Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-09-26
CHAPTER VI.
A MOMENTOUS INTERVIEW

W nose haunt IN arrowy lser lies;
She enyed me my golden hair
she enYled me my azure eyes.
Who can say how chance word NAV
bear fruit? And who can trace a whisper
to It's source? Several people had heard
Col Qulller's incautious speech; perhaps
some OF the young officers repeated it.
anyway, inquiries began to be made as
to Joan's antecedents, and a rumor that
there was some mystery concerning her
gained ground.
Madame de st. Maur was well salts
ned with the course of events. For
about ten days she let circumstances
play her game for her, and then she
thought 1t was time to make her grand
coup.
She moved nervously about her draw
ing room one evening, too restless to set
tie to anything
Il wonder whether she will come" she
unused anXiously. Il should have wanted
TO know more at once, had I received
such letter. 1t was skillfully worded,
and if curiosity does not bring her, ieal-
ousy will"
She went to the window. and, drawing
back the curtain, looked out.
"A wet night" she said, in a tone of
annoyance. Perhaps the weather will
keep her; perhaps she will not be able
to get away from her doting husband"
She dropped the silken curtain and
came back to the table, with sneer on
her handsome face.
"Pooh!" she said contemptuouslv
speaking half aloud. "If she wants to
hear the truth she will come. When was
woman ever kept from doing what she
wished to do by a rian?'
She struck gong that rested on the
table with an impatient hand.
Il am expecting someone to call at :
O'clock
Eyes, madam"
she will not ask for anyone by name
L do not know what she Will say. Prob
ably, that she has received a letter. OF
comes in answer to a letter"
If the servant felt any surprise, he was
too well trained to show it, but waited
calmly for further orders.
mo names are to be mentioned on
either SIDE" said Madame de st. Maur.
you are to show the person who calls
in here, and simply say your mistress is
expecting her"
The man bowed and withdrew.
"She looks an empty headed little
chit" thought Madame de St. Maur. 81
daresay she will dissolve in tears, accept
my terms, and give me no trouble"
just after 7 o'clock a yelled lady was
shown in, who, being invited to take a
seat, did so in perfect silence.
u did not sign my letter." said Mad
anne de st. Maur, looking curiously at
the veil which her visitor made no at
tempt to raise; 1T might have fallen
into other hands. In matters of this
kind it is as we'll to be cautious"
The lady bowed.
ut is impossible to be too cautious. :"
she said assentingly. Il will ask you to
excuse my keeping my veil down, but
am anxious that even your servants
should not recognize me-"
1t was a youthful voice, but there was
a tone of decision, and an absence of
nervousness about the speaker that dis
concerted madame somewhat.
II am certain we shall not be dis
twbed, and my servants are we'll
trained" she said drily, mo doubt YOU
will remember our strange meeting at
the hotel at Zurich?'
The only answer was bow
"She is getting nervous, and will not
trust herself to talk much" thought the
French woman. as she continued aloud
81 am an old friend of Iveagh Sefton's,
and l sent for you to tell YOU a scandal
in connection with your marriage, which
is already the talk of the town. and
must soon come to your ears"
The visitor shranck back on the chair
on which she sat.
81 don't understand you!" she said
family.
You soon will do So" was the reply,
given with a maddening calmness. "At
the time of your marriage great decep-
ton was practised on Lord Seton Did
you know that there was a reason-did
you know of anything in your past his
tory that rendered it unlikely that any
honorable man should wish to marry
your"
Certainly not" said the lady, with
the same brevity that had characterized
her other answers.
as it possible" asked Madame de ST.
Maur eagerly, that you do not know
who you are? Whose daughter you
are? 2"
There was such contempt in her ut
terance of the last few words that the
visitor rose hastily.
you must be mad" she said angrily;
'T am the daughter Of Reginald Fordyce.
There is no mystery about my birth, l
remember my father perfectly"
you remember your reputed father.
no doubt" said Madame de st. Maur,
with the pitiless clearness Of a woman
who was sure of her facts. at the time
Reginald Fordyce married your mother,
she was widow with one child. You
were that child. Daphne and John are
the children of the second marriage"
of, as you state, was the offspring
of this perfectly apocryphal FIRST mar
riage"-the interposition came sharply,
and in an agtated tone-"why was / not
only called Joan Fordyee, but married
under that name"