Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-10-17
Lady buttons Ward
M CLAY.
BY BeRTnA M. CLAY.

or the outlaws doom. Bland and
calm, gay and graceful, he looked like
| the Stephen Hurst who so many years
ago was Lord Hutton's chosen friend.
| The past was dead letter to him; it
lay buried in his wife's grave. At
times the memory of MaGdalen Hurst.
| with h.r beautiful face and passionate
| love, came before him, but only to be
banished with a contemptuous thought,
or a sneering smile at that wonderous
love of woman which bears all, and
suffers all, and even In death hides all
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, it was
with an impatient shrug at what he
called his own folly.
Stephen Hurst ought to nave been
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 .1er 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 We're ended, Stephen Hurst
lived for the time on the remnants of
the fortune his father had left. He
was successful gambler; always win
ming, seldom losing; and he continued
to associate with 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
downward career was easily accom-
pllshed. He married one of the pref.
test and best girls in Scotland. and
broke her heart. Ne forged the name
OF one no had onse been his friend,
and suffered 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-
trieve his position.
Although his associates we're 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 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
tifui, 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 large house. fur
nished It magnifcently. and made his
way In society, He was warmly wei.
coined there. and no one in London
gave better bachelor dinners or kept
more hospitable house. He had but
one trouble; the wife he had learned
to hate had discovered him; had 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-
trieve his mistakes, TO make for him.
self another life. for the past was
buried He thought sometimes with
n duh wonder OF his child. half curious
to know II 1t we're living or dead. One
thing was necessary 10 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 thst at present were closed
to him. So when he heard OF Lady
Grahame he knew he had found what
i,