Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-01-17

| feel sure the whole story is mis-
take~-a case of mistaken identity. /
should think"
Il am afraid you will not find 1t So -
Il shall go to my husband at once"
continued Violet. needless of the inter
ruption. Il have never heard him
speak one false word | will repeat
to him all that You have told me. ana
ask him to let me know the truth. He
will not deceive me-" She was
Fastening away, when she turned sud
denly to Mrs. Carstone. Whatever
happens she added. Il must thank
you You have done what you
thought kind and wise. You mean
to befriend me. but l am sure their is
mistake" She raised her head with
the proud gesture of an insulted
queen. IL shall come back to cell ycn
what nonsense it is. DO not know
whether my husband will laugh or be
for an English nobleman."
AS she crossed the grounds and re-
entered the hotel. she laughed con
temptuously at the idea. He who
loved her so. who worshipped her, who
had tried so hard to win her-he TO
have deceived her! 1t was absurd!
! She had an hour to wait before
! Lord RIVERS came in, and, as she sat
watching from the window of her
| room she thought of all that had hap.
pened and at the end of that time
her faith was so far shaken that she
| felt it would be a pleasure to hear his
| denial
Suddenly she saw him coming She
FASTENED to meet him.
Come straight to my room, Ran.
dolph!" she cried. eagerly. Il have
something 80 say to you-something a
thousand times more important than
| life or death to me-"
Then husband and wife stood face
to face with the great question Of
their lives at issue between them.
CHAPTER XIV.
| Lord RIVERS wondered at his wife's
strange haste and excited manner
she was pale. trembling, and agitated.
when they had entered her room, she
closed the door carefully behind her,
and then stood against 1t. He held
out his arms as thought he wished to
embrace her. She repealed him by a
proud gesture that startled him.
You must not touch me-" she
cried. Il have something to ask you
which is more important to me than
life or death. Tell me. tell me-" she
continued, with eager, flashing eyes,
was my marriage with you perfectly
legal and in accordance with all the
forms necessary"
Most certainly it was he an
swered.
Il did not doubt it. Others have
done so; | did not. That doubt and
myself would never have lived one
minute. You have answered me one
question:; answer another. Are you
Randolph Randolph, an artist, paint
ing for your daily bread, or are you
Lord RIVERS of RyversdaIe. a noble
and wealthy baron? Answer me-"
But he was so startled that he
shrunk a few PAGES from her; his
face, usually so bright and debonair
grew white and lowering. his eyes
filled with an angry light.
why do you speak to me in this
fashion? What do you mean?" he
asked.
THAT is no answer to my question, "
she replied. Are you an artist of a
nobleman?"
Her eyes were fixed intently on him.
| They seemed to hold him so that he
could not look away from her.
II am both" he said, drawing deep
| breath.
you are Lord Ryvers?"
81 am Lord RIVERS, my darling; but
| am your true lover and true hus-
band in spite of that"
Then it is true" she cried. wiring
ing her hands with gesture of des-
pair. 1T is true-and | swore it was
false, If you have deceived me in
one thing. you have doubtless de-
ceived me in more"
! Il have not deceived you, Violet
| darling. Do not look so Mortified
| There IL nothing the matter. | mere
| ly suppressed the truth. told no
| lie"
Il see no difference" she declared
IF you would do one thing you would
do another"
"Be reasonable, Violet. | have done
you no harm" he said. gently.
you have done me harm; you have
deceived me. If | had known you
were Lord RIVERS, would not have
married you. You have made me
false TO the habit and training and
teaching of my whole life; you have
made me false to every instinct of my
own heart; you have married me by
fraud. | shall leave you; will not re-
main with you"
She looked so beautiful in her in.
dignation that he only loved her the
more.
You have married me by fraud"
she repeated-"you who professed to