St. Tammany farmer., 1906-08-18

time, had ceased to be discussed a
ell. Nobody ever said, nowadays
Does he care?" "Is he bothered? !?
Everybody realized that, even il h
hated the whole proceeding, he wa
quite too emotionless a person tout
wardly) to give a sign.
Proigne did nothing" and did i
With conspicuous luxury. Had not hi
parents died genteel paupers? Wht
gave him his sumptuoLs fiat in d
We're Gardens? 1t was his aunt, tn.
wealthy Mrs. Clavering. And evident
ly this lady didn't mind about Lady
Newdigate any more than Sir RALPH
minded about Proigne.
But Mrs. Caverley did min!. She
had been London belle in her day
and had cherished the man whom she
married.
| In her Curzon street drawing-room
we find her slipping tea and talking
with the daughter Of a dear dead
friend.
""Now, Amelia" she was saying, Il
know that / can confide to you that
l. detest the whole thing terribly.
want 1t to end. It must end"
Il think there might be a way,
Lady Wheatsheaf mused aloud.
Then she told Proigne's aunt what
the way" was.
Mrs. Caverley was nodding somber-
| ~ when she finished. Not at all bad,
my dear: not at all bad. You're the
sort OF woman who could bring them
together. Adela Strafford; Of course;
yes; your step-sister, and just ready
to appear in the world. Only 1S, too;
and Flora Newdigate Is 80, II q day.
Is the resemblance SO striking?"
"It's really wonderful; though Flora,
you know, is much more beautiful"
Lady Wheatsheaf rose to go.
Bring her here to tea on Friday;
don't fall" pleaded Mrs. Caverley.
''I'll have Cyril. l positively promise
him. And you must positively prom
ise me Adela."
Adela Strafford met Proigne at
many places besides his aunt's house
In the near future. Lady Wheatsheaf
had all the resources OF gay, rich
woman. She sometimes contrived that
meetings which in reality had been
artfully arranged shoulu seem prod
ucts of mere coincidence and accident
One day, at Belgravian afternoon
crush, Lady Wheatsheaf drew Mrs.
Caverley aside.
my treasured young sister has fall
en- in love-" she said.
What! With Cyril? So quickly?"
1T isn't SO quickly. after all. It's
been several weeks, you know"
She was sorrier when she went home
that afternoon, to her house in Port
man square.
you didn't go anywhere to-day.
then. Adela?"
The girl turned from window
through which she had been gazing
down at the fieet-driven cabs and VIC
torias. Her eyes were woe-begone,
but her gaze looked brave, though
harsh]y panied.
Mrs. Pomfret has been here, Ame-
liza. We have had quite long talk"
"Merciless little scandal-monger,"
thought Lady Wheatshea1.
"Sho has told me everything" Adela
w,nt on. x
"What-what?"
"That Mrs. Caverley and you are
conspiring to steal from Lady Newdi- |
gate her adorer, her vassal That you
have been using my so-called tresem-
blance' to her as lure. That Lady |
Newdigate laughs at the whole affair.
and has made 1t plain that she need
only lift a finger to have him repent
lntly back at her side.'
Here Adela's wrath blazed out. "I.s
all true!" she cried. II don't blame
you, or Mrs. Caverley either. You
both had your motives. You, Amelia.
have always wanted me to marry what
you call well Besides, IL love you
too much to blame you for anything,
The girl paused, and drew in a long
breath. But Cyril Proigne! I should
ike to meet him once more, and II
Ihall!"
"Adela! Why-why?"
To tell him how infinitely l despise
him for having dared to use me as his
his cats paw" She gave
augh Of piercing bitterness. "As II
he finger of his idol couldn't have
'een lifted without employing a poor.
young country girl like myself as the
ever force!" She echoed her own
augh again, and caught up mantle
Ind hat which had evidently lain in
eadiness near by.
"Adela!" painted her sister, where
n earth are you going? Surely not
o him!"
NO." shot the dogged reply. "as II
would! I'm going to her.
"One moment. Adela," threw out
1ady Wheatsheaf.
But the girl darted away.
To Grosvenor square from Portman
7as only a short drive.
Il think. Miss stra:.ord," said the
utler, who had = long-tried memory
nd recognised Adela as having called
ne day with her sister, the ultra
mart marchioness OF Wheatsheaf
that Lady Newdigate is just at pres
ut in the library"
Lady Newdigate, dream Of lowell
ess in clinging violet silks. rose as :
be entered.
"Ah, you're alone:- said Adela.
lancing here and there and finding ,
1at only coigns Of shadow and patch !
) Of brightness encircled that one en-
hanting figure in the half -gloomed :
hamber. :
Lady Newdigate ,of whom It had
cen declared that an active volcano !
ould not non-plus her) merely an :
Wered: Wont You have cup OF
"a -