Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1902-07-03


with hot iron.
Nurrr her still. Something comes be
tween her aud the brilliant light, Shad-
avs seem To- tall and the duke is speak
ing She does moi raise her eyes, for
.shc thinks to herself that If she looks
~ aud secs him suddenly she will fail
down dead Those who are watching ner
iutrutly think. despite her great beauty
und exalted position, how shy she is, for
T the long ashcs lay on the beautifully
] tutrd checks. She is horribly conscious
that he stand, oyer her. aud she knows
also that Il terrible caun has come over
+ him and Dbal he IL, gazing in wonder on
her
/ Presently she realizes that her husband
/ stand, before hcl. She sees rich folds Of
/ white satin. and she knows that Lady
Estmcrr the woman who bears the name
/ that ought to be hers also stands there;
the woman who unwittingly stole her
love.
What was the duke saying
/ ORDINARY forms of Introduction are N
this case useless. | want the daughter
of the oldest friend have in the world
to love my wife, and | want my wife to
lore her
/ Then the duchess looked up and saw
before her beautiful woman. whose
rrauk eyes aud sweet lips smiled almost
tcndcrly at her, They looked at each
Other hNrdly for an instant-thcsc two
women who had crossed each others
lives 50 strangely -nnd then two white
hands met each other. The duchess
made some kindly answer. and Lady Est
mere said 10 herself that the difficulty
would be not to love one 50 eXquisitely
loving and charming
Another minute and the draperies af
white satin had vanished. 4 gentlcman
with a star on his breast was bowiLg
before her. aud the duke. in q voice that
she knew faltcred with emotion, told her
that this was Lord Gerant, his dearest
friend. She must spcak-that she knew
if she died for il. And then the earl
made way for some one else. She would
not raise her eyes, but she saw a dark
handsome head bending low before her,
she knew she knew.
\ Few words from the duke. and then
the voice that had once made her lire's
music said, in tone the significance of
which She herself perfectly understood:
IL cannot tell your grace how more
than delighted am
! Few words; but to her they meant 81
much. II she had looked at him she
must have died. II seemed to her nat
! hand Of ice clutched at her heart; that
/ the blood frozc in her veins: that she
must fall Hat with her face on me
ground; that she could not help herself in
! the least then the duke said;
! Irene, YOU look tired; let me give you
; ,l.atn 10 Ii
She was just conscious when she SAT
down that Lady Estmere was saying
something TO her. She closed her eyes for
one instant, and then strength came back
to her. Ii was relief to her when the
dinner bell rang. The duke offered his
arm to Lady Estmcrc, and Lord Gerant
! took down the duchess. She recovered
herself sufficiently to talk to the great
statesman, and she delighted him by tell.
| ing him how often she herself had longed
| to see him.
/ II am sure" said Lord Gerant, that
we shall he great friends; and | think
the duke has done the wisest action in
, his life in marrying again
II hope you will always think so" said
the duchess. with one of her most charm
ing smiles.
1t was a long and splendid banquet,
worthy of the grand bnnQueting hall in
which il was given. worthy of the host
who gave it; and Sir Hubert. watching
the duchess intcntly, wondered where
Irene had acquired that calm, serene
manner which caused her 10 he consid
cred Que of the best brei women Of the
day. One thing struck him--loo< at her
as he would, he never found her eyes on
him. she treated him az the greatest
stranger, When the ladies rose to retire,
as she passed him, quite by accident she
dropped one Of the lovely white violets
from her bouquet. In an instant he had
stopped to pick it up, and offered it 10
her with u low bow. She passed him
with the most queenly Indifference and
did not take the flower.
My bouquet is falling to pieces" she
said: zone flower more or less does not
natter
The next moment she was gone and
all the brightness OF the room seemed 10
20 out with her.
When he entered the drawing room he
sat down by her side. The diamond eros,
on her white breast did not stir. HI
could not iatter himself that her heart
beat one degree quicker for his coming.
You have some fine engravings there
duchess" he said do you care about
pictures and art?"
That is very comprehensive ques
ton, she said; and pardon me. not very
; clearly put"
, Quite right said Lord Gerant 81
. thought the same thing when heard it.
, Lady EStmere looked up a little anx
} iousy; the strange infection in the swee
I voice of the duchess struck her.
Il am afraid they are not going to Xix,
each other. she thought, land that woul,
o be great pity must bring them to
4 gether."
{ II am very unfortunate said Sir HUI
! bert, Let me frame my question differ
=. emily DO YOU like pictures. duchessT
: I do more. love and appreciate
= them she replied.
$ Now ! must ask. do you love art?"
: Yes, OF all kinds--music, painting
e sculpture and everything else that come
q under the meaning OF the word art
u she replied,
g Then he was quite at loss what L
J. say; he who was ever so eloquent, so fiu
l. ent In words, so plentiful in ideas; 10