Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-01-02

out before her with what seemed the
brightest promise. had met Nugent
Leathwood in Bristol. After that 1T
had Eeer an old story, with scarcely
even the dignity of q new setting. The
MANTLE better to deceive the woman
had taken the name that Yves at that
time most prominently in his thoughts.
that Of Gilbert Rickerby. The woman.
for her part had loved him. rs only
such q passi onate creature could love;
had believed all he had sail and all his
PROMISES. Only when 1t was too late
did she realize that she had sacrificed
all that woman should hold most dear
to a man vino Was worthless and VIII ose
promises We're mere empty words. Then
the supposed Gilbert Rickerby had gone
away. leaving Ursula Sewe!l to mourn
over the wreck of all her hopes and to
bear her shame Acne. From that time:
although her love for the man never
changed and never abated, there grew
up in her mind a fierce resentment
against the man and a strong resolve to
find him. That she succeeded in doing
this has already been told; but her po-
sition now seemed worse even than be-
fore.
NuScut lClIuWoOu AC1uoCN " AiAN y
anything to do with her. She could
never find him alone; If she wanted to
speak with him, he always arranged
She kept to her own room as much as
possible. and scarcely touched the food
Cornelius brought to her.
"Gels-gels-gels!" he srarled, one
morning, as he set tray DOWN on the
- ~,1r
into the world for-I can't. The best Of
men loses their 'eads over 'en. I Won
der 'ow long you mean to stop 'ere?'
II shall stop here just as long as 1T
suits me to do So" she reformed. I'm
not likely to be influenced in my COM
ings and goings by your opinion"
"Ay-I daresay not" was the reply.
"But I'll ave you know that Mr.. Cor
nelius Viewers as a word to say about
most things in this 'ouse. An you amt
the only gel in it; don't forget that"
She faced round upon him with blaz-
ing eyes. sWhat do you mean? How
dare you-!"
aha; thought that would stir you
up little, my gel,' she said. chuckling.
Its only luck, my dear, merely luck
a matter Of one so down, t'other come
ups YOU VIC 6OuS OOWL, uuu OShSA
gel as come up. Wy don't yer take it
ness? Wen was young Teller I was
a rare gay dog, promise you; many
time I've loved and rode away-or
walked away-it's all the same thing.
Ola gay dog was!'
If Mr.. Viewers had ever been "a gay
dog" as he suggested it must have
hat
he might Well have left the rem an
brance of it buried among forgotten
things. Certainly, he looked anything
but gay dog then, as he went shutting
out of the room, wagging his wicked
old head from side to side, and grim
grinning nlaliciously.
But his words had had an effect on
Ursula-had stabbed afresh the wound
which ranked at all times so bitterly.
She walked the room, after the old man
tering to herself and twisting her
hands ruthlessly in the bosom of her
dress. as though she would have torn
her heart out.
IT won't stand it! I won't stay here
another hour, IN the same house with
that baby-faced girl" Then another
1lOOu SclAeu ue:, ollu Sic SIOppeu, pun
dering deeply. "Yet why should I go?
If any woman has the right to be here,
surely, I am the one. Mono; that
would be madness-to go away and
leave the field to her. I daresay he
thinks that he will shake me off some-
how-but he won't-I'll swear he
WON'T"
She knew that Olive Mallory had been
tenderness in her; she knew that, to
all intents and purposes, the girl was
alone and unprotected in that house;
even that did not move her. She could
not get beyond the thought that this
girl was her rival; that but for her.
Nugent Lethwood might have kept that
old promise of his and atoned for his
treachery. Certainly, she knew moth
ing definite about the girl being there,
or for what purpose she had originally
come; her jealousy was merely in
stinctive, and had been fed by the sar-
castle and sneering remarks of old Cor
nelius.
She had only seen the girl once. when
Olive had been brought back into that
Inhabited part of the house by Jemima
--brough back in a ha]f-fainting con-
uAIioll, anu HlulleIiIlS strange Innings,
she had seen only. for her torment, that
the girl was very beautiful. But now,
after what Cornelius had said, des-
perate desire to see the girl came upon
her. She wanted to know what this
rival of hers was doing. and where she
was, and who was with her. She felt
she could not rest; she must know all
that was being DONE
She waited until long after nightfall,
when there would be less chance of en-
countering anyone about the house;
and then set off in search Of the room
where the girl lay.
Save for those two rooms wherein
lights shone at night, the house was al
ways in darkness; no CLEAN from gas
jet or lamp dispelled the shadows in
the long and gloomy passages. Ursula
Sewell remembered, however, the part
7 Of the house towards which she had
seen the girl taken; she set out for it,
creeping along as quietly as possible
and listening intently for any chance
sound which might suggest that any
one was following or observing her. Co.
| ing on In this cautions fashion, she had
| come to the end Of corridor, near the
| ton Of the house ont of 11bich 1oorc