Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-11-27

You have been seeking my husband,
and I do not approve of it. You spent
a day with him on the river-he never
told me about it, I am not jealous
wife, but I despise any woman who
would seek to take the love of a hus-
band away from his wife"
Conscience, which makes towards of
us all, kept Leone silent.
Lady Chandos continued:
what is there between my husband
and you?"
"True friendship" answered Leone,
trying to speak bravely.
ct do not believe it" said Lady
Chandos. "True friendship does not
hide itself, Or make mystery of it's
actions. Madame Vanira, I loved you
when I first saw you; I take my love
and my liking both from you. Now
that I find that you have acted treach-
erously I believe in you no more
CHOSE are strong words, Lady
Chandos," said Leone.
''They are true. Henceforth we are
strangers My friends are honorable
women, who would seek to steal my
Jewels rather than seek to steal from
me my husbands love-
| Leone could not reta1iate. The
temptation was strong. She could
| have said:
"He was my husband, as I believed,
before he was yours; you stole him
from me, not from you
The temptation was strong, the
words leaped in burning torrent
from her heart to her lips. She re-
pressed them for her sake and bore the
crushing words without reply.
IT have always heard" she said,
chat there was ample reason that
singers, even though they be queens of
song, should not be admitted into the
heart of ones home. Now I see the
justice of it; they are not satisfied
with legitimate triumphs. You,
Madame Vanira, have not been con-
tented with my liking and friendship,
with the hospitality of my home, but
you must seek to take my husbands
interest, time, affection
''Are you not judging me harshly,
Lady Chandos?" asked the singer.
''You bring all these accusations
against me and give men no oppor-
tunity of clearing myself of them"
"You cannot" said Lady Chandos.
''I have no wish to hear your defense.
You can neither deny nor explain the
fact that you spent day with my
husband on the river; all the sophistry
in the world cannot deny that fact, and
that fact condemns you"
Would you say the same thing to
any of your former friends?" asked Lee
one-"to Lady Caldwell or Lady
Blake?"
Neither of them would do such a
thing" cried Lady Chandos. Ladies
of the class to which I belong do not
spend whole days on the river with
gentlemen unknown to their wives.
Madame Vanira-you and are
strangers from this time"
''You are very hard on me-" said Lee
one. "The day may come when you
will admit that
"The day will never come in which
I will mistake good for evil or right
for wrong said Lady ChandOs.
"Others may applaud you; you may
continue your sway over the minds and
hearts of men, but I shall protest
against you and all those who like you
who would come between the husbands
and wives to separate them"
It was such a satire Of fate, such a
satire of her own life, that Leone's
beautiful lips curled with bitter
smile. It was she who had been parted
from her husband by a bubble of the
law, and this fair, angry woman had
taken him for herself.
Lady Chandos saw the smile and
misunderstood it. She bowed, and
would have passed, but Leone tried to
stop her.
Twill you not say one kind word TO
me before you go, Lady Chandos?"
''I have not one kind word to say"
was the reply.
She would have passed on, but fate
again interviewed in the person of
Lord Chandos, who was walk
ing with his hostess, the Countess
OIL hdSCOu. Iu0y SLOpPou USlOIC JIG
two ladies and Lord Chandos saw at
once that something was wrong.
Madame Vanira, after exchanging a |
few words with the countess, went
away, and as soon as he could, Lord
Chandos rejoined his wife.
Marion" he said, CURLY, "you have
had some disagreeable words with
Madame Vanira. I know it by the ex-
preston of your face"
''You are right" she said. 81 have
told her that henceforth she and I
shall be strangers"
'You have dared!" he cried, forget
ting himself at the thought Of Leone's
face.
She turned her face proudly to him.
1T have dared" she replied. 81 re-
fuse to speak or see Madame Vanira
again-she must not cross the thresh
old of my door again