Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-06-27
CHAPTER vi.

Il
'Tas rather in the mood to snub him, but
os he might prove useful just now, she
was quite beaming, and, during a tete-
a.tete luncheon, she proceeded to ask a
oreat many questions about the Ingle-
Ssants. Who was the girl Mr.. Inglesant
was riding with this morning? and she
proceeded to describe Valerie
ut must have been Miss Lockwood"
said Lord Francis. Riding with him, did
YOU sayf"
care you Jealous? They might have
met by chance. Did you know Inglesant
before he left England?"
"No-why, l was a schoolboy then:
but I have heard some pretty tales. of
him" He proceeded to tell two or three,
such as he would not have ventured to
repeat to any girl-even the most eman-
cipated-in his own set; but Lola
laughed heartily.
He doesn't look that Sort" she said;
"and he's awfully good-loolling."
"And rich, too," added Lord Francis
$50 he has carte blanche" Lola did not
know what that meant; but the jealous
tone and angry frown were plain enough.
She laughed again.
poor chapi" she said. sHave some
more champagne, and don't cut up rough.
There's an elder brother, isn't there?''
Eyes; he's abroad somewhere. l never
saw him. He never was much in En-
gland, fancy"
as Inglesant-Alexis, Matchmaking
up to Miss LOCKWOOD
at looks like it." said Lord Francis,
gulping down his champagne fiercely, and
nearly choking.
Lola's black eyes narrowed. Valerie's
beauty had stirred again all the tigress
within her. She could not endure to
think of her husband enjoying wealth
and marrying this lovely girl of his own
class, while she was shut out and de-
spised. For Max himself she cared moth
ing; but he should not find happiness
and still more, prosperity-with another
woman, above all a woman like Valerie
we'll born, cultivated, beautiful There
was always in her vulgar mind preiu-
dice against well-bred, refined women.
Max, when the parting quarrel came, had
cast her low birth and breeding in her
teeth, had cursed himself to her face for
a mad fool who deserved all that he got
when he gave his name to such as She
lowborn and bred. She had never
forgotten that, though she had so amply
proved its truth. She swore-iterallv.
and not in euphemism-to make him
one day feel the lash of her Glow breed
ing" and she said to herself that, maybe
now the time had come. What if she
gained nothing in money by exposing
Max Inglesant? She would have re-
venge, and spoil his game" with regard
to Valerie Lockwood; and she had plenty
Of money. If she failed to prove her
case, no harm would come to her; and it
would be a gain in her business-there is
nothing like notoriety!
Il wonder I didn't think of it before y
she said to herself. ct strikes me, Mr..
Inglesant, that whether you are Max or
Alexis, it's heads I win, tails you losei
I'll have another shy at him. If it is
Max, / bet he'll come to terms. He
shan't marry that girl, and he shall pay
me TO keep dark
While these thoughts ran through her
head she was paying little or no atten-
ton to Lord Francis, and sometimes she
openly yawned. When some other callera
came, she almost openly neglected the
poor little dukeling, so thaS he withdrew
in huff.
Good riddance!" she said. ~He's an
awful bore"
That evening, before she went to the
Dear Mr.. Inglesant: want to speak
to you, and you don't like me coming to
your rooms; so plese will you call on
me at above tomorrow afternoon, and
oblidge, LA BELLE LOLA"
Inglesant found that letter at his
chambers when he returned home late
from long ride in the country. He had
hidden far and fast, but could not sub
due the fever in his veins; and it was
maddening to find this letter awaiting
him. Even the errors in spelling were
added stabs. What move did Lola con-
template now? That was pretty clear.
But it would be wisest to see her. She
had been reused to jealous wrath by sec
ing him with Valerie Lockwood, and she
was resolved either upon revenge or fore
ing him to buy her silence
The last viii not do, let her DO what
she will,' the man said, through his
teeth; but l must see her, and so be
armed, if need be, against attack. I
would throw it all up, and hide myself in
Australia-in the far west-anywhere-
could have Valerie! Well, / deserve
my fate. l have sowed dragons teeth,
and | am reaping them-a full harvest!'
tie drove down the following afternoon
TO the tall, eight-storied, and hideous
brick mansions wherein La Belle
Lola occupied a first-foor fat An ex-
ceedingly smart parlor maid answered
the electric bell, admitting the visitor to
bijou hall, all draperies, and art pots,
and fans, and what seemed like tags and
bits of things, while lizards in effigy, and
leviathan beetles hung on here and there.
Lola had no taste Of her own, SO she
could only be fashionable-even to the
vie taste-or lack of all taste-of stick
ing hfe-like reptiles and insects about
her overloaded entry. The servant smiled
to herself-as she took Inglesant's
card, and, pushing aside one of those in
tenseiy disagreeable japanese curtains
which hung before the drawing room
door, she disappeared. but returned in a
moment, ushering the visitor into her
mistress presence.
The room itself was something of a
shock to a man like Inglesant, of fas-
udlous taste, and all the traditions of
gentle blood and breeding detesting vul-
garlty. The eye was bewildered by the