Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1906-04-16
We'll"

'Wen?"
'@WelI, my lady, it isn't for me to
say such a thing, but I've been almost
afraid to let him out OF my sight in
the morning, and I've been truly
thankful to see him come in at night"
you mean"
MEAN, when they're as low down as
they do rash things sometimes, my
lady" said Fleming, in a solemn
whisper.
| Lady Eleanor's face wet white,
and she put her hand to her delicate
throat as if she were suffocating.
"You-you should not say-hint-
at such terrible things, Fleming" she
painted.
II beg your ladyship's pardon"
he said, humbly, ~but it's the truth;
and-and l thought | ought to tell
you, being his lordship's friend"
'Yes-yes, 1 am his friend. And
will try to help him
"Oh, my LADY,"
Stop" she said Your master,
Lord Yorke, must not know and her
pale face grew crimson again.
ooh, no, no, my lady! Certainly
not! Why, if his lordship ever knew
that I'd come to you" He stopped
and shook his head.
81 understand" said Lady Eleanor.
mo, Lord Yorke must never know
no one must know"
| 4 To
lady, but his grace is abroad, as no
doubt your ladyship knows"
Lady Eleanor turned her head
aside. She and Ralph Duncombe had
timed the attack on Yorke for the
moment when the duke should be
| beyond reach.
His grace would have helped my
master, l know; and I'd have made
bold to write to him, but there isn't
time"
mo, no. He must not know-no
| one must know You need not be
anxious any longer, Fleming. You
were right in coming to me-and-
and" She sunk into the chair.
VERY well, my lady. I don't know
much about it, but the person who
seems the principal in this set upon
| his lordship is a man named Dun
combe-a money-lender expect. They
take all sorts of names. l wish l had
him to myself for a quarter of an
hour. I'd teach him to put man in
ssession-begging your ladyshlp's
pardon" he broke off.
"You had better go back now, Flem-
ing" she said, "and-and don't leave
| Lord Auchester more than you can
help. And remember not one word
that might lead him to guess that you
| have been to me-"
"You may be sure l shall be careful
for my sake, my lady, said
Fleming, with quiet emphasis; and,
with a bow in which gratitude and
respect were fairly divided, he left the
room.
Ralph Duncombe came from behind
the screen, and stood looking down at
Eleanor, whose proud head was
bowed upon her hands.
What are you going to dor he
asked.
set him free-at once.-at once!
Did you not hear the man? That he
actually feared his master would
She shuddered. ''This must come to
an end at once. 1t will drive him
mad"
Ralph Duncombe smiled grimly.
81 heard the man say that it was
not the money trouble that was al
fecting Lord Auchester, he said.
ct seems to me, Lady Eleanor, that
we have taken a good deal OF trouble
for nothing. This marriage which
YOU so much dreaded was broken OIL
before any plans to prevent it were
put in operation. The-the young
lady had disappeared"
disappeared? How do you know"
she exclaimed breathlessly.
"Well, thought 1 had better run
down to the place, Portmaris, and see
for myself how matters were going,
he said, with a kind of business like
GOODNESS and indifference, "and-and
| I found that Miss-what is her
name?" he asked, as if he had forgot
| ten.
sLisle-Leslie Lisle," said Lady
| Eleanor.
"Ah yes! Miss Lisle had flown"
Flown"
Eyes, flown and disappeared. Dis
appeared so completely that all my et-
forts to discover her track failed"
He still spoke calmly and with
affected Indifference; but if she her
self had not been so agitated she
could have noticed the pallor of his
face and the restless movements OF
his hands.
sWhat-what do you think it
means?" she asked, IN a whisper.
"a lovers quarrel-but no; 1t IS
more shame than that. Yes; l should
say that the engagement was broken
off for some reason or other, so that