Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-09-17
CHAPTER XII.
Copyright, 1908, by ]. B, Harris-Burland.


W1ll1am IanRerlane glanced Sharpl.
at the faces of the two women. Bot
bore traces of the storm through which
they had passed. Leonore realised
this, and fastened to explains.
81 was just going" she said with {
smile. 81 have been saying goodbye
% your wife. It is cruel of you II
take her away
81 am very sorry we have to go
Mrs. Bonsal," he said. "but we shall
probably have the pleasure Of seeing
you again.
There was challenge in his voice
and the actress was quick to answer
it.
81 shall certainly see Laura again,
she replied
1--WE shall be delighted to see you
he answered, but the tone Of his voice
belied his words
Leonore held out her hand Good
bye" she said with smile, good
bye, Laura, and crossing over TO the
girls side, she kissed her effusively
on the cheek. Then she left the room.
Directly the door had closed be-
hind her, Tankerlane lit a cigarette,
and, strolling over to the fireplace,
gazed thoughtfully at his wife, who
was looking out Of the window He
could see the profile of her face, clear
cut like cameo, against the day
light. 1t seemed almost without eX-
preston.
well, Laura" he said cheerfully,
''this time tomorrow we shall be in
London l daresay you're not sorry to
leave Paris. By the bye, I hope your
Friendship with Mrs. 6ousal will come
to an end"
She did not answer him, but still
Hooked out of the window.
81 daresay it will cool off, he con-
itinued, without any interference on
my part l know these violent friend
ships between women. They are beau
Itiful, wonderful, while they last, but
they don't last very long"
Laura turned away from the win
dow, and, crossing over to table,
few feet away from Tankerlane, began
ito turn over the pages of a magazine.
The man frowned. She was behav-
Ing for all the world as though he
were not in the room.
IT am sorry if you are annoyed
about our departure" he continued
quitely; "but I can assure you that it
is better for us to be in London. You
can't expect me to stay in Paris all
my life, because you desire the society
of Mrs. Bonsal.
Laura looked up from the magazine,
and Tankerlane saw her eyes. They
blazed like living Goals, and their fire
xIrnC tIIo tnI Nv, co1 low.
of her face.
why do you call her Mrs. Bonsal?"
she asked in a cold voice Tankerlane
laughed.
Presumably because that is her
name. Would you rather l called her
Jackson?"
No. answered Laura, 81 would
rather you called her by her right
William Tankerlane."
And, as she uttered the name, which,
until an hour ago, she had believed
to be her own, the whole expression of
her face changed. A storm of pas
sionate hatred swept across it, and
1t seemed like the face of another
woman. She clenched her hands and
trembled from head to foot She for
got that she cared nothing for this
man. She only remembered the shame
ne had brought upon her, the dis
honour he had thrust into her pure
life.
For brief moment Tankerlane was
staggered by the shock. The hour,
which he had long dreaded, had come
at last to him. But he quickly master
nnnf11CiNn Jic CT =
re-asserted itself. He knew that he
would need all his strength, all his
GOODNESS, all his subtlety of intellect
my dear Laura he said, with
laugh. t'are you mad?"
mo, l am not mad" she exclaimed,
though I might have been If l had
loved you. AS it is, have only to bear
he shame of what you have done to
ne. Thank God, never had any love
or you
You are not yourself, Laura" he
'eplied gently, you nave been ILL.,
has occurred to upset you.
That woman, who has Just left, has
old you some lie. Surely it is better
or you to ask me an explanation of
what she has told you than to speak
o me in the way you have just spok-
IN"
His words, uttered in a dlgnifed
md reproachful voice, recalled some
hing that Leonore had said few
minutes previously THAT is not the
lind of justice man would require"
She made an effort TO calm herself.
Give me some explanation, she
aid coldly. THE woman who has
ust left has told me that she is your
wife. l have no reason to doubt her
words. But, for the sake of common
Justice, ask you whether she has
poken the truth or not?'
"She has not spoken the truth" he
eplied gravely, You are my wife"
Il could hardly expect you to make
ny other reply to my question. But, {
or all that, you have lied to me, and ,
know that you have lied to me, be-
ause l know that Leonore has spok-
n the truth
THAT being the case" he replied
arcastically, ''it was hardly neces-
airy to ask the question:
II can SO easily find the truth" she |
ontinued "Leonore can give me all