Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-02-16
S 70 . 0-05[e . 8 . 8 s-es 8 ssSs-ee s, q
IA DEAD PAST ]
By MRS CAMERON ~
100 &b
BY MRS. LOvETT CAMERON

- nat is it concerning my wife that you
are kind enough to tell people, and what
are the battles which you are generous
enough to wage on her account?'
"Oh, my dear fellow, don't look so
cross. assure you l have contradicted
1t everywhere. Only just now l met
some people who declared that Roy
Grantley was still away; but it is quite
untrue, for l saw Roy in hanson not
ten minutes ago (he looked as white as
a sheet, by the way), but of all the false,
wicked, cruel ISLANDERS on an innocent
little darling Ike your wifel However,
you and l know the world don't we?
and, after all, for you to complain would
be the pot calling the kettle black. Good
by. Brian. l may call you 80 just for
cnce, mayn't /? You and l were al
ways good friends, though you haven't
paid me one compliment or admired my
new dress; but then l know Fair Rosa
mond' is all in all to you noww And.
with this parting shot she kissed her
fingers lightly to him, and vanished round
the corner of the street.
As to Brian, he turned slowly and
duly away. He could not go down to
the club, nor walk along Bond street
and st. James street now, to run the
gauntlet of his friends ptying or in
quiring glances. He turned back and
went slowly homeward. His miserable
secret was known, and his wife's name
was coupled with that of another man.
He met his cousin coming out of his own
house.
We will start at once-this very
night" he said to him. 81 cannot bear
the shame of this" and then he repeate
to him what Mrs. Talbot had said con-
corning his wife
DO not believe her." said Edgar
Ra.kes, stoutly. "To have repeated such
thing to you, she must be what 1 have
always taken her to be, a bad-hearted
woman. Stay at home like man.
Brian, find your wife and vindicate her
name by bringing her back in the face
of the world"
NO, no, let us go, if not to-day, let it
be Tomorrow" he answered gloomily.
Tor there was that other trouble, con-
corning Rosamond Earle, of which he
could speak to no one, weighing upon
MS heart. That, too, was, it seems
known and spoken about, and to save
Rosamond's name it seemed to him that
he had no alternative, save to get him
self away out of England.> There was
no refuge for him save>in fight. As to
Kitten, she had been foolish, but her
very simplicity and foolshness would
save her. With Rosamond it was diff
ferent. IT Kittens flight were once to
be attributed to its true cause, then the
voice of slander would not spare the
woman of whom his wife was jealous.
He had made up his mind to 60. By
noon the next day wonderful thing had
taken place. In every club, in every
house where Mr.. and Mrs. Desmond's s
name and story had been known, there
went about a strange and astonishing
piece of news. Everybody was talking
about it. Sir Roy Grantley was engaged
to his cousin, the heiress.
And, of course, said the tickle voice
of the multitude, lit is evidently impos-
sible that there could have been any
truth in that other story of his unfor-
tunate attachment to Mrs. Desmond"
Kittens name was saved.
And Edgar Raikes, going in for a mo-
ment to his club to get his letters. heard
the story, too. Then he went back to
Lowndes Square, and he said:
Let us go at once"
They started from Charing Cross that
very night.