Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-10-23
Lady Dutton'e Ward
BY BERTnA N. Clay.


memory of wrong. He was not
troubled with much Of that commodity
called heart. When he thought OF
Brynmar woods and the beautiful
young girl he had wooed there, 1t was
With an impatient shrug at what he
called his own folly.
stephen Hurst ought to lave been
a gentleman. His father was one Of
the bravest and best officers in the
English army, and died facing the
enemy, leaving his wife and son to
lament his loss.
In simple truth, Stephen Hurst
broke his mothers heart aer hopes
were all centered on i'm; she sent
him to college. depriving herself of
everything, that he might have all. He
never did well. His college career was
one course of drinking and disorder.
He made friends there, for there was
some charm about the man that few
could resist His handsome face and
gay careless manner, his hearty laugh
and genuine good spirits, won for him
many friends.
Lord Hutton was one of those who
liked him best. When his mother had
laid down her life, thankful that its
troubles were ended, Stephen Hurst
lived for the time on the remnants of
the fortune his father had left. He
We a successful gambler; always win
ming, seldom losing; and he continued
to associate with a fast set Of men,
and to live as they did. When he
went down with Lord Hutton to Bryn-
mar, Stephen Hurst had nearly come
to the end of his purse. Then his
downward career was easily accom-
plished. He married one Of the pref
test and best girls in Scotland, and
broke her heart. He forged the name
of one no had onse been his friend,
and slnered the penalty of his crime.
When he left England-a convict-all
hope died out Of his heart. He never
believed it would be possible to re-
trieEe his position.
Although his associates were the
vilest of the vile, Stephen Hurst did
not fall into their ways. They
laughed at him, and sneered at him,
for being what they called a fine gen.
tleman; but he kept aloof from them.
At first he was sullen in despair, but
hope began to whisper. Of what he
might do when he should once more
be free. He was only twenty-nine;
in ten years he would still be a com
paratively young man. He sent for
his wife, but when he saw her, he
hated her, because his sin and her
shame had stricken the fair beauty of
youth from her face. He heard of the
wonderful gold fields in California, and
when the time of his freedom came, he
went there, and succeeded beyond his
widest hopes. He amassed fortune,
and returned to England, and his first
step was to try to get rid of his beau
tiful, unhappy wife, who still remained
where he had left her.
Then he set to work to reconstruct
his life. He was not afraid Of recog-
milton. Of the fast set he had lived
with none remained. Lord Hutton
was dead, some were abroad, and
others had vanished no one knew
where
In seventeen years the world under
goes great changes, and no one could !
have recognized in the handsome,
bearded man, the ex-convict, Stephen
Hurst. He took a re house, fur.
nished it magnificent and made his
way in society. He was warmly well
coined there, and no one in London
gave better bachelor dinners or kept
a more hospitable house He had but
one trouble: the wife he had learned
to hate had discovered him; Fad met
him in the public streets, and had
cried out his name. To his relief,
some months afterward, there came a
letter from her, addressed to him by
his newly-assumed name, bidding him
farewell, as she had not many days
longer to live. He then supposed she
was dead, and troubled himself about
her no more. He was free now to re-
.TleFe MS mistakes, to make for him.
self another life, for the past was
buried. He thought sometimes with
4 duh wonder of his child, half curious
to know If it were living or dead. One
thing was necessary to secure his pos
ition, and that was good marriage
He did not want money, but connec-
ton. He must marry some one who
could establish him securely in good
society, and secure for him an entree
into circles that at present were closed
to him. So when he heard of Lady
Grahame he knew he had found what
he wanted, and set himself to WOO and
win the pleasant, self-indulgent widow
CHAPTER XXI.
Il have been impatiently awaiting