Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-01-13

ence from hers wearing the very
flower that she has given you? Let
me place a flower in your coat,
Vance"
What NONSENSE" he cried. II
have no patience left. Of all intoler-
able things upon earth a jealous wom-
an is the Worst!" And the captain
strobe from the room, banging the
door behind him with no gentle hand.
81 would rather never enter the house
again than to have to submit to such
scenes!" he said to himself, as he
walked toward his club; and he NUT
tered something between his teeth as
he thought of the black bruise on the
white, rounded wrist.
Lady Laura stood looking at it long
after he had gone. If she retained
any faint hope that her husband loved
her. or even cared for her, it van
ished when she glanced at that cruel
mark
He would have broken my arm -
she said, ito have saved Gladys
flower
On the carpet, where she had flung
it, lay the moss-rosebud. 1t seemed
to her like living thing snake,
the venomous fangs of which had al
ready inflicted a wound. Gentle as
was Lady Laura by nature, she went
to the innocent cause of her present
grief and crushed it with her heel.
"She has crushed my heart in the
same fashion," she said, bitterly, as
she looked with fierce anger on the
trampled flower.
1t was seldom that the family sat
down to luncheon alone; but on this
day no visitors were present, and the
first thing that struck Angela was
the broad black ribbon bound round
her mothers wrist. Never suspectlng
what it meant, she asked, suddenly,
before the servants who were waiting
at table
Mamma, whatt have you done to
your wrist?"
There was moments awkward 81
lence The captains handsome face
flushed, and Lady Laura grew pale.
II hurt it badly this morning, An
GEL" she answered, at last. II
struck it and bruised it"
why did you not send for me?
asked Angela, reproachfully.
81 did not think of it at the time,
dear, and my maid bound it nicely for
me-"
But that evening, when it was time
to dress for Mrs. Hardcastle's recep-
ton, Lady Laura found her arm so
swollen and painful as to render 1t
impossible for her to go out, and An
gela became curious about the injury
When she spoke of it to Doris, the
maid the girl could tell her nothing,
although she had her own opinion.
She was not in the least deceived by
her mistress story, for the mark OF
three cruel fingers was plainly visible,
and she gIcs-Cd pretty accurately as
to the cause; but she said nothing to
Miss Eooden. "Her misery VIII begin
soon enough" she thought, If all is
true that | hear" Doris Newsham
had not spent several hours with
Gladys Rane's maid in vain.
A faint wonder fingered in the heart
of Lady Laura as to whether the cap
tain would offer to remain at home
with her as it was his violence to her
which prevented her from going out.
She waited and watched, but he did
not come. Would he not even seek
her to say how sorry he was?
When the door of her boudolr
opened at last, she turned round
eagerly. But it was Angela who en-
tered and came to her.
II am not going out, mamma" she
said. How could 1? l should be
miserable, knowing that l had left you
in pain"
HAS the captain gomez" asked her
ladyship. In spite of all that had
happened, in spite of his cold neglect
of her. her whole heart was with him;
she had no other thought, no other in
terest.
Eyes; he drove off half an hour ago,
bearing your excuses and mine" An
gela replied.
Then he had not cared or remem-
bered, even that he had hurt her; he
had not looked in to say that he was
sorry, or to give her one kind word.
He had ignored her altogether.
The next morning she read in the
fashionable gossip that Miss T>ane had
been one of the beauties present at
Mrs. Hardcastle's reception, and also
that she had favored Lady Bland with
her presence. Captain Vineyards
name was also among the list of Wis
itcrs Lady Laura's heart was torn
with anguish, she could imagine what
an evening they had enjoyed together,
how he had gone with her rival from
one place to another and her heart
grew faint as he broOded over it.
Though her arm was painful for
some time and kept her indoors for
more than week, the captain never
asked after it or made any allusion to
If. hut though tho hrI1ico on her