Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-02-15
CHAPTER XIV.

Fooled. baffled, desperate, Beatrice
Lady Beatrice no longer-returned to her
room. She fastened the door, she secured
herself from all observation, and theH
gave loose to the hot, angry passion that
ragged within her. Her eyes cleaned with
fury: her face, in its livid passion, was
terrible to see. She set her teeth, she
clinched her strong white hands; hate and
murder ran riot through her veins.
She stood there like a beautiful, sullen
fend. forced 10 own that the Nemesis she
had laughed at and scorned had overtaken
her at last. Further than that she would
not go. She would not say to herself that
her sin had found her out, and heaven
Itself had punished her. She scoffed al
the notion. Her fate,". she said to her
self with a sneer, was in her own hands,
and she might win yeti"
Not until evening was that hateful Sc
cret TO be made known. She had still
many hours, and it was, perhaps, in her
power TO sweep the woman she hated from
her path-to slay her as she would fain
have slain her son. The value of human
life was as nothing to her in her moody
madness. What did it matter if, after
death, the secret were known? 1t would
be hushed up then. Lord Selwyn would
do anything to keep it from the world.
After death its revelation would not in
jure her. His lordship would then, in all
probability, look upon her as deeply in
jured. They would have to go through
the marriage ceremony again, and there il
would end; no more would be heard of the
matter!
As for the sin-bah. what mattered sin!
Ix- 20
upon him and rend his heart, he sees no
harm in shooting it down." she cried.
Why should my heart, my honor, my
fair name and that of my son be rent 7
Why should l not destroy the one who
would so rend it?'
With flushed face and cleaning eyes
she paced up and down her magnificent
room.
The first thing" she cried, II will
drive to Redruth and get what I want
Before the sun sets we shall see who
winsr'
She never thought of going to sleep; her
brain was too excited, her heart too much
agtated. Sleep while she lived-that hat
ed, loathed woman!
Her purpose gained strength every
hour. No need to enter into its terrible
details-no need to darken a memory that
was never too fair. When the sun rose
she had regained her outward calm, she
was herself again; stern, cold and prnnd.
She was the first to descend to the break
fast room. The morning was beautiful,
as some of the darkest days in life often
are-serene and bright, the skies blue, the
air fragrant, the birds singing, bees and
butterflies lowering round the sweetest
blossoms, morning that reminds one of
Paradise. Lord Vivian had not yet left
his room. Beatrice went to the window.
opened il, stretched out her hand idly and
gathered one Of the large white roses that
came peeping in. She stood idly watching
the sky. the trees, the flowers, and no
warning came to her of what that bright,
sunny morning might bring forth; there
was no cloud in the sky, no dirge in the
sweet. joyous music of nature. no knell
in the glad song Of the happy birds.
And no remorse came TO her either. She
thought quite calmly of the fact that be-
fore that same bright sun set she should
have taken her revenge-She should be TO
ali intents and purposes Lady Selwyn,
with no rival to fear. no fair-haired wom-
an to dread. Before the sun set!
The cry Of little child aroused her. 1t
was pretty, imperious Lance, led in by
his nurse.
L beg a thouss nd pardons, my lady"
she said; but Master Lance will not be
dressed until he has been in to kiss his
mamma"
She turned and took him from the wom-
ans arms. Wicked, cruel, mad as she
was, there was unbounded love in her
hea IT for this her oply child
She kissed his beautiful face, she ca
ressed his bonny curls, she twined the
soft, loving little arms round her neck, she
called him by every endearing name she
could invent.
Then to herself she murmured:
1T is all for you, my darling-all for
your'
And again no warning came to her that
the soft little hands caressed her for the
last time-that for the last time that beau
tful head was nestled to her heart-that
never more would the baby lips kiss her
or lisp her name; no warning. although
even at that moment a dense, dark
shadow hung over her, a stern angel, with
drawn sword, stood by her side.
Take him away now, nurse" she said;
~ hear Lord Selwyn coming"
And long afterward the woman told
how, when she reached the door, the babe
looked back and cried, Mammal and
her mistress took him again, lavishing the
sweetest caresses upon him, calling him
by the most endearing names.
Poor lady!' said the nurse afterward,
when she told the story; sit really seemed
as though she knew what was going to
happen, for she never kissed the baby
sgain!"