Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-02-18

white with rage This was intoler
able.
Il will speak to her this very even
ing" he said, rising and Offering his
arm to Miss Leigh.
Better not" she replied, care
lessly; 'let it die away-if die it will. "
But Lord Vivian went in search OF
his wife. At the far end of the ball.
room stood a large screen OF white
camellias, with seats on either side
He saw her there, and went at once
toward her.
Come here, Violante," he said ION
the other side of the screen; wish
10 speak to you"
She went with him, and he sat down
by her side.
Il wish to ask you plain, honest
question, Violante," he said: you
must please give me an equally
sincere answer"
4 She raised her clear, true eyes to
his.
! THAT will certainly do" she re.
piled.
! is that true which people are
speaking OFF, he continued; ARE you
my wfe-jealous OF Beatrice
Leigh"
Her sweet face flushed.
! Miss Leigh usurps my place." she
replied Miss Leigh rules my house,
influences my husband, takes from me
the position | alone ought to hold: If
resenting that be jealousy, | am
jealous"
I 1T Is your own fault" he said.
= angIily, you could not, or you'd not.
assume your own duties; you have
constantly evaded them and you are
annoyed because another fulflls them.
What is worse, you make your an.
noyance public, and SO create scandal.
II Is lntoleTable, Violante."
! Her face grew white as death, her
lips trembled.
do not be angry with me-" she
cried. "Oh, how unhappy | am to
have brought this unhappiness upon
you. Oh, Vivian, what cruel mis-.
take it has been"
! III you mean our marriage" he re.
piled, you force me to agree with
you!"
/ oh, bitter words They stabbed
her and slew her.
J Il will settle 1t at once" said Lord
vivian; Beatrice has lived under my
ROOF, she has been like sister to me.
but she shall leave at once; she shall
not be exposed to such annoyance as
this"
Angry in his heart and in his eyes,
he went away, leaving her behind the
glossy white screen, faint and sick
almost unto death. How long she sat
there, Lady Violante never knew
voices on the other side of the screen
aroused her. The Countess Sitani
was talking to Beatrice Leigh. and
they were speaking of her.
Il really believe" Madame la
Comtesse was saying, that there is
more spirit in Lady Selwyn than you
give her credit for; that was capital
retort, ma chere, that she made you
this evening. Prince Cesare looked
highly amused"
"' Piouu ihCe HuSneu with an
noyance.
People of that class" she said
seornfully "as a rule mistake i'm.
pertonenCe for wit"
CLASS" said the countess. raising
her pretty eyebrows, What class :?
What do you mean? Is not Lady Sci
wyn of the same rank as her hus.
band?"
Did you not know that?" said Miss
Leigh contemptuously. MY cousin
met her somewhere in the country, and
was struck by her pretty face. and
was battered into marrying her"
Il did not know said the countess,
eagerly; lit was a mesalliance them"
"A very unhappy one" was the false
reply Can you not see that? The
worst of II is, for an unequal mar.
rlage there is no remedy If she were
dead, he would be free: living, she will
always be burden and drawback
to him"
You speak SO strangely" said
countess Sitani, Il like Lady Sell
wynn, Let us go into the drawing
room The Duo de Cecil Is there, and
| should like to introduce him to YOU
She had called Lady Selwyn her
friend, yet In good truth she cared
SO little about her that all Miss Leigh
had said passed from her mind, leav.
ing no traces, Not SO with Lady Sci.
wyn, Before her in letters of fire,
she read the words:
IF she were dead, he would be
free"
She never knew how the rest of that
evening passed; she was like one in a
dream. Her husband never came near
her again. Miss Leigh purposely
avoided her.
! The fete ended at last. and LADY
Selwyn's carriage drove up to the
door She noted the triumph on Miss
Letgh's face, and the cold, stern dis,
pleasure Lord Vivian showed so
clearly, noted It. but was powerless
To remove it, Lord Vivian was one of
the proudcst and most sensitive of