Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-12-04
BERTHA M. CLAY.
CHAPTER LIV.
A Mothers Appeal.

not bear it" this was Lady Marlon's
conclusion in the morning, when the
sunbeams Keeping in her room told
her it was time to rise. She turned
her face to the wall and said it would
be easier to die-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-
well was announced.
Lady Marion looked up. 1t was as
though an inspiration from Heaven
had come to her; she would tell Lady
LansweII and hear what she had to
say.
"You have been crying" said the
countess, as she bent over her daugh-
ter-in-Iaw. Crying, and how i'll you
look-what is the matter?"
Something very wrong is the mat
ter" said Lady Marion. Something
that I cannot bear-something that
will kill me if it is not stopped"
''My dearest Marion" said the
countess, what is wrong? I have new
er seen you so distressed before.
Where is Lancer"
''I never know where he is now"
she said ooh, Lady Lanswell, am
so miserable, so unhappy that wish
I were dead"
This outbreak from Lady Marion,
who was always so calm, so h1gh-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
care you quite sure?" she said.
Lady IIfe1d exaggerates sometimes
when she repeats those gossiping sto-
rfes"
cit 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 nome
I asked you if he had any friends with
whom he was especially intimate, and
Won thought not. Now [ know that IT
was Madame Vanira he went to See
She lives at Highgate, and he goes
there every day
'I should not think much OF it, my
dear, if [ were you," said the countess
MADAME Vanira is very beautiful and
very accomplishment gentlemen ike
to be amused"
81 cannot argue" said Lady Chan
dos: 81 can only say thai 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 it cannot tell why feel this
certain conviction, but I do feel it"
"It is not true, am sure, Marion,
said the countess, gravely. L know
Lance better than anyone else; I know
his strength, his weakness, his virtues
his failings. Love of intrigue is not
one. neither is lightness of love-.
"Then if he cares nothing for
Madame Vanira, and sees me unhappy
over her, why will he not give her up?'
"sHe will if you ask him. said Lady
Lanswell.
''He will not. l have asked him. |
have told HIM that the pain OF it is
wearing my life away; but he will not
am very unhappy, for I love my hus-
band"
"And he loves you," said the count
ess.
81 do not think so. I 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 inffdelity,
want of love and want of truth. l
wonder at you
Lady Marion raised her fair, tear
stained face.
II cannot make you understand,
she said slowly, nor do [ understand
myself. l 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 l
know And 1 feel there is tie be-
tween them. He looks at her with
different eyes; he speaks to her with
different voice; when he 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.
Eyes, I 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. Sec, it is wearing me away;
NV \ ,+ boofc NV hands tram hIn and