The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-08-27
CHAPTER XVII.

friend, arrived at the Coutt' h1""y
Dora was charmed to have her 1rlehu
with her again. -,
Coming every day to rehearse WIN
Lady Dora, Winifred saw, with the ter
rible instinct of jealousy, that the paIe,
beautiful. angud French woman loVeu
the master of HAZEL Court. She Watch-
ed them narrowly, not seeming TO see
them, and yet painfully conscious or eV-
cry word that passed between them. she
fancied, and perhaps it was not only ran
CIV. that the old tenderness Mr. hastings
had shown for her was creeping into his
manner to the Princess Zelikoff. lie was
always at her side nOw-when she roue'
when she sang or when she SAT apar.
from the rest of the company. Sometimes
Winfred, stung with jealousy, would Try
the power of her Old fascinatlons upon
him. She spoke to him in the low, sou
voice he would have given half he pos
sessed TO hear in the time that was past;
she looked with pleading eyes into MS
face and sang the songs he loved, ana
vet she could not keep him by her side
The agitation and excitement of the
last few days before the Court ball were
almost too much for Wnifred. She had
no sleep at night, she could scarcely be
induced to touch food. and Mrs. oham-
pion really felt little anxious at seeing
her IS hollow-eyed.
Every one was charmed with the enter
tainment. 1t had not been too long. The
tableaus were lovely and as for the play,
Gross Purposes" it was charming. Not
very much plot in it, perhaps, but so won
derfully acted. 1t was so rare to see
gentlemen and ladies play thoroughly
well; and they had all been so handsome,
so graceful.
Miss Champion and Lady Laura may
have suffered some pangs of jealousy at
the admiration Miss Eyre excited. but
the Princess Zelikoff was in torment of
jealous pain. She, the unsusceptible, the
pale, impossible Diana, as she had been
called, was at last in love, and with Mr..
Hastings. She did not know if he cared
for her; nay. when she saw his passion
ate look at Winifred at the end of the
play, a terrible fear seized her that his
affections were centered ON the graceful
English girl She must love him, TOO;
the most finished actress could not have
thrown such expression into her eyes.
had not some deep emotion been working
in her heart.
( Two weeks later the marriage of Flora
Champion to Mr.. Maxwell took place.
1t was a grand and stately affair yet it
was relief to every one when the break
fast was over and the bridal pair had
started on their journey. AS she drove
off in the barouche drawn by four mag
nificent bay horses, Flora Maxwell look
ed like a queen. Perhaps she felt like
one as she bowed right and left to the
crowd of country people who stood on
either side of the Manor gates to see her
pass.
Mr.. Hastings and Winifred danced to-
gether at the ball in the evening; but
there was an unpleasant kind of stiffness
and reserve between them. She fancied
he wished to avoid her: he thought the
same of her, and danced more than usual
with the Princess Ielikoff.
How glad | shall be to get away from
this poor Winifred said to herself, with
exceeding bitterness. Il think | should
die if were forced to stop and see him
love another woman. Perhaps when |
am back at Endon Vale | shall forget
him."
She was delighted when the day came
for her to leave Hurst Manor. Her only
regret was in parting with her grand
father. who had been very kind to her,
aud to whom she had really become at
tached
Lady Grace was expecting party OF
guests at Endon Vale ami invited Lady
Ada Fordyce to accompany Wini red
home. as Lady Nalanton and her eldest
daughter were going to visit in the north.
All the household We're glad to have
her among them again; and as for Sir
Clayton. he had such long arrears of
copying and references for her To make
up, that Lady Grace was obliged to in
terfere and rescue her from her musty
labor.
Lord Harold, who was at the house
again, complained bitterly of her frequent
and prolonged absence; but after a time
he grew more tolerant, and seemed TO find
some consolation in the company of Lady
Ada Fordyce. He was still very much
in love with Winifred, but he began now
to reflect sagely that it was folly for him
TO be pining and signing after her if she
had really made up her mind that she
would not marry him.
Some one gave out the intelligence at
dinner at Endon Vale that Mr.. Hastings
had gone on yachting expedition, and
that Lady Dora and the Russian princess
accompanied him. Mrs. Clayton looked
from underneath her lashes at Winifred,
and noted the sudden sickly whiteness
which came into her face. "Ah. how |
wish could help her." she thought, pitt
fully. "A real friend might often be able
to save girl years of unhappiness and
regret. II she would only tell met"
Lady Grace had devoted a pretty. bay
Widowed sitting room to Mrs. Clayton's
use, and there she and Winifred often