Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-12-15

if she means to engrave every line OF
her heart, then she thrust the letter
in her bosom and came back to the
fire.
stephen turned, and with low cry
Of alarm at sight of her altered face
moved toward her; but she put up heI
haad to keep him back.
Altered! Not only in face but in
bravery. A minute ago she had been
gentle-hearted, suffering, tortured
girl now she was an injured, deserted
woman.
Thanks" she said and the words
fell like ice from her lips. you spoke
of an explanation. Will you tell me
all you know, Stephen"
"Pray-not now" he murmured. ITO.
| morrow"
But she stopped him with smile,
awful to see in its utter despair and
unnatural calmness.
Now, please"
TIT is too easy of explanation" "
said Stephen hoarsely. He was tempt.
ed and he has fallen. He has bartered
his honor for gold. Ask me no more "
Una drew a long breath.
1T is needless" she said "You mean
that he has left me, because | am poor,
Tor Lady Earlsley who can make him
rich"
Stephen turned away and sighed
heavily.
Una looked at him for moment
then sat down at the tea-table.
you will have some tea?" she said
calmly
stephen started and looked at her
She had taken up the cream ever
with an unfaltering hand. Great
Heaven! could it be possible that she
did not feel it--that she did not really
love Jack after all, A wild feeling
Of eXultation rose within his heart.
THANK Heaven" he murmured,
You can meet such treachery as it de
.serycs-with scorn and contempt"
She looked up at him with a strange
smile on her cold, white face, and held
out tea-cup But as he came near
her, the cup dropped from her hand
with a crash, and she fell back like one
stricken unto death.
Il
That same evening, Lady Bell stood
in the drawing-room of Earl's Court
She was richly dressed more richly
than was usual with her; upon her
white neck and arms sparkled the
diamond set which she wore only on
the most special occasions. The room
was full. Four or five of the country
families had been dining with her, and
the buzz of conversation and sound of
music rose and fell together con-
fusedly.
Surrounded, as usual, by a little
circle of courtiers, she reigned, by the
tight of her beauty, her birth, and her
wealth. a queen of society.
Brilliant and witty she, so to speak,
kept her devoted adherents at bay,
her beautiful face lit up with the smile
which so many found so falsely fasci.
Mating, her eyes shining like the gems
in her hair. Never had she appeared
SO beautiful, so irresistible.
Regarding her even most critically
enc would have assented to the propo-
stion that certainly if any woman in
the world was happy that night it was
Lady Isabel Earlsley.
And yet beneath all her brilliance
Lady Bell was hiding an aching heart
Half the country was there at her feet
and only one of all her invited guests
absent. ana he a poor, tirebss, ne.er-
do-well. But Lady Bell would will
ingly, ioyfully have exchanged them
all for that one man for that scape-
grace with the bold, handsome face
and frank, fearless eyes.
Since midday she had been expect
ing him. Like Una, her eyes had wan
dered to the clock. and she had told
the minutes over; but he had not come
and now, with that false gayety of
despair, she was striving, fighting hard
to forget him.
But her eyes and ears refused to
obey her will and were still watch
ing and waiting. and suddenly her