Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-12-04
Lady Dutton'e Ward

BY naxTnA =. c.AY.

time to reproach her with her fathers
fault and send her away. No passion
ate weeping, no wild burst of sorrow
came to the relief of that burning
brain. She moved about her sump-
tuous room like one in dream, just
conscious of what she was going to
do, but nothing more.
Like an electric shock came the
sound of Lady Bayneham's voice. ask
ing for admittance. She supposed
that by this time the whole matter
was made cleGr, and she came to see
how Hilda was.
Can 1 come in? SD 9 said, q wish
to speak to you, Hilda."
"She has coma to taunt me" thought
the poor child, come to exult over
my fall. and tell me she always
thought me proud, or something of
that kind"
mo, not now" sanswere a strange,
broken voice. 81 am engaged; you
cannot come in"
Ds,ply offended. the countess
walked haughtily away, and SO Lady
Hilda destroyed her last chance.
If Lady Bayneham had seen lie
changed young face for only one min
ute, she would have known that the
brain was overtaxed But it was not
so, and the young Lady Bayneham
went on to her fate She wrote a few
lines to her husband, and covered
them with passionate kisses; she took
from her writingdesk all ne money it
contained. never stopping to count it.
but filing her pocket-book with notes
and gold. Then she rang the bell
"Will you say want the carriage,
Pauline?" she said to tho maid, who
gazed in surprise at her mistress.
"Are you going out, my lady?"
asked the girl; yo1 look cold"
Il am going" said Lady Hilda with
a strange smile, "tor . very long
drive"
She dressed herself in silence, plac-
ing the letter shs had written on her
desk. She never once looked round
the room where so many happy hours
had been spent. Long aftsrward her
maid spoke of the strange, fixed, un-
earthly look on her lady's face as she
quilted the house.
Where shall I drive, my lady !!
asked the coachman.
ITO Oulston,' she replied; ego as
usual to the Bayueham Arms, and
wait"
And wait he did, until the long day
ended, but no Lady Bayneham came
again. Night came on, chill and dark,
but there was no sign OF her The
man was uncertain how TO act She
was punctuality itself. and the dinner
hour at the Castle was past. He did
notlike to return without her. but the
hours sped on, and she did not appear.
The landlord suggested that perhaps
Ler ladyship haG returned in a friends
carriage, but all conjectures were
cut short by the appearance of Lord
Bayneham, riding as one riding for
his life
CHAPTER XXI.
The Duke OF Lalabam found his
young neighbor very dull and weari-
some companion. He could neither
excite his interest nor elecit his atten-
ton. Every now and then he seemed
to awake from reyerie and utter a
few irrelevant words The ride to
Oulston, the interview with the per-
sons commemorative whole business,
in fact was complete failure.
Il fear" said Lord Bayneham to his
elderly friend, that I have teen a
poor con4panion The fact is. and /
should have explained it to y1ur Grace
before, / am not myself to-day. /
have some little unpleasant affair on
hand. and il has leased and troubled
me-"
Il began to think so" said the duke,
warmly Why did you not tell me!
This business can easily be deferred.
wish you had not stood upon cere-
mony with me"
He would take no further excuGe.
but insisted upon Lord payneham's re-
turning HON at once. He was inn
patient to be there During all the
long dreary ride his wifes sweet, pale
face had been before him-the sad
eyes filled with tears.
He felt convinced there was some
strange mistake, that, if only ex-
planned. would clear away all mystery.
On the very face of it there was the
impress of something bewildering.
He asked his wife how she came to
lose her bracelet,-with whom she
had been speaking with in the Lady's
Walk-and she replied by passionate
weeping, and asking, must she go?"
Go where land what for? He longed
to be with her. The memory of her
sorrow smote him with pain. - had
been brusque and unkind. Let her
keep her little secrets. Barbara spoke
truly: she was as pure as she was
fair; even his own jealous thoughts
fell abashed before her sweet limo,
cence. So he urged his horse along
the high road, impatient to he with his
wife again. impatient to clasp her
once more in his arms and drive the
sorrowf@l hunted, despairing look
from her bright face.
When Lord Bayneham reached the
Castle gates his horse was covered
with foam. and the groom who came