Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-08-04
ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE

found that he had no serious inten-
tions-"
But he followed her to Russia, Mrs.
Gunter," interrupted Mrs. Trevor. Il
know he did; and that looks as though
he really had meant something after
all"
Mrs. Gunter laughed again.
II Lady Emilia had any such idea,
it only shows how easily woman 8
vanity may deceive her." she said.
HE only went to st. Petersburg to
look for that other woman, who had
been his wife, or his fancee, or some
thing one doesn't care to find a name
for But, In spite of his object, he
hadn't principle enough to keep away
from her, and the result of his brief
visit was the total rupture of an affair
of hers with Russian nobleman of ex
allied family, with whom she might
have made an excellent match
Really! How dreadful" sighed Mrs.
| Trevor.
you may we'll say So" replied Mrs.
Gunter. But there-men who hold
Mr.. Osborne's views are never to be
trusted in their intercourse with the
opposite sex. Not content with COM
promising woman like Lady Emilia,
SO much his superior from a social
standpoint, he seems to have induced
his cousin, Miss Rayne, to go out to
Russia to relieve the tedium OF his
stay in that country"
"Oh, no" interposed Mrs. Trevor.
Miss Rayne wenet out there as Red
Cross Sister. | know that because my
own brother, Professor Janos, assisted
her to obtain an appointment"
| But who suggested that she should
go out, my dear Mrs. Trevor? Tell me
that, l pray? | have It on my poor
friend, Maria's authority that she took
up the idea all in moment immedi-
ately after the receipt Of letter from
/
Russia for some time. 1t is certainly
we'll known that as soon as he knew
where to find her in Russia, he went
and joined her at Saratoff. There was
some talk of her being Ill, or his being
Ill, l don't know which, but the fact
remains they spent rather consider
nh oil Ia Il
nent before they wrote for Maria to
come and join them to take Miss Rayne
to some health resort. l know I'm not
mistaken in my facts, because Mr.
Porcher your neighbour, who was in
Russia all the time building railways
for the Car, told me all this himself;
and what he said has had, to my
mind. ample confirmation from the
stray remarks that Miss Osborne has
dropped in my hearing"
at does seem very shocking, their
having been alone on the Continent
together so long" said Mrs. Trevor
"But you know what scare there wal
about the cholera, just then, and it ID
quite possible, you know, that Il one
of them couldn't be moved, and Miss
Osborne didn't dare to venture out to
them, why then"
There was more in 1t than that,
insisted Mrs. Gunter; 1--WE may rely or
1t. 1t quite cured Lady Emilia Of hel
infatuation for him. She is still sin
gle, they say, entirely on his account
but she treats him merely as an &C
quaintance when they meet, and avoids
him as far as possible without givinl
rise to remark. Besides. if one places
the most charitable construction posi-
BILE on Miss Rayne's Continental esca
pade, what about her conduct durinl
the last two years since their return
You know she goes, everywhere will
him. don't you?"
"They have a common circle of &C
quaintance, haven't they?" suggested
Mrs. Trevore, family.
my dear don't refer to social func
lions, of course; there every one know
her movements. | speak of Mr.. Os
borne's Summing expeditions. H
took the craze up first and went abou
in London and other great cities wit
General Booth, Cardinal Manning an
Mr.. Jones. the newspaper man. Blu
of late Miss Rayne has been his sol
companion; and a very transparent rus
it is, must say. to give them hours c
uninterrupted intercourse--very trans
parent and very discreditable, too, see
ing that it is never likely to end, as
ought to end. In their getting married.