The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-26
CHAPTER XII.
Lady Tudor's Visitor.

Lady Tudors Visitor
Lady Tudor sat in the drawing-room of
Tudor House, with veXed and disconnected
look on her beautiful face.
Half an hour had not elapsed since she
heard the news that Sir Basil and Miss Drum
mond had very nearly lost their lives to-
gether, and that they had both been taken to
the nearest cottage, Sir Basil having sprain-
ed ankle, and Miss Drummond being pros
trated by the danger and inevitable excite
ment she had undergone.
what an opportunity for them to come to
an Understandings" she unused, in hot anger.
Il am sure he loves her-nothing else could
have made him SO cold to me. But no matter
whether he has found out she has other
lover or not, it is too late now. He will never
break his word to me-
And look of malicious triumph so dis
tcrted her beautiful face to make it, for
the moment almost plain.
A servant entered, with a look of some
slight perpleXity.
''If you please, my lady, there is man
asking to see you-its the man who saved
Sir Basil Brooke and Miss Drummond.'
My lady frOWned haughtily.
And, if you please, my lady," the footman
FASTENED to add; ''he says he must see you
that what he has to tell you is of very great
Importance"
Lady Tudor frowned still more forbiddingly.
Show him up" she commanded, after a
moment, abruptly.
Across her jealous mind there had flashed
a suspicion that the was coming to be-
tray some scene of love-making he had wit
messed between her affianced husband and
Nora Drummond.
But she was speedily to be disabused on
this score.
In a minute or two he was in the room
before her, his hat IN his hand his eyes bent
on the floor, as though he to humble to
raise them in the presence of great and
fine lady.
well, my man, what is it you want with
me?" demanded my lady with naughty i'm
patience, and scarcely deigning to cast look
at him.
81 was a friend of Sir Robert Tudors, my
lady" said the man. in a husky voice. II was
with him when he was washed off his yacht
that fatal day eighteen months ago and
more I--.
Indeed. Well and what do you want with
me?'
My lady's voice was very cold.
Evidently she had no intention of making
much of this man. who had been her hus-
bands friend.
and twirled his hat round in his fingers.
why my lady, I've got a bit of news for
you-good news. Sir Robert wasn't drowned
at all, and he's alive and hearty at this
moment
Lady Tudor started from her chair with a
little Shrek.
1t needed very fine ear to detect that it
a Shrek Of horror-not of JOY
But after a moment her face flushed with
passion.
'It is false! she exclaimed, while her eyes
tale as this?''
Because I've brought the proofs of it with
me- the man said, in curiously altered
voice.
Lady Tudor started violently as she noticed
the alteration.
With a sudden swift movement he put I'D
his hand to his face and Immediately the scar
the cheek and the long grey beard dis
appeared as though by magic
The metamorphosis was startling in the
extreme.
+ no
fixed them full the face of Lady Tudor
who turned deathly white, and staggered
backwards to the couch.
Well might she do so, for in the man hefora
her she recognized Sir Robert Tudor
She was a woman of cool and steady nerve.
and of infinite presence of mind; otherwise
she would probably have tainted away
AS it was, she trenbled from head to foot
as she gazed with wild eyes at the husband
whom, for nearly two years, she had thought
of as lying at the bottom of the sea-
1t was some moments before she could nj
ter word
"How-how were you saved?" she gasped.
at length. Where have you been all this
timer
Il was carried out to sea on a log ond
picked up by ship that was going out to the
whale fisheries. The ship only came back a
month ago."
And why-why didn't you let me know vo,
were living?" her ladyship asked, with in
cre2sing pallor.
An oddly sardonic look beamed for
moment in those deep-set eyes of Sir Robert
Tudors.
Il wanted to surprise you wanted to see
for myself how my loving wife had mourned
for me- and how pleased she would he 70 80
NE come back to her from the dead
His words reused my lady to the perilous
ness of her position.
AS she had told Sir Basil in the dungeon she
had never loved her middle aged husband
and now that he had come back to prevent
the realization of her dearest hopes She felt
that she all but loathed him.
che was n11ia lY 70