Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-12-14
CHAPTER TX.
The same world-yes;

THE same world-yes;
But all its manners different"
Mrs. Selwyn and Beatrice Leigh
sat in the grand drawing-room of
Selwyn Castle, awaiting the bride.
Lord Vivian had written to say that
he should be at home on the evening
of the ninth of November. He re-
quested, too, that there should be no
public welcome, mo gathering of the
clans" that only a few of the upper
servants should be told of his return,
for his wife, he said. was timid, and
unused TO all demonstration.
"A new kind of Lady Selwyn!"
said Beatrice Leigh, with curling lips.
You have had all kinds of herOines-
brave women, warlike women, who
have held the Castle against a siege;
diplomatic women who have played
the role of embassadress; women
with a mission, who have been the
life of the Tories. A timid Lady Sell
wyn, plaintively. ITO tell the truth,
. Beatrice. | do begin to feel nervous as
the time draws near. | hope she will
/ not be very much amiss. Vivian
seems as infatuated as ever"
Let us hope his infatuation may
/ last" said Beatrice. 1T will be
sorry days for Vivian when it wears
away, and he understands the
reality"
/ The ladies were anxiously awaiting
the return of the lord of the Castle
and his fair young bride. II was a
cold November evening. The
weather, which had retained autumnal
warmth and brightness until late, had
suddenly collapsed and winter reigned
supreme. The last leaf had died from
the bare branches, the trees swayed
to and fro in the wintery blast, the
wind walled and sighed through the
darkling night: it rained and hailed at
intervals. the stars did not shine, and
the moon was hidden in the clouds.
I Not a cheerful night outside, but the
interior of the Castle was one blaze
of light and warmth. The large chan
deliers in the drawing.room were
lighted, and poured a flood of mellow
golden light on the magnificent room
and its occupants. Few places in Eng
land can boast of an apartment so
! luxurious and grand as the state
drawing-rOom of Selwyn Castle. The
I pictures Of IL were masterpieces, the
: statues were priceless. The buhl
cabinets. the elegant. costly furniture,
the magnificent hangings, the profu-
sion of rare and fragrant exotics,, all
/ made up a picture rarely equaled for
! splendor. Had Vivian been consulted,
he would have preferred that his wife
should have been received in any
other room in the house than this. 1t
was stately enough of itself to strike
any one with awe. and to write with
perfect truth, Miss Leigh had calculat-
+ ed that it would produce that effect on
the young wife.
! "She will be surprised and dazzled,
and confused" thought that clever
lady; then she is quite sure to be-
! awkward-all those half-bred girls
are-so that the first impression she
makes will be a bad one"
Beatrice Leigh had made her re-
solve; she had whispered no VOW of
vengeance to herself; she had not
ranted like a tragedy queen; she had
not, even to her own self, whispered
the word revenge"
None the less skillfully had She
made her plans. Nothing kills love
/ like ridicule, and she said to herself
that under the guise of friendly liking
she would be merciless to Vivian's
wife; she would never spare her; she
would lay traps TO draw out and ex-
! pose her ignorance. her want of SAVIOR
vivTe; she had resolved to make Wv,
ian writhe under the infliction, while
all the time she presered the friendli-
est face and the kindliest smiles.
Then we shall see what comes,
: she said TO herself; "he will soon tire
of his gauche Village love, a girl who
has nothing but a pretty face. Then
the law is kind, and there will be ways
and means Of getting rid of her. were
/ she twenty times Lady Selwyn.'
So deeply was Miss Leigh engross-
in her thoughts. that she did not hear
the arrival of the carriage, or any
( thing else. until the door opened, and
Mrs. Selwyn uttered a faint cry of
, establishment. Then Beatrice Leigh
, raised her eyes, and they rested on z
vision so radiant in youth, and beauty.