Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-01-05
CHAPTER XIV.


Lady Aylmcr has another visitor on
this same day.
To judge from the decided frown that
Fuckers her ivory brow. and the stormy
look in her purple orbs, her thoughts are
none of the ~pleasantest either, when the
servant throws open the door. and an
nounces ~solemnly-
"A lady"
"A gentleman" is no thing
in this bijou house in Stanhope street;
but Lady Aylmer, though she is of high
estate in the world. and has carriages
and horses and fine linen and luxury,
and last, but not least, Il husband-sOme-
where's not vet much favored with
lady ~callcrs, unless it happens to be Mrs.
Washington Drake, or some other being
of the same calibel'; so she lifts up two
large surprised eyes and sees Il woman
of edium height, slightly made. so
slightly that her figure gives an impress
sion of sweet IL.
by each hand she holds IL child, which
is certainly suggestive of the professional
lmendicant style; but the elder. Il hoy of
about = years. is habited in n picturesque
blue velvet suit. and. with his long fair
curls. looks like a miniature cavalier of
Charles the FirSt's time; while the girl,
a perfect chcrub. with ing laughing eyes
and spun-gold hair wears a little frock
from some Rue dc In PaiN atc,icr-so
dainty and deft are the knots of ribbons
and rilchiiys of lace.
In her intense astonishmcnt Lady .Ayl-
1ner forgets to rise, but sits upright. and
is lll-brcd enough to give IL stare of sur
prise. But there is not much time for.
guessing. for the woman suddenly throws
back her veil, and Lady Ayllner fairly
starts up in ama2ement as she sees re-
vca.cd the features of-Lady Ennisford!
Lady Aylmer.' Lady Ennistord says.
very slowly, II know your estimate of
me as Il woman and as the wife OF Lord
linnisford. l am afraid you will think
me very ignorant in the worlds ways
when l tell you quite frankly that 1
have never held myself to be my lus-
bands equal in any respect. save in my
natural love of all that is pure and true.
l wish / We're different, for his sake
she goes on. with a wistful look-"I
would l were as beautiful as you are,
But am his wife-I love him and him
| only. l shall lever never love any other
man. l could never be the Wife of an
other man: and l am the mother of his
children. You see. as a woman. my life
begins and ends in him! l would live 'or
him. and l would die for him! Can you
put yourself in my place. Lady Aylmer?"
Lady .Aylmer. mclodramatically. clasps
her pretty jeweled hands together, roses
and nil.
II wish something of you, Lady Ayl-
mcr-wish it so much that it must plead
my excuse for %intruding lere!' And as
she speaks she draws the children IL little
closer to her and leans forward in her
intense carnestncss-''I want You to
leave me what is mine! This is all 1
rob anyone, and in return l want only
my husband-the father of my children.
Iii | cannot know him to lie mine in
fidelity. i'll singieness of love, what have
l in this world? Nothing!!"
''lIave you, then, no confidence in
him." Lady .Aylmcr pathet-
ically. drifting heiplessly into the first
question that suggests itself. and feeling
more confident. What is his love worth
if it is not proof against any test? Be-
sides. l have a creed of my OWN, and
l believe that no one can take from us
what is really ours, and that we can
have no more love from anyone than
our nature calls out-even if there was
no other woman in the world. You
speak as if Lord Ennisford was at my
mcrcy-as if l had nothing to do hut to
take him from you if l wished! If he is
worthy of being all in all to you, how
can You have so little faith in him?'
II think that o KNOW" Lady Ennis
ford answers. To whom the fashionable