Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1907-04-11
CHAPTER XVII.

evening when Jean had crept down and
as gently as possible had told him OF
Audrey's strange aversion to seeing him.
''It is only whim," Jean said, hur-
riedly; eve must humor her."
That same night it was, when they
were sitting alone in the tiny dining
room, that Jack suddenly poured out the
whole miserable story into jeans ears;
the story of that ball; of how he had
been hoaxed into driving over to see Mr..
Benson, who had never sent for him OF
all the horrible things he had heard about
Audrey; and, lastly, of how he had come
upon her in the summer house, with BeT-
erley Rochfort at her feet kissing her
hands.
Put yourself in my place, and judge
as 1 judged. Do not view things as they
are now, or you will be harder upon me
than 1 deserve" he said, as he leaned
his weary, aching brow on his hand.
81 will not be hard upon you at all,
Lord JOHN Jean said, very gently; for
I think I should have been misled as you
were by such apparently strong circum-
stantial evidence. I am glad you have
spoken out to me, and l only wish Au-
drey had done the same for then we
might have arrived at the truth"
What is it you mean?" Jack asked,
looking up at her, eagerly.
Il mean that I now am convinced that
Willie is right, and that there was some
plot connived against you both at that
ball. | have no definite proof, only
woman's intuition to work upon, but that
shall be enough. This must be sifted,
Lord John, sifted to the very dregs.
love you BOTH" she continued. tears dim
ming her eyes. You have been more
than good to me, and now that Audrey's
mother is gone l feel | must be friend,
sister and mother in one. You will see
that I am right, and that you and my
dear one were both the victims of some
conspiracy. On the face of it the whole
affair is absurd. Don't you love each
other better than all the world? / shall
write to Willie and tell him all my
doubts"
And the result of that letter was to
put Willie Fullerton on the track Of
Murray, whom Jean seemed convinced
could throw some light on the subject.
A week had gone, and Audrey was
wonderfully better it was her first real
ting with her. reading. Downstairs Jack
was trying to comfort himself, when sud
denly a familiar voice accosted him, and
he found himself shaking hands with
Marshall Marshall. grown older, and
looking very wan in her simple black for
her beloved mistress. 1t somehow com
forted Jack to see her; she seemed to
bring back a little of the sweet influence
that had surrounded Constance Fraser.
She had come direct from seeing Mr..
Fullerton, who had briefly told her all,
and she now asked to see Audrey at once.
Let me nurse her, my lord" she en-
treated cher, my dear's own child. Will
you GO up and tell her I'm here, my lord?
Perhaps I'd best not go straight without
saying"
Jacks face flushed; he hesitated; then
he rose and went out of the room. He
could not bring himself to tell Marshall
he was forbidden his wife's presence.
He went steadily upstairs and stood
outside the door The handle was turn
ed. and from within came the sound of a
faint, low voice. He meant to have call
ed Jean. but the sound of that voice
stopped him.
1t was Audrey speaking. His heart
beat violently, then turned as cold as
iron in his breast She was speaking Of
him, but how bitterly! Each word seem
ed to go through him like knife. Jean
had been pleading his cause, but he only
heard Audrey's answer.
Il refuse to see him, Jean; l refuse t
hear his name mentioned again. les,
yes; l know you think me a foolish
child a fretful invalid; but l am more
than this. may not be very old in
years, but I have suffered as much as
any woman of fifty. Do you forget all
he wrote in that awful letter? Oh. Jean
JEAN You don't know how his words
have struck home He says l have
wronged him, who
Her voice grew choked for a moment,
but she soon mastered her emotion mo,
Jean; there can be no friendship or kind
ly feeling between us. AS he has Judged
me, so let me live; my pride and my
honor will support me without him. l
i trust l shall never see him again I
shall be happier when 1 know he is far
away. He said he was going on a tour
of the world. Why does he not start?
Why does he add to his former cruelty
by staying here?"
Audrey, you are unjust, you are an
like yourself; you judge your husband
most cruelty. If you could only know
how he has suffered-'
Audrey broke in with a hard, bitter
laugh.
Il see he has won your heart, Jean.
Well, we will say no more, except that [
am firm, and that if Lord John has any
pride left he will not force himself upon
me, but go at once"
But Jack heard no more he did not
know that the hard, contemptuous tone
suddenly broke with a little gasping sob ::
he did not see the thin, small hands cover
the white, lovely face; he did not know
that Jean had slipped from her chair
and was holding Audrey's weeping form
clasped in her arms. No, he knew none
of this, for he had gone straight down
stairs, he had picked up his hat and ul-
ster, and opening the door, he had walk
ed out into the wind and rain, looking
neither to the right nor the left, turning
his back deliberately on all that he held
dearest in life.
Before the dawn was broken Willie
Fullerton had followed Jack Glendur-
wood up to town, but though he searched
every club, chamber or well-known haunt,
he nowhere found the man he sought, and
when he awoke from well-earned nights
rest, it was to read a telegram from Mr..
Sampson, stating he had received one
from Jack, who had sailed the evening
before from Southampton in the Minosta
for Australia, and might be absent for
years, perhaps forever. So after all,
Sheila had been partially successful for