Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-01-26

him upstairs with strained ears and ica!-
Gus heart.
1t is hero that he has screwed up sufi-
Gent moral courage. IL quality he lacks.
to dismiss the woman from his presence
Tor ever and ever. for he is afraid of her,
CHAPTER NIX.
He is standing up. strong and stately,
erect and naughty as IL king. when she
enters. and he has never looked handsom-
or in his life, for concentrated feelings
lend Il deeper blue To his eyes. and give
a touch of resolution to the wcll-cut lips,
that with all their perfection are wanting,
as a rule. in nerve.
And Bella. with her eager, matcrialistic
soul. her greed for all that panders to the
senses. recognizes the accession of attrac-
tlon, and her anger and hatred vanish.
while her love comes back. The cruel.
savage. pitiless love, that would rather
kill than lose.
II have sent for yuiI to say that in one
hour from this time the carriage will be
at the door-you will please he ready to
so: your traps will bc sent after YOU"
He speaks imperiously. roughly. as he
might speak to Il discharged servant, and
hc rails her.
we 81 v Suc UuTStS OIl NtsIh-
mcntly.
no nonsense and no noise. ] am
determined you shall go.!'
She walks across the room. straight IN
within Il pace or so of him, and starcs
him full i'll tho face.
Are Won gone clean mad. Ennisrord..''
she says. in IL voice of pretended surprise.
Don't 'Ennisford' NO." he cries.
wrathfnlly: II am not in the hnbit of ne
ing on intimate terms with"
"With--" she almost whispers: her
face is very pale now. and her HIPS pep
ccptibly trcmblc.
"A muideress." he misses loudly into
her ear.
She starts away from him with a sharp
cry. then pulls herself together in IL trice
and stand firm and defiant.
"Iou can't prove your Words. You
a prove them! How dare YOU insin,,-
ate such horrible thingS:" she asks. inso-
lcntly.
Il don't want to prove my words. but !
know! Enough of this. l have arranged
with my mother for You to go back To her
for Il week or so="
For IL week nr so. Then You have told
her your Snspicions:" sli. asks. looking
him llcrniy.
II have" he steadily rctnrn-
ing her gaze. with IL cool. hard look.
And she realizes at this moment that
she has with her own hand rolled the
stone to the door of her scpulchre.
And you arc fool enough to think that
l shall go back to that stuffy old house
and let myself sutfocate with your father.
and mothers pomposity and stupidity.
No. l am not sun quite so low. Lord En-
nisford. as to cat the bread of II grudging
charity for II week or even for a day! So
when l leave this | can take care of my
self. without your assistance: as l have
sown so must l reap. But. before l go,
Ill tell Your wife how | am cast off.
III tell her notwithstanding!
from the beginning to the end of our ac-
quaintaice; yours and mine, my noble
lord."
"Hou can do what YOU like. say what
Won like: only i'll an noun you leave this
house."
She throws him IL look-a revengcfuI.
implacahle lools-and then. turning on her.
heels. walks straight up 10 Lady Ennis
forl's morning room. aud. without the
ceremony of knocking. pushes open tho
door.
Lady EnnisforI has hecn sitting for.
two hours. her hands claspcd laasely in
her lap. her whole attitude one of utter
deSolation.
The feelings of shame and humiliation
of the night before are still vivid. Even
lierrc's death, though it shocked her, hor-
riticd her by its Sllddenncss and the MAN.
ncr of ii, has not been able to chase away
the thoughts of her own misery. of the
wrctchcd. lovclcsS future that awaits her.
Is there one thing that she would not
sacrifice to her low for this thankless,
gracelcSs husband of hers: Yes, just one
~lhing-her honor.
She could have surrendered all--all. she
had believed; but when the time came
she found she could not yield that. She
could not have helped saying what she
did about Lady 4Aylmer last night. not
if she had lost her life.
"Franccs. l am dismisscd-ordercd m
the premises in an hour. for good ana
ALL" blurts Bella. in her hard. sullen
voice: and Lady Ennisford. looking up in
am%azelnent. secs the cruel look in her
eycs-thc cruel look on her mouth that
She had noticed on Lord Ennisford's that
dreadful last morning in town.
DISMISSED! who ny. Bella?' she asks,
in Il feeble tone, feeling too utterly hope
less md languid for discussion with this
restless. turbulent spirit.
by Lord Ennisford, of course! l sup
pose she put him up TO it last night. fan
cying that l was pretty well up in her
tricks and ways. He would drown him
self to please her. l believe"
"Bella.-plcase-hush!'
Whatever she may think herself. she
is far too loyal to discuss his shortcom-
iigs with an outsider.
why else should he send me away:"
perhaps YOU may have displeased him;
it is not always easy to please people.
ven il We would.' she says, SORROW
fully.
Frances, will You ask him to let me
stay!"
Lady Ennisford hcsitates. She feels
sorry for Bella; yet somehow, her house