Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1903-03-06
CHAPTER XVII

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of his heart, the door opened suddenly
and a yelled lady entered with some lit
tie noise. There was no need for her to
remove her veil to make Dallas aware
that his visitor was Lady Dangerield.
'What is the matter?" he cried, spring
ing to his feet.
His lordship knows all. 1 have iefh
home forever, and l have come to you"
Dallas grew white under the bronze
with which the sun had dyed him. He
went through u moment long and compre-
hensive as that of the drowning man.
His love lost forever, himself saddled with
a virago whom he had certainly never
loved and whom he abhorred to-day. his
position ruined, his life done for-this was
the tax on the pleasant and fashionable
amusement Of making love to ones neigh
boris wife.
He stood staring at her; his face, al
ways expressive of the emotion of the
moment, wore a horror-struck expression,
which could scarcely be fattering to her
ladyship under the circumstances. She
flew at him with bitter reproaches. That
was the way with a mani! a woman sacri-
feed everything for him, and then, the
moment things went wrong, he wanted to
cry off.
Dallas leaned against the chimney piece,
gnawing his under lip, and incapable, in
this desperate situation, of saying any
thing. He only felt an unutterable hor-
ror, a sickening sense of a lost life, Of
ruin, misery, wretchedness.
"What does he know? How does he
knowT' he gasped at length.
81 gave that wretch Amelie warning
last night, and she went to him after
luncheon to-day, and he came straight to
me and made the most violent scene. 1t
seems she found one of your letters and
kept 1.-THE iend!'
Dallas racked his brave to remember
what he could ever nave written to her
ladyship. He did not believe himself fool
enough to have sent her q really COM
promising letter.
what was in the letter." he asked,
81 don't know. He would not let me
see it; but he threatened me, and 1 told
him l should leave him, and l have"
But you can't stay here!" cried Dial
las, with more energy than he had yet
displayed. ANY moment some on may
come in and see you."
"What do l careT' cried her ladyship,
violently, bursting into a passion Of sobs..
"You have got me into this, and you must
get me out of it."
Dallas felt himself a brute. He ought
y to soothe the grief of this distracted lady;
the circumstances required expressions
Of tenderness on his part, and he felt
nothing but anger, Impotence and general
despair. He must move heaven and earth
to get her away from his rooms-to pre-
vail on her, if possible, to go back home;
but it was hopeless, knowing her moods
as well as he did, to say a word until she
had Gained down a little. And, perhaps,
after all, the worst would happen, and
he would have to take and keep her for
ever. What in the world had he ever
seen in her? And then he thought agon-
izingly of the girl he loved, whom he
looked upon as IN angel, and who would
now perhaps be lost to him forever. The
door opened again-very quietly this
time; Dallas had not heard the slight pre-
liminary tap-and Mrs. Trevanion came
In. She was well in the room before she
saw Lady Dangerield crouched In a low
chair, sobbing violently. Then she
paused, looked at Dallas pale, distracted
face, and grasped, in part at least, the sit
uation. She prepared to retreat, and
made a reckoning sign to him, which he
obeyed.
What on earth does this mean?" she
asked, looking at him with frightened
eyes. "My dear boy, how can you be so
imprudentT'
"Imprudent!' he gasped. 81 expect l
am about ruined"
He leaned against the framework of the
door, looking the picture Of despair,
She has left Dangerield aud come to
me-says he knows everything; and what
In the name of heaven apI going to do
with herT' n
That Is nonsense!"I said Mrs. Trevan-
Ion, sharply. "She must be mad. She
cannot stay with you. Does she want to
4 suppose g.: uttered Dallas, despair.
ingly.
we mnst get her away from here
somehow said Mrs. Trevanion. who was
as anxious about Dallas rs she would
nave been had her own son been placed
In a Similar predicament.
- don't know how" he answered.
'When she is In one of her tempers, s,A
wont listen to reason" Gj
II shall go and talk to her" said Mrs,
Irevnnion, with determination.
"Impossible!' cried Dallas, in a smoth.
ered voice. 'She would never forgive
me. Besides, awful as this business is, ]
can't shirk it,"
met