Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-05-23
Continued.


Suppose" said Violet, rushing
boldly to her fate, that a man mar
ried girl beneath him in rank, and
that, when he took her home, his
friends treated her unkindIy, even
tried to prove that her marriage was
not legal-would she not be justified
in leaving him."
Certainly not, Any wife in such 4
position as that, if she had a particle
of common sense, would try concilia-
ton, would do her best to please her
husbands family
Go one step further" said Violet.
Suppose that the husband had
grossly deceived the girl, beguiled
her into marrying him by telling, or
rather by acting, deliberate lie
what would you say them"
81 should still say her duty was to
remain with him The sanctity of the
marriage-tie is too solemn to allow Of
its being broken; and, if it were
broken on one preteXt, it would be on
others. There is but one course. and
that is to keep it inviolable."
Violet carried those words in her
heart for many long days.
That same evening a surprise was
in store for her. Mrs. Ingram sent
for her earlier than usual to her room
She seemed unusually excited.
my DEAR" she said, Il want you.
[ have letter from my granddaugh-
ter; she is coming tonight 1t is
very kind of her. She is so beautiful
and SO brilliant that she has many
invitations; she has given up several
to come to me-"
What do you wish me to do?"
asked Violet, gently.
Give orders about her rooms.
Gwendoline is very Particular; and
indeed, she is quite right to be; her
life is most precious"
Only one word in Mrs. Migrants
answer struck Violet and that was
"Gwendoline," a name that was so
uncommon, yet horribly familiar to
her. The very sound of it seemed to
bring the dowager Lady RIVERS be-
fore her, she who had spoken so
often of Gwendoline Mari. She
turned suddenly white, she grew
faint, and trembled; yet surely there
were many Gwendolines in the world!
Why that awful spasm of fear? She
must know who this girl was, and
that at once
What a pretty name-Gwen-
doline!" she said can old English
name, is it not?''
'Yes-one much used in the Mari
family. My granddaughter is Gwen
doline MARI"
For a few minutes it seemed to
Violet as though the ground were
opening beneath her feet. Of all the
strange fates in the world it was the
strangest that was bringing her hith-
er. Not until this moment did she rec
ogniZe HON jealous she had been of
Gwendoline Mari, the girl whom the
dowager Lady RIVERS and Lady
Lester loved, the girl whom they had
an wished Randolph to marry. 1t had
been a smoldering fire, and now sud
denly it broke into burning fame
She was bitterly jealous of her. How
they would have welcomed Gwen
doline Mari! How they would have
feted and caressed her! What
strange fate had brought them to-
gether? Violet knew we'll that the
one great desire of the dowager Lady
RIVERS heart was to find her mar
riage illegal, so that Gwendoline Mari
might take her place.
1t seemed strange to her to find
Mrs. Ingram still talking.
"Gwendoline Mari will be one OF
the richest heiresses in England. She
has all the Mari estates, and she will
have all that I have to leave her.
Gwendoline is beautiful. too. You
will admire her; every one does. She
has many suitors. She will marry
well some day. She is all that have
left living in the world"
Still Violet stood motionless, saying
to herself over and over again:
What fate has sent me to meet
Gwendoline Marr?"
Il had but one daughter" continued
the old lady, my beautiful, bonny
daughter Jean, and Jean married Si1
Randall Mari. She died many years
since, when Gwendoline was quite q
much money to leave her, they would
not let my grandchild come to live
with me. Lady James has educated
her, Miss Beaton. When she has
nothing better to do, they let he,
come and spend a week or two will
me, my bonny jeans daughter
Violet did not wonder much that ;
young, brilliant. and beautiful woman
should avoid Queens Elm. if possible
Il am always we'll pleased when sh,
comes, she brings so much SUNSHINE
and brightness with her. Now, Mis-
Beaton, will you attend to the rooms
Tell the housekeeper TO have goo,
fires made in them. Tell her to pre-
pare the blue suit; Gwendoline like
it."
1t seemed to Violet the very iron
of fate that she should stand Their
listening to orders as to how GwendC
line Mari was to be made comfo~1
able. She was prompted more tina
once to cry out that she would nc
do, it. Why should she do anythin
for Gwendoline Mari. whose nam
had been made an instrument {
torture to her? Then curiosity to Sc
the girl whom the dowager Lad
RIVERS wished to take her plac
reigned supreme
She went away to give the order
and to tell the housekeeper to hay
everything ready for Miss Mari.
The housekeeper looked delighte
when she heard the intelligence.
ut is always a bright day for l