Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-12-04
CHAPTER LV.

Lucia Countess of Lanswell, was in
terrible trouble, and it was the first
real trouble of her life. Her sons mar
riage had been rather difficulty than
trouble-a difficulty that the law had
helped her over. Now no law could
intervene, and no justice. Nothing
could exceed her surprise in finding
Madame Vanira, the queen of song,
the most beautiful, the most gifted
woman in England, positively the
"dairymaid," "the tempestuous young
person." the artful, designing girl
| from whom by an appeal to Une strong
arm of the law she had saved her
son. She paused in wonder to think
| to herself what would have happencd
| if the marriage had not been declared
null and void. In that case, she SAID
to herself, with a shrug of the Shout
ders, in all probability the girl would
not have taken to the stage at ALL. she
remembered the strong, dramatic pas
sion with which Leone had threatened
her. "She was born an actress, said
my lady to herself, with a sheer. She
determined within herself that the Sc
cret should be kept, that to no one
living would she reveal the fact that
the great actress was the girl whom
the law had parted from her son.
Lord Chandos, the duke of Lester,
the world in general, must never
know this. Lord Chandos must never
tell it, neither would she. What was
she to do? A terrible incident had
happened-terrible to her on whose
life no shadow rested. Madame Vanira
had accepted an engagement at Ber~
lin, the fashionable journals had al
ready announced the time of her de-
parture, and bemoaned the loss OF SO
much beauty and genius. Lord Chan
dos had announced his intention OF
spending a few months in Berlin, and
his wife would not agree to it.
'You know very we'll" she said,
chat you have but one motive in go
ing to Berlin and that is to be near
Madame Vanira."
'You have no right to pry into my
motives" he replied, angrily; and she
retorted that when a husbands mo-
tives degraded his wife, she had every
reason to inquire into them.
Hot, bitter, angry words passed be-
TWEEN them. Lord Chandos declared
that if it pleased him to go to Berlin
he should go; it mattered little
whether his wife went or not; and
Lady Chandos, on her side, declared
that nothing should ever induce her
to go to Berlin. The result was just
what one might have anticipated
violent quarrel. Lady Chandos threat
ened to appeal to the duke. Her hus-
band laughed at the notion.
''The duke is a great statesman and
a clever man" he replied; "but he has
no power over me. II he lnterfered
with my arrangements, in all proba-
bility we should not meet again
81 will appeal to him. cried Lady
Marion; che is the only friend [ have
in the world"
The ring of passionate pain in her
voice startled him. A sense of pity
came over HIM. After all, this fair,
angry woman was his wife, whom he
was bound to protect.
Marion, be reasonable" he said.
You go to work the wrong way. Even
supposing | did care for some one else,
you do not go the way to make me care
for you; but you are mistaken. Cease
all these disagreeable recriminations,
and [ will be the kindest of husbands
and the best of friends to you. | have
no wish, believe me, Marion, to be any
thing else"
Even then she might have become
reconciled to him, and the sad after
consequences have been averted, but
she was too angry, too excited with
jealousy and despair.
''Will you give up Madame Vanira
for me?" she said, and husband and
wife looked fxedly at each other. You
say you will be a loving husband and
prove it by giving up Madame Vanira.'
Lord Chandos was silent for a few
minutes. Then he said:
''I cannot, for this reason: Madame
Vanira, as happen to know, has mad
great troubles in her life, but she is
| thoroughly SOOu. repeat IL, Mol 1OA'
thoroughly good. Now, as [, as you
phrase it, give her up it would be
,confessing that I had done wrong.
My friendship is some little comfort to
her, and she likes me. What harm is
there in it? Above all, what wrong
does it inflict on you? Answer me.
Has my friendship for Madame Va
Mira made me less kind, less thought
full for your"
| No answer came from the white lips
of the trembling wife.
"Why should you be foolish or mar
minded? Why seek to end a
friendship pure and innocent? Why
not be your noble self, Marion-noble,
as have always thought you? I will
tell you frankly, Madame Vanira is go
ing to Berlin. You know how lonely
! it is to go to a fresh place. She hap