Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-07-15

previous evening.
Mary" he said, "did Miss Raynor
leave any message for mel"
Only the note, my lord"
What note?"
"The one that was put on the hall
table, my lord. Lady Langley saw it
after Miss Raynor had gone. and said
she would give it you herself!"
Rusholme went back to the breakfast
room.
Lady Langley" he cried, where is the
note Miss Raynor left for meH''
Her ladyship erimsoned
Il burnt lit" she said. mo good
could come of your friendship with a
woman like that! / consider i did YOU
a good service in destroying her impudent
message"
"a good service! A service YOU shall
bitterly rue, my lady" Rusholme retort-
ed, stung to fury by her words, and,
white with rage, he once more strobe out
of the room.
In spite of all his efforts. he failed to
obtain any intelligence of the lost girl.
Continued advertisements in the papers
produced no result. Muriel read but lit
tie in the new life she had chosen, and
the change OF name prevented anyone
from drawing her attention to the APP
peals which Rusholme inserted from
time to time.
The old earl was almost as much in
censed as his son at Lady Langley's high.
handed proceeding
Il would give half my fortune to find
that girl and bring her back" he said.
Her la6uE birN5s Ill
She never had letter making revela-
tlons;' If she had had she would produce
IT, or name her friend I'd stake my life
on it that that girl was as innocent as
I'd have my sons wife be-"
1t was soon after this that the earl
died, and one morning, six months later,
the countess herself was found dead in
her bed. 1t was stated at the inquest
that death was due to an overdose of
choral, the maid testifying that her mis-
tress had apparently been much troubled
in her mind for the last year or so, and
had had perpetual recourse to drugs to
induce sleep.
Among the dead womans papers was
found letter addressed to Lord Rush
dime. In it the countess retracted all
that she had said concerning Muriel Ray
nor's character, concluding
Il was determined that, if I could not
marry you, no ot4-er woman should, and
therefore lied to separate you from the
girl you loved; but feel shall not live
long, and as it can matter nothing to me
whom you marry after l am gone, ease
my conscience by writing this confession.
The new Lord Langley was much
sought after, and rumor was rife about
the reasons for his prolonged bachelor
hood.
To him, seemingly, all women were
alike. In the ballroom, at the theater,
on the racecourse, his eyes had ever a
faraway look, as though he sought and
longed for one who never came.
One evening, in the height of the sea-
son, he entered the stage-box of the
Athenaeum theater, in company with his
friend, the young Duke of Feltham
He had come more to oblige his com
panion and pass away an evening than
with the idea of getting any pleasure out
of the performance though the play was
Faust" and the role of Marguerite was
in the hands of one of England's greatest
acrtsses.s
The earl leaned back listlessly in his
chair, and watched the players as if in
a dream.
When the curtain had fallen on the
first act, an announcement was made
that, owing to the sudden indisposition
of the leading lady, the part of Mar
guerite would be taken for the rest of the
evening by her understudy, Miss Violet
ambrose, for whom the indulgence of the
audience was requested.
The name was unknown in London.
and there was buzz of eager comment
and inquiry, which, when Muriel made
her entrance, swelled to a murmur of an
prevail.
And, truly, she was deserving of it.
With her chestnut hair hanging in two
thick braids over her simple dress. with
her sweet face and innocent mien. with
her bell-like voice, and exquisite intona-
ton, unmarried by any nervousness or
hesitation, Muriel Raynor made an ideal
Marguerite. There was no trace of self
about her performance.
Simply and earnestly she went about her
work, and her success was absolute.
Lord Langley recognized he girl he
lONeQ from Jne HTSI moment OF ner ap-
pearance He drew back in his box. and
silently watched her every movement.
Directly the piece was over, he has
tened round TO the stage door, and sent
up his card to Miss Ambrose" begging
her to see him.
Two minutes later he found himself
once more in the presence of the girl he
had sought so long and so unweariedly.
"Murlel, my darling, I have found you
at last" he exclaimed, and, unable to re-
strain himself any longer, he caught her
to him.
lord Langley thought-if you real
ly love 1ne, why did you not write to the
address / gave?"
Il never got your note, darling. Ny
step mother But why speak i'll of
the dead: l have found you-and that
is all that matters
He pressed his lips to hers in very
q bandon of love
Now that | am my own master" he
went on after a moment, "say that you
viii not let any foolish scruples mar our
happiness! My dearest, say you viii