The Red Cloud chief., 1901-11-08
CHAPTER III.

room and went upstairs. But she Was
more than one minute away; she was
three or four. for she could not at hrst
lay her hand upon the letter. When
she returned her sister advanced to her
from the back drawing room. the fold.
ing doors between the two rooms be.
ing % before. wide open.
What a fine collection Of bracelets.
Alice!" she exclaimed, as she took the
letter. Are they spread out for
shown"
NO." laughed Alice; Lady Sarah
Is going to the opera, and will be In q
hurry when she comes up from dinner.
She asked me to bring them all down,
as she had not decided which to
wear"
II like to dress before dinner on my
opera nights
"Oh, 80 Of course does Lady Sarah"
returned Alice. al her sister descend
ed the stairs, but she said 1t was too
hot to dine in bracelets"
1T is fearfully hot. Good-by. Alice.
Don't ring; I will let myself out"
Alice returned to the front room
and looked from the window. wonder.
Ing whether her sister had ONE In
her carriage. No. A trifl ng evening
breeze was arising and beginning to
move the curtains about. Gentle as It
was, It was grateful, and Alice sat
down in II. In n very few minutes the
ladies came up from dinner.
Have you the bracelets, Alice? oh,
I see."
Lady Sarah went to the back room
as she spoke, and stood before the
| table looking at the bracelets. Alice
rose to follow her, when Lady Frances
Chenevix caught her by the arm and
began to speak in a covert whisper.
who was that at the door just
now? It was q visitors knock. Do you
know. Alice. every hour since we came
to town I have fancied Gerard might
be calling. In the country he could
not get to us, but here. Was 1t
Gerard?"
Tit was my sister," cafelessly IN.
swered Alice. 1t was not a true an.
swer, for her sister had not knocked,
but II was the readiest that rose to
her lips, and she wished to escape the
questioning.
"Only your sister," sighed Frances,
turning to the window with a gesture
Of disappointment.
(Which have you put on?" inquired
Alice. going toward Lady Sarah.
These loose fancy things; they are
the coolest. I really am so hot; the
soup was that favorlte soup OF the colo
nel's, all capsicums and cayenne. and
the wine was hot; there had been
some mistake about the ice. Hill
trusted the new man, and he did not
understand It; Il was all hot together.
What the house will he tonight I
dread to think Of"
Lady Sarah. whilst she spoke. had
been putting the bracelets into the
jewel box. with very little care.
Il lad better put them straight" re-
marked Alice, when she reached the
table.
DO not trouble" returned Lady
Sarah, shutting down the lid. you
are looking flushed and feverish. Alice:
you were wrong to walk so far today;
Hughes will set them to rights tomor'
row morning; they will do till then,
Lock them up and take possession OF
the key"
Alice did as she wat bid. SHE
locked the case and put the key into
her pocket.
Here Is the carriage" exclaimed
Lady Frances. Are we to wait 70,
coffee?"
Coffee in this heat" retorted Lady
Sarah. 1t would be adding fuel tt
Ore. We will have some tea when VI
return. Alice, you must make tea fol-
the colonel; he will not come ou'
without II. He thinks this weather
Just what it ought to be: rather cold
II anything"
Alice had taken the bracelet box II
her hands as Lady Sarah spoke, ant
when they departed carried 1t upstairs
to It's place In Lady Sarah's bedroom
The colonel speedily rose from tn
table, for his wife had laid her com
mands ON him to join them early
Alice helped him to his tea. and a
soon as he was gone. she went up
stairs to bed.
TO bed, but not to sleep. Tired a
she was, and exhausted In frame
sleep would not come to her. She wa
living over again her interview wit
Gerard Hope. She could not In he
conscious heart affect to misundeI
! stand his implied meaning--that sh
had been the cause OF his rejecting
> the union proposed to him. 1t difuse'
: a strange rapture within her, an
:, though She had not perhaps beel
> wholly blind and unconscious durin
|. the period of Gerard's stay with then
' she now kept repeating the words
"Can 1t be? a II be-"
II certainly was so. Love play
strange pranks. Thus was Gerar
Hope, heir to fabulous wealth. col
sciously proud Of his handsome pei
: son., his herculean strength. his TOW
erinR form. called home and plante