Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-05-02
CHAPTER XII.

LORD RyV6TS QlQ not long COuIluu
his search for his wife; he knew i
vas useless. If Violet had left him o
her own free will. and while laborin:
under a great mistake, he could no
force her back.,He was bitterly panied
sorely hurt, sorely wounded. He hat
loved her so we'll; he had lowered he
so royalty with all that belonged tt
him. and now she valued it all so lit
tie that she had left him forever
There were times when he thought tina
even should she return and ask his
pardon, he would not forgive her fol-
having deserted him. She could never
have really loved him, or her love hat
died when she learned that he was moi
an artist, but lord. 1t seemed tc
him absurdly foolish all such class
hatred. Why should Violet dislike
him when she found he was rich and
powerful? He had not disliked her
for being poor and unknown.
Love levels everything" he said tc
himself "and she can never have
loved me-"
He was wretched beyond words; his
art no longer interested him. THE
Queen of the Rhine" the picture
which he had painted with such love
and such skill, hung in the great
empty house in London; and when he
looked at it his very heart seemed
torn with pain.
He had decided to remain for some
time at least in London. He would try
to interest himself in his art; he
would seek the society of artists, good
warm-hearted fellows who would
never ask if he was married or single,
and, if they thought he had trouble
would carefully abstain from abiding
to it. In London it was more than
possible he might hear of Violet-far
more possible even than if he went
abroad or lived in the country.
Before settling down in the great
city, Lord RIVERS went to see Miss
Anterior at ST. Byno's and learn if any
trace of his wife was to be discovered
there. The anger, the indignation, the
bitter reproaches of that irate lady
almost overwhelmed him. At first she
was speechless with fury; then she
broke out into a perfect tempest of
rage.
Il never trusted you" she said. 81
felt sure that you were playing us
false in some way or other; but |
never dreamed it was so bad as this.
If | had known the truth, you should
never have married Violet. | would
rather have laid her in her grave
than have given her to you"
Il have made good husband" re-
turned Lord RIVERS, calmly.
You have taken a dove to a
hawks nest, and she has flown from it
to escape rending!" cried Miss Ather-
ton. can aristocrat means wolf in
sleeps clothing. Were there not girls
and women enough in your own sphere
that you must come proving about
here, deceiving those who never
wronged you? No; Violet has not re.
turned to me. And, if she does, l will
keep her; you shall never see her
again. l warned her. 1 could be sorry
for her but that my anger against her
is so great. If you had been my lover,
should have found out what you
were, you would not have hoodwinked
me. | knew she would find thorns in
her orange -blossms, poor foolish
child"
The young lord had not much COM
fort or consolation in his marriage, the
marriage which he had made all for
love. He tried to induce Miss Ather-
ton to promise that if Violet went
there, she would write to him; but she
sternly refused to do anything of the
kind.
Il shall do all cam" she cried, "to
keep her from you The wisest thing
she has done since she knew you has
been to leave you. Those who trust TO
a man trust to a broken reed. | leaned
on such reed for many years; it
broke as l leaned, and pierced my
heart"
That was the first reference. Miss
Anterior had ever made to her trouble
in his presence, and it touched him
greatly. She was hard and cold as
marble. He could not soften her; she
was implacable.
IF you had been forger and a
thief" she declared, Il should have
liked you better than l do An arts
tocrat injured me, tlighted my life
broke my heart, and have sworn IN
dying hatred to the race I shall be
best pleased when you are gone"
He looked at her with sad smile
on his handsome face.
''Yod disliked me altogether at first,
he said. However you forgave me fol-
being an artist. Will you never forgive
me for being an aristocrat?"
No, never" she replied, firmly.
And he knew that she would keel
her word. Miss Anterior was true tt
her principles. Had he came back tt
her In poverty, poor struggling art
list, she would have shared her bes
with him; to an aristocrat she woult
extend no hospitality. She did no
ask him to take either cupful O
milk or a glass of water. She shove,
such bitter, invetelhte hatred of hi
class, such dislike to himself, that i
was relief to get away from the cot
tage.
His heart ached as his eyes fell O
the well-remembered scenes, on tn
grand old woods of ST. Byno's, on tn
garden where Violet had stood befor
him in the moonlight. Where was sh
who had beautifed and gladdened i
who had been as the bright sunlight t
this fair landscape and without who1