The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-07-15


deni She passed from the head OF the
table. back Of the chair CT the regent
who stood gazing with horror in his
eyes: she passed the chair of Aisse
near which Law now stood: she paused
In front OF him, and stood as though
in dream. Her knees would have in
/ deed sunk beneath her She drew
from her bosom a silken kerchief, as
though she would indeed have per-
/ formed the ignOble service which had
been threatened for her. There came
neither voice nor motion to those who
saw this thing. The sheer force of one
strong nature. terrible in the intensity
Of one supreme moment-this might
have been the spell which commanded
, at the table of the regent. Yet this
! did occur.
There came a sound which broke the
silence, which caused all to start as
with swift relief A sob, short, dry
hard, as from one whose heart is
broken, came from beyond the place
where Law stood facing the trembling
woman The eyes of all turned upon
VIII Law, from whom had burst this
irrepressible exclamation of agony.
Will Law. as one grown swiftly old,
haggard. broken-down, stood gazing in
wide-eyed horror at this woman, so hui
inflated in the presence of all in this
brilliantly-lighted hall; before the
blazing mirrors which should have re-
Elected back naught but beauty and
Joy; under the twining roses, which
should have been the signs manual of
undying love; under the smiling
cherubs, which should have typified the
deities of happy love. Will Law, too.
had loved Perhaps still he loved
This sharp sound served to break
also the spell under which Law him
self seemed held. He cast aloft his
arms, as in remorse or in despair.
Then he extended hand to the woman
who would have sunk before him
God forgive mel madam he cried
II had forgot Savage indeed you are
and have been, but tbs not for me to
treat you brutally."
"Your grace" said he, turning to-
ward the regent, Il crave your par
don Our explanations shall reach you
on the morrow"
He turned and, taking his brother by
the arm, advanced toward the door at
which he had recently entered, paus-
ing not to look behind him. Had his
eye been more curious as he and his |
aalf-fainting brother bowed before
passing through the door, it might |
have seen that which he must long |
have borne in memory.
Mary Connynge, trembling, pallid, |
utterly broken, never found her way |
back to the right hand of the regent.
She half stumbled into chair near
the foot of the table Her bosom fiut-
tered at the base of the throat Half
blindly she reached out her hand to-
ward glass of wine which stood near
by, foaming and sparkling, it's gem
like drops of keen pungency swimming
up to the surface. Her
hand caught at the slender stem of the
glass. Leaning upon her left arm. she
half rose as though to put 1t to her
lips. Her head moved, as though she
would follow the retreating figure of
The man who had thus scornfully used
her. All at once, slowly, and then
with sudden crash, she sank down
Upon her seat and fell forward across
he table. The fragile glass snapped
n her fingers The amber wine rushed {
n swift flood across the linen. In the
stain there fell and Law
blazing the great gem OF France.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
THE NEWS. {
Lady Kitty! Lady Kitty! Have
on heard the news?"
Thus, breathless, the countess OF
Lady Catharine's English
Gig hbor in exile, who burst into the I
early in the morning, I
OF waiting for announcement OF boz |
resence.
NAY. not yet, my DEAR" said Lady :.
atharine, advancing and embracing !
er. What is it, pray? Has the 6
oodle swallowed a bone, or the baby
erhaps cut another tooth? And, for
both, how is the little one?"
1.-THE streets are full of it" said she. |.
Have you not heard, really?"
81 must say, not yet. But what Is
?"
why, the quarrel between the re- :,
: