Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1905-12-29

claimed Felicia Grantley, stepping out
through the French window on to the
balcony.
what on earth has not happenedY'
cried Mrs. Talbot. II am broken heart
ed Read that. Brian Desmond is mar
riedp'
Felicia laughed. "What an emotional
woman you are, Gertrude! How much
of all this agitation is real, and how
much of it sham? Even if Mr.. Desmond
is married, don't see what it matters
to you-you've got husband. Let us
see who the lady is"
She picked up the paper and began
studying the announcement herself.
Observation-Disclosures! Where have
I heard that name?" murmured Felicia
to herself. "And they were married at
Frierly. The late Prof. Laybourne's
only daughter. Why, of course, it must
be the same girl. Oh, poor, poor Roy!
and she, too, dashed down the paper i'm
patiently.
Roy being the schoolboy cousin they
wanted you to marry?" inquired Ger
trude. But why poor Roy? And what
can he have to do with Brian Desmond's
marriage"
"Oh, never mind, never mind" replied
Felicia, almost angrily, retreating sud
denly back into the room behind her.
She was genuinely sorry, and angry, too,
with the girl who perhaps had broken
her faith to Roy to marry Desmond.
But Roy's love affairs did not interest
Mrs. Talbot; she was thinking of other
things. .
"Then l suppose he married her either
out of pity or because he did not know
what else to do with her. Mark my
words, Felicia, that marriage will be an
unhappy one."
II don't see how you can tell that"
Eyes, because Brian Desmond does
not love her. he has had a past, that
man, grand passion in his life, which
is by no means dead. l don't know
what it is, but it is certain that little
Miss Laybourne has nothing to do with
it. Brian Desmond's life is not over
yet; he is a long way from the blessed
condition of callous Indifference to the
reopening of an old wound that ia the
nearest approach to happiness for which
some of us can ever hope. You will see
that he will live to break his wife's
| uedTL yet IL she lONeS Hill anu W W ISL
himself dead and buried too."
Gertrude Talbot flung back her hand
some head and laughed, showing all her
white teeth and f1ourishing about her
hands with a free, careless abandon of
action, till all the rows of little gold
bangles on her wrists jngled merrily
upon her hands.
What are we going to do to-day, my
dear" she cried gayly. This dead
alive place is becoming almost too much
for my strength of mind; the sands are
infested with babies and the cliffs are
hot and blazing. What possible enter
tainment can you suggest for the day
for a woman of intelligent aspirations
and a temperament that positively col
lapses without the stimulus of novelty
and excitementW
II am at my wits ends. Suppose we
send for the waiter!' suggested Felicia.
The bell was rung, and the waiter
shortly appeared.
Waiter" said Mrs. Talbot, 1--WE want
something to do; how do people as a
rule amuse themselves when they come
down here to stay, when they are tired
of looking at the sea and of sitting on
the beachY'
Thus appealed to, Caleb Griggs
scratched his head, pushed out his lower
lip and pondered deeply.
"Ah, yes" he exclaimed suddenly
there is house, a fine house, too
not an old house-but a very nice place
with good park. It's long way from
here, certainly-a good ten mile or more.
but then the horse could be put up for
IN hour, while the ladies walked about
the park, and the family is away, so that
no doubt the housekeeper could be in
duced to show two ladies over it, and if
they would like to take their lunch in
q basket"
"The very thing! the very thingw cried
Mrs. Talbot, excitedly; 1--WE will go there.
What is the name of this place, and who
does it belong to?'
Its called Keppington Hall, ma'am,
and it belongs to a family of the name
of Desmond. The present owner he amt
been there much; but l did hear as how
he was lately married, and is to bring
his lady home soon."
Gertrude glanced at Felicia significant
ly.
"Order the fly at once" she said to
the man, "and we will go and put our
things on. 1t really is wonderful piece
of luck; of all places on earth Brian
Desmond's house is the one l most wish
to inspect just now, and l had no idea
it was within reach of Smackton. l al
ways think there must be some reason
why he never goes there; he succeeded
his uncle, you know, three years ago.
There was a horrible railway accident to
the Flying Dutchman, you remember, |
daresay. Lots of people were smashed.
and old Mr.. Desmond and both his sons
were killed; it was awful, of course, for
them, but capital thing for Brian, who
! was poor as a rat before that; but it has
always passed my comprehension why
he has never lived at this place; perhaps
we shall hear something from the house-