The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1906-10-10
CHAPTER XII.

Il don't know anything about your
father" Lady Betty complained, but 1
believe your uncle is not so conslderate.
He has practically commanded me to be
here when Lord Marchmont arrives Oh!
you look astonished, but can assure you
it is a fact"
Il expect" said Antonio softly, eager
to make things right, that Uncle Edward
is thoroughly upset by the news that my
father is coming to London. by this time
you must know as we'll as we do that it IS
a very unusual proceeding on his part"
II know one thing" she said, irritably,
"and that is that you Marchmonts are a
very queer lot. One never knows what
to expect from any one of you"
After that she and Lady Betty separat-
ed-the girl to go to her w room, TO
sit down once again, and to tell over to
herself the wonderful story that had hap
pened, and Lady Betty to go also to her
room to make her plans for the afternoon.
Il must see Gerald" she said, between
her teeth "it makes me sick to see that
look on Antonia's face. She is so conf
dent. Gerald must act quickly. If l go
now | dare say he will not have arrived;
but l am sure he will come. My telegram
must bring him. If he has not come,
then / shal have to return later on, al
though my dear husband has commanded
me to be here. l must go out now, at
any rate" Lady Betty unused on, restless
ly; II feel | shall go mad if l stay in
this house. Even though | may not find
Gerald, | will go to his rooms. If l meet
Edward, l shall snap my fingers at him.
He has dared to speak to me tonight as
no one has ever dared to speak to me be-
fore; but he shall be punished for it.
| shall wait and find my opportunity"
The carriage had scarcely left the door
and was rolling swiftly down the street,
when Mr.. Marchmont came out of his
study.
Can you tell me where her ladyship
ts?' he asked of the butler, and the SER
want answered that Lady Elizabeth had
just gone out.
There was a curious look on Edward
Marchmont's thoughtful face as he turned
and entered his study.
His wife called him dull, stupid; she
treated him as she would have treated a
doormat, quite forgetting that there had
been days when this man of books and Gull
ture had laid his very heart at her feet.
The words he had spoken to her to-day
had been a revelation to her; but she
would have been far more surprised could
she have looked into the mans heart now,
and realized the trouble that had gathered
there. For, blind, and dull, and unworld-
ly as he was, Edward Marchmont was still
a man, to whom honor would always be
dear; a man to whom pride ana dignity
had their fullest meaning; and to this
man there had come all at once a great
awakening.
Two days before an anonymous letter
had found its way to Edward March
mont's table. He had opened it and read
it. before he realized the purport of such
a missive. His first impulse had been to
tear it into a thousand pieces, and this
he did, but the sting still remained.
Till now he had never doubted his wife.
He had regarded her as a butterfy-a
beautiful, useless, and, he was obliged to
add, heartless little creature who played
about his life just as a butterfly hovers
about a garden.
He had never supposed that she cared
for him but he never supposed that it
would be possible for her to care for any
other; but this poisonous letter had open
ed his eyes.
Ignorant of what was passing in her
husbands mind, Lady Betty Marchmont
ordered her carriage to set her down at
one of the largest shops in the West End.
1t was a shop through which she could
pass, leaving her servants at one door ig-
mona f af hnr dam rtnra OF ornthar ArS
she sped swiftly through this shop, and
passed out at the other side, when she
Immediately hailed a hanson and was
driven to Gerald Tenby's chambers.
Just as she reached Gerald's door it
was opened and a man passed out. He
looked both confused and annoyed to see
Lady Betty standing there, and she in her
turn was confused and annoyed to be
found there.
She instantly recognized him as the
man who had interrupted her interview
with Gerald at Mill Cross Court.
Il have brought a message from my
husband to Sir Gerald" she said, as cold
~ as she could.
George Stanton answered her without
any hesitation.
Van 1 De the Dedrer Oh your message,
Lady Betty?'' he asked. II expect Sir
Gerald to arrive this evening, although I
fancy he will not come here, but will
probably go to a hotel"
Not till this evening ~ Lady Betty re-
peated. Dear me! This is very annoy
ing. I hate this man." she said to her
self, "and he's got such a funny look
about him. He looks so white, and his
eyes shine so brightly. What can have
induced Gerald to have taken him for a
secretary? There "a something about this
man / don't understand"
Immediately she was in the street she
started walking swiftly away from him,
which Yves exactly what George Stanton
wanted. He asked for nothing better.
The moment he was by himself his smile
as anl - A..n4aI -EAa.~:AI-