Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1906-09-14
CHAPTER xx1y.-fcontInued. ,

thinking the occurrence a pretty bit o
Iby-play. He was smiling still when
an hour afterward, his wife met him
Mildred" he said, in a tone of ga.
banter, were you Jealous Of Lad!
Hamilton n
Yes" she replied, bitterly. Il scorl
to speak falsely was jealous Of her
You may think what you like Of me.
II always thought until now tina
Jealousy presupposed love"
did your questioned his wife, witt
proud Indifference. IL always though
love presupposed perfect trust
lyon are a good fencer, Hildred,
laughed her husband, and the though
no more Of the matter. But she did
1t had wanted but that trifling Incl
dent to fan her jealousy into a flame
How the hours of that day passed
she never knew. One picture filed hei
mind-that of Lady Hamilton's COLDER
head bending over her husbands hand
She could not bear the thought of it
He might not love her, but he should
not love any one else. She worked
herself into a frenzy of jealous de
spair, yet was %outwardly ain and
proud as usual.
The dinner party at the castle or
that day was not a large one; many OF
the guests had left, Lord and Lady
Damers had returned home. Sir Roaul
was In his room. Lady Carayen had
dressed herself with unusual care and
attention.
During dinner she watched her hus.
band and Lady Hamilton. More than
once she saw them laughing and heard
| them talking merrily. Was it Of her!
Was the earl telling her that his wife
was jealous? And was she laughing
because the very cream of the Jest was
that her husband did not care for
her?
For the convenience Of one of the
guests who vas leaving they had dined
a little earlier than usual. When the
ladies reached the drawing room the
room was filed with ruddy light from
the u setting in the western sky. 1t
would be cruel, they said, to spend such
a warm, lovely evening indoors. But
before they went OF some n prayed
the earl to sing n song.
II will sing a duet" he said, IF
Lady Hamilton will help me-"
It was useless, he thought, appealing
to his wife. The last time he had
asked her to sing with him she had
refused.
Lady Hamilton was only too pleased.
She went to the plano, and very soon
the two beautiful voices seemed to fill
the room. They were singing about
love, love that would never die, love
that was immortal. More han once
the unhappy young wife saw the
widow look at her husband more than
once there came to her a wild impulse,
a longing to strike the fair face. When
the song was over 1t was time to go
and watch the sunset. Hildred saw
that her husband did not leave Lady
Hamilton's side. He remained neal
her. saying:
1--WE will watch the sun set over the
lake. It Is one Of the prettiest sights
at Ravensmere."
She did not hear Lady Hamilton's
answer. 1t was given with smiling
lips and laughing eyes. Was 1t her
morbid fancy, or did she really hear
her husband say, Eyes, and l will tell
you the story Of my marriage?'
She did not wait to ask herself IL
1t were mere fancy. She believed that
she heard it, and the idea Of 1t drove
her almost mad. They were going to
watch the sun fade among the flow
ers, and the earl would meanwhile en-
terrain his companion with the story
Of his marriage-how he had to wed
the money lenders daughter, or else
lose Ravensmere how he had avenged
himself by neglecting her. Hildred's
heart and brain were on fire.
An idea suddenly occurred to the I'M
happy wife--they should not do this,
they should not laugh at her, her love
and her jealousy should not be sport
for them. She would follow them I'M
perceived, and then, when they began
to laugh over her story, she would
confront them, and dare them to amuse
themselves with her anguish.
When the idea Of going out had first
been mentioned she had sent for a
scarf, and It lay upon a couch now, a
glittering mass Of silvery gauze.
Whose Is thIs?' asked Lord Cara
ven, and no one answered. 1T Is very
pretty he added; "and IL 1t has no
owner, you shall have II, Lady Hamil-
ton"
The young countess did not step for
ward to claim It; she saw her husband
throw It ' 9 the pearly shoulders and
the white neck, and Lady Hamilton
look up at him with a coquettish laugh.
She resolved upon following them. She
heard her husband say laughingly to
his companion:
"We will go straight to the lake-I
want You to watch the sunset there.
Lady Carayen delayed only a few
mOments-it was to go to her room
for a large dark shawl that should
hide her-hide the amber satin and
rich black lace-hide her face and
head. 20 that any one meeting her
should quite fail to recognize her. She
VAS reckless as to what followed; as
&c whether her husband would be nm
gry or not she was Indifferent. The
only thing was that she had resolved
upon preventing her husband and rival
from Testing about her; that should
never be.
She went round By the postcrn door,
and in the distance she caught a