Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-07-14
CHAPTER N-(ContinuedJ

The morning after Mr.. hastings VlSlt,
a letter came to Mr.. Clayton, announcing
that one of his bailiffs was supposed to
have robbed him to a considerable eX-
tent. The man himself had no idea that
he was suspected. Francis Clayton was
beside himself; he vowed vengeance
against the delinquent-he would convict
him-he would get him transported-hls
wife and children should be reduced to
shame and beggary!
81 find 1 shall have to go back to Eng
land" he told his wife. Il shall leave
you here, and return for you in a week
or ten days"
"Oh, do take me with you, Francis"
said the little hypocrite, pretending to
look disappointed.
lent"
But what am to do if you go?
cannot go to all these balls and dinners
we are engaged to, alone"
Nonsense. Madame de st. Geran will
chaperon you if you still want a chap
eron," added the agreeable husband, with
a sneer. "She knows every friend and
acquaintance we have in Paris"
Madame de st. Geran was an old friend
and flame Of Francis Clayton's, and she
called "her English bear" Francis Clay
ton, assuming the privileges of an old
friend, paid her a most unfashionably
early visit, and she received him in
demi-toilet Of elegant simplicity in her
own boudoir, and was most graciously
pleased to accede to his request.
'Tell madame, your wife," she said, in
parting, that at nine o'clock this evening
1 shall have the honor to call for her to
take her to the opera and afterward to
the ball given by the Duchess de Beau
cour."
And Francis Clayton bent over her
hand and kissed it in a manner that
might have edited and astonished ma
dame, his wife. Then he returned to the
hotel, delivered the message to Fee, bade
her good-by, and kissing her coldly, jump
ed into his braugham, which was in at
tendance to convey him to the station.
Madame de st. Geran called for Mrs.
Clayton at the appointed time, and they
spent two hours very pleasantly at the
opera, during which several gentlemen
of their acquaintance dropped in to see
them, and paid their court to either lady,
as taste or diplomacy suggested. Once
or twice the Frenchwoman looked curl
ously at her lovely companion, who for
once was as bright and sparkling as in
the olden days.
How is it possible" she thought, "for
man to be Indifferent to a creature so
diviner
They had seen enough of the opera, and
their carriage being called, they drove
off to the ball. In the first room Mrs.
Clayton met with Mr.. Hastings. She
took his arm, and they joined the dancers.
MY husband is away" she whispered,
"and / shall dance tonight to my hearts
content. If he were here he would not
let me-"
The dance was over, and they were
wandering together through the magni-
fcent Conservatives that led from the
ballroom. Suddenly Mr.. Hastings felt
his companions hand tremble violently
on his arm. and he looked down quickly
into her face. 1t was crimson with
bushes. The words, "Are you ill?'' were
on his lips, but at that moment he caught
sight of Col. d'Aguilar advancing. and
was discreetly silent. A quick glance,
an undecided bow, passed between them,
and they both moved on. When Mrs.
Clayton returned to find Madame de st.
Geran, Col. d'Aguilar formed one of the
knot of men who stood talking with her.
They were obliged to speak then; and
against her better judgment, against her
own resolve, she went back to the ball
room on his arm. They were perfectly
discreet, their conversation was simply
such that the merest acquaintances might
have held; the danger was in the fasci-
nation the presence of each had for the
other. She did not dance with him any
more than she did with Mr.. Hastings: but
when she went home she reproached her
self bitterly for the time she had spent in
his society, while she never gave a sim
gle thought to Errof Hastings.
It was three weeks before Mr.. Clayton
returned to Paris for his wife, and dur
ing that time she met Col. d'Aguilar al
most every day.
Fee wanted to do her duty-wanted
with all her might. If Francis Clayton
had been a little kind and forbearing to
her, she would never have suffered a
thought even to be false to him. But he
was cruel, tyrannical and suspicious and
and-well! she almost hated him. Now
and then she would make great effort,
and strive to be good and patient and
keep from Quarreling with him, but he
was so bearish and ill-tempered that her
design always failed. She was making
fresh resolves as she sat looking pensive-
ly into the fire, on this particular morn
ing, but all of a sudden her thoughts Were
most unexpectedly put to fight by the
abrupt entrance of her husband.
"Francisv' she exclaimed. rising and
kissing him.
"Yes. 1 suppose you did not expect
me. What wretched fire! I am almost
f., zen, and the room is as cold as DEATH |
Ring the bell and order me some lunch"
A terrible fear seized on Fee. If he
was angry and jealous about Mr.. Hast
ings, what would he say when he knew
that during his absence she had been
constantly in the society of Col. d'Agui-
lar? She had never fully realized her
imprudence until this moment What |
could she do? II she told him, he was
certain to be very violent: if she conceal.
ed it. and he became aware of it, the |
might be terrible. "It is |
better to get it off my mind at once" she |
determined.
''Mr. Hastings was here this morning, |
dear. He came to wish me good-by."
"In anticipation Of my return, l sup
pose"
Really, Francis, have scarcely COM
Aon pafience with yOu What door 1