The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-10-07
CHAPTER x. The Knot And The Sword.

l party, and 1t was impossible to move her from the hotel. | CHAPTER x.
 The Knot And The sword. During her illness Laura conceived ! a strange and overpowering desire for the company of Mrs. Bonsal, and all Tankerlane's efforts to keep the two women apart were doomed to failure. | The doctor said that Mrs. Tankerlane must be humored. and so 1t came to pass that Mrs. Bonsa1 was a frequent visitor at the Hotel Imperial. and almost took upon herself the duties of a nurse.
 | Strange though 1t may seem to one | unversed in the ways of women. these two, who by all laws of nature should have been deadly enemies. had formed friendship, in which self-interest and desire to pry into each others af- | fairs found no part They had con- | ceived a genuine liking for each other. The actress. who alone knew the truth, was not at all jealous of the woman who had assumed her lawful place. She had cut out Tankerlane from her life as completely as though he had never existed. All her thoughts | were for the woman who believed her self to be Tankerlanes wife. She had l genuine desire to help Laura. and. though she could not decide whether 1 to tell her the truth or keep silence. | her decision would only be influenced by the most unselfish motives. Laura, on the other hand. who knew nothing of the truth, and who merely suspected that at some time or other William Tankerlane had been in love with Mrs. Bonsal. found this suspicion no obstacle to friendship. She did not love the man she believed to be her | husband. and his past amours were nothing to her. The situation was much simplified by the fact that neither of the women had the slightest consideration for MT. Tankerlane. It was not long before Mrs. Bonsal found out what she wished to know. Perhaps Laura, was less able to disguise her emotions. and to pretend an affection that she did not feel. Perhaps, on the other l hand. she took no pains to hide the truth from the kindly woman who at tended so thoughtfully to all her | wants and comforts. But in any case, l Mrs. Bonsal learnt the truth, and re- affixed that Mrs. Tankerlane was not in love with her husband. and that his presence was even repugnant to her. This discovery gave Mrs. Bonsal | much food for reflection. Such a po- sition would have been quite in the l ordinary course of events if the young couple had been married for any length of time. But they were still on their honeymoon. It was prob able, therefore that Laura had mar ried man she had never loved, and 1 was never likely to love. Why did she marry him? That was the ques- ton which presented itself to Mrs. Bonsars mind and it was a question to which she could find no answer. | One thing, however she intended to l khQf Trvoy rEafh I.oNn npQ. desired her freedom, and, if not. whether she would rather have her l marriage legalized before child was born. It was difficult, almost an im- possible matter to approach and Mrs. Bonsal thought long and carefully be- fore she decided on the most delicate method of ascertaining Laura's wishes.
 She finally decided to adopt ruse | which is at least as old as the days of | David, and which has never yet been surpassed for arriving at a personal opinion through the medium of an i'm personal problem.
 Mrs. Bonsal waited till the day be- fore Mrs. Tankerlane was going to | leave Paris.
 You are really leaving tomorrow" she said, as they sat alone In the sit ting room at the Hotel Imperial. | Yes" answered Laura faintly, we are leaving. My husband absolutely refuses to stay another day in Paris. The doctor says I can travel if the necessary precautions are taken" | 'I shall be sorry to lose you, dear, said Mrs. BonsaI, "very, very sorry. :" and she laid her hand on the invalids thin white fingers.
 1T am very sorry to go," replied Laura. Do you know, Leonore, l can't help thinking that my husband dislikes you, and that he is leaving Paris to get away from you lie an l nounced his intention Of going on the day after we first met you"
 q know that your husband dis likes me-" Mrs. Bonsal replied, and if | we are to be friends, should like to tell you the reason why he dislikes me- It is a sordid story, but l think 1t Is right that you should know"
 q should like to know" murmured Laura faintly. T am sure that, what ever you did you would always try to act for the best.
 her.
 Many years ago." Mrs. Bonsal be- gan. your husband was great friend of MT. BonsaPs. He did not know me at that time for I had been separated from MT. Bonsal for some years. we had never been divorced, as there was no cause for divorce on either sloe. We had merely agreed to part.
 Then it so happened that MT. Bon sal fell passonately in love with a girl and, as I subsequently, found out per suaded the girl to marry him, Ghough she did not love him.
 Fate brought me once more on the scene and I found MT. Bonsal. under another name, apparently married to this girl. The girl knew nothing of the truth. and believed that she was the maan's wife.
 TWO courses were now open to me: I could keep silence or I could pro- claim the truth. I had no thought of myself in the matter I did not even consider MT. Bonsal. I only wished to do that which was best for the girl"