Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-03-24

tell you why. She was jealous,
fear; and 1t was utterly without
cause. She has never been quite happy,
am afraid; but truly as the sun
shines above us, | declare to you
know not why"
II blame you" said Horace Tenn
pie; Il cannot help it. 1t seems to me
that you might have shielded my
daughter from all sorrow. | trusted
her to you, and you have betrayed the
trust"
Lord Vivian bowed his proud head in
all humility before the man whose
only treasure he had taken from him
and lost
II will say good-by to you here,
Lord Vivian" said Horace Temple. 1T
is not probable that we shall meet
again. The only favor ask from you
Is that may sometimes see Violante's
child"
So by the grave they parted, never
in this world to meet again. Horace
Temple went home and Lord Vivian
returned to the Villa haunted by the
face and voice of his lost wife.
AS a matter of course, their plans
were all altered now. Lord Vivian
was i'll and respondent; Mrs. Selwyn
would not leave him, and Beatrice was
only too pleased to remain. The mas
ter of Selwyn Castle declared that he
would remain at Florence until the
white marble monument he had or
dered for his wife's grave was com
plete. So the Villa was shrouded in
mourning and gloom; no more fes.
tivities, no more laughter or song
Only Countess Sitani and Prince
Cesare remained, and they felt anx-
icus and uneasy in house where all
was mourning and gloom.
And Beatrice Leigh waited her
time. Her behavior during those days
was nearly perfection. She saw but
little of Lord Vivian, avoiding him
when it was possible, yet minister
ing quietly and unobtrusively to him
To the motherless child. Rupert, she
was all in all. She played with him,
cared for him. tended him, did all she
could to supply his mothers place
In the same quiet way, the manage
ment Of the household fell to her lot
She gave no outward sign of triumph.
No smile of eXultation ever appeared
on the beautiful lips; but none the
less deep in her heart she felt that she
had succeeded. that her victory was
won.
1t was settled that they should re-
main in Florence until the monument
was finished. then return to Selwyn
Castle.
81
Quietly and unobserved Lady Vic
ticn yard. Dressed in a dark cloak,
her golden hair hidden beneath a plain
dark bonnet she was secure from all
recognition. Her plan was to remain
near Florence few days, until the
search for her was over then on to
Genoa, and, with her maid, go straight
to England.
Silently and swiftly she threaded the
quiet streets Of the sleeping city; she
left it behind at last, and walked on
until she came to the little village of
Campo-a village that seemed to have
been forgotten by the world. 1t lay
among the purple Italian hills, and
had no great charm either of scenery
or anything else. Tourists never went
there. the inhabitants spent their
time in cultivating the vine and max
ing wine. Visitors never went to Cam
pc but Lady Selwyn remembered
having driven through the village once
with Vivian, and he had said that if
any one were ever lost there it would
be difficult to find them
The morning was bright when she
reached the quiet place. She took
two rooms in the house of a respect
able widow woman and waited there
until she thought ii safe to so on to
Genoa.
To be continued