and sees me unhappy
over her, why will he not give her up?'
"He will If you ask him." said Lady
Lanswell.
"He will not | have asked him.
have told hlm that the pain of it is
wearing my life away; but he will not
am very unhappy, for love my hus-
band"
And he loves you" said the count
ess.
Il do not think so. l believe-my
instinct tells me-that he loves Mad
anne Vanira."
Marion, it is wicked to say such
things" said the countess severely
Because your husband, like every
other man of the world, pays some at
tention to the most gifted woman of
her day, you suspect him of infidelity
want OF love and want of truth
wonder al YOU"
Lady Marion raised her fair, tear
stained face.
Il cannot make you understand y
she said slowly, nor do | understand
myself | only know what feel, what
my instinct tells me, and that is that
between my husband and Madame Va
Mira there is something more than
know. And feel there is a tie be-
tween them. He looks at her with
different eyes; he speaks to her with a
different voice; when ne sung with
her it was as though their souls floated
away together"
Marion" interrupted the countess,
my dear child, begin to see what is
the matter with you-you are Jealous ="
Yes, | am jealous" said the un-
happy wife, and not without cause
you must own that All, Lady Lans-
well, you would be sorry for me If you
knew all. See, it Is wearing me away,
my heart beats, my hands tremble, and
they burn like fire, Oh, my God. how
suffer-"