Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-02-22

lnfounded jealousy OF me in public.
What can you expect?"
Lord Vivian's handsome face grew /
white with rage. This was intoler-
bile.
Il will speak to her this very even
ng," he said, rising and offering his
lrm to Miss Leigh.
Better not" she replied, care
essly; let it die away-if die it will"
But Lord Vivian went in search OF
lis wife. At the far end of the r. .
Dom stood a large screen of all
with seats on q white
Ie saw her there, and liner side.
oward her. "ehI at once
Come here, Vic
he other side Jiante," he said, ION
q speal, to of the screen; | wish
She w. you"
" p. ent with him, and he sat down
.er side.
Il wish to ask you a plain, honest
question, Violante," he said: You
must please give me an equally
sincere answer"
She raised her clear, true eyes to
his.
That | will certainly do" she re-
piled.
rs that true which people are
speaking Off" he continued; ARE you
my wife-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 t. hold: if
resenting that be Jealousy, | am
jealous"
1T is your own fault" he said,
angrily, you could not, or you'd not,
assume your own duties; you have
constantly evaded them, and you are
annoyed because another fulfills them
What is worse, you make your an.
noyanoe public, and so create scandal.
1t is ntolerable, Violante."
Her face grew white as death, her
lips trembled.
do not be angry with me" she
cried. 'Oh, how unhappy l am to
have brought this unhappiness upon
you. oh, Vivian, what a cruel mis-
take it has been"
IF you mean our marriage" he re.
piled, you force me to agree with
you!"
Oh, bitter words They stabbed
her and slew her.
Il will settle it at once" said Lord
Vivian; Beatrice has lived under my
roof. she has been like a 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
her. The Countess Sitani
was talking to Beatrice Leigh, and
they were speaking of her.
II really believe" Madame la
Comtesse was saying. that there is
more spirit in Lady Selwyn than you
give her credit for; that was a capital
retort, ma chere, that she made you
this evening. Prince Cesare looked
highly amused"
The proud face flushed with an
noyance.
People of that class" she said,
scornfully. las a rule mistake i'm
pertenence for wit"
Class" said the countess, raising
her pretty eyebrows. '"What class?
What do you mean? Is not Lady Sell
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 colieyy. and !
was struck by her pretty face. and
was flattered into marrying her"
Il did not know" said the countess,
eagerly; 1T was a mesalliance, them"
a very unhappy one" was the false
reply. Can you not see that? The
worst OF it is, for an unequal mar.
rage there is no remedy. If she were
lead, he would be free; living. she win
always be a burden and a drawback !,
% him"
you speak so strangely" said
Countess Sitani. Il like Lady Sell
vyn. Let us go into the drawing
'oom. The Due 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. /
ng no traces. Not SO with Lady Sell
vyn. Before her, in letters of fire,
she read the words:
IF she were dead, he would be
reel"
She never knew how the rest of that
evening passed; she was like one in
iream. Her husband never came near
her again. Miss Leigh purpose'y
avoided her.
The fete ended at last, and Lady !
Selwyn's carriage drove up to the
loor. She noted the triumph on Miss
-eigh's face. and the cold. stern dis. /,
Il - Nr;,.io-