Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1899-12-14
into the house and fed. Dick had

speak 10 lney nau paFteu very DltteI1J :
She had refused him, telling him of her
engagement to Lord Farleigh, and Dick
had seemed to think he had been treat
ed badly. He had said hard things, and
declared he would never willingly speak
to her again. Since then he had avoid
ed her so far as he could do SO without
open rudeness. To-day he was horribly
kind and respectful.
Had it gone so far already, then? Did
the people know that the time was
come for her friends to stand round her,
so to speak, offering comfort and pro-
lection?
Just opposite, her husband and Mrs.
Casillis had risen from the table. Mrs.
Casillis was very tall and goddess-like,
with a delicately arched nose, and fair
hair raised softly from low forehead.
Beatrice turned and caught Dick look
ing at her too.
''Mrs. Casilis is one of the most beau
calmly.
81 don't admire her in the least"
said Dick; and Beatrice hated him for
having SO little tact that he let his re-
sentiment tell in his voice.
She rose impatiently and managed to
lose Dick in the crowd, but he was wait
ing by her mare when she was ready to
mount. She hated him more than ever.
wasn't it kind of Lord Farleigh to
lend me Telegram" Mrs. Casilis said
as they were together for moment,
while the huntsmen threw the hounds
into the cover. "Do you think I shall
be able to manage him?"
'Of course" Beatrice said cheerfully;
"'red wouldn't have let you ride him if
there'd been any doubt about it,"
She felt, rather than saw, her hus-
bands glance of shamefaced approval,
and resented it.
eve will both keep you in sight" she
continued, ''to see how you get on
Beatrice had not been in earnest when
she had spoken of keeping in the neigh
borhood of her husband and Mrs. Casilis,
and yet they never seemed out of her
sight; even when she tried to avoid
them, chance. or some involuntary in
stinct on her part, would bring the
three together. l..
Her plucky little mare went that day
as she had never gone before, and more
than once when she found herself close
upon the two big horses, though she
was conscious that her presence was
an annoyance to both their riders, she
saw a look of reluctant admiration on
her husbands face.
After a sharp scamper, the hounds
overran the scent, and a fresh cover was
tried, and again with success. Reynard
hurled away against the wind:
Beatrice saw Mrs. Casilis settle her
self in her saddle with an air that said
plainly that she meant to leave her well
behind this time. ''The mare can't hold
out much longer"-Beatrice saw her
lips move, and guessed at the words.
Ted and his companion were ahead.
She almost lost sight of them. The 9TH
er woman's golden hair flashed in the
light before her eyes and almost blinded
her.
But the fox doubled. An easy ride
across grass and an easy jump over a
low fence brought her alongside of her
husband and Mrs. Casilis just when it
seemed they least expected her. They
were going gently, to cut across the loop
that the hounds were making and
come up with them couple of fields
ahead.
Their horses were close together.
They were talking eagerly as they rode.
Farleigh saw Beatrice first, and his face
darkened.
"Good heavens! Beatrice, do you
think need chaperon ?" he said.
eyes, do" she said, sharply through
her clenched teeth.
''Well, she's undertaken more than
she can manage" and Mrs. Casilis
laughed.
Beatrice was not meant to hear the
words, she knew so much; but her hus-
band had been meant to hear them, the
other woman dare sheer at her to him!
This was the end, then; the fight was
lost. Her life was not to be beautiful
any more, but pitiable and contempt
ible. Pity and ridicule, that was what
she was to have in future, instead of
love and honor; and she would have to
go on living as if it didn't hurt.
She saw all her future life before her
in the few moments it took to cross the
field. An uncared-for wife, fretting
alone at home till she grew old, or else
wife like others she knew, very smart
and much talked of in the papers, al
ways well dressed and brilliant and in
terested in something, seeing her hus-
band now and then at other people
houses, and all the while loving him so
horribly.
She had swerved aside as Mrs. Casilis
spoke; the meadow they were crossing
lay on a hillside, and sloped gently
down to her left. She was riding some
20 yards to the right of the others, and
little ahead of Mrs. Casilis. Her hus-
band had left his place at the latter's
side and was about 30 yards lower down
the hill, considerably ahead of both the
others.
Between this field and the next was a
pretty stiff fence, with deep ditch on
the other side of it. Beatrice did not
fear it, she had taken it before. Mrs.
Casilis was riding at the fence with easy
confidence; if she did not know of the
fence her horse did; she would clear it
all right.
Ted was over; Beatrice could Just see
his hat over the top of the hedge. He
seemed to be pulling up, returning, evil
IDENTIFY to be near Mrs. Casilis again,
Mrs. Casilis was close on the fence
now, riding with over-confidence, and
too fast. She was looking at Beatrice,