The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1908-03-21

80 49,
whittier have they gone. think
youl" Queried Ellen.
ITO the arbor. probably. It's a IA
vorite haunt Of theirs. Shall We fol-
loW?"
Ny lord called me a spy last
night"
"A woman is justified in every
thing" said strathgate softly, when
her honor is involved, and Caring
ton"
do you mean to say" burst out
Ellen, holly.
He Is In dangerous hands," said
s~trathgate lightly. If he fall into
those Of Lady Cecily. Let us de-
scend to the mall"
He led her gently down the flight OF
steps and piloted her into the shadow
Of the wall whence they could gain
the arbor without being observed, for
at the southeast corner Of the ter
race upon which the castle was built
the arbor began.
You must be very quiet" said
S~trathgate, taking her by the arm IN
der the pretense of guiding her. Il
have your interests at heart. l can
not bear to see you sighted for one
so inferior to you in every way"
"To-wit!" said Ellen, riding to
hounds, dancing the minuet, playing
at cards"
MY lady" said Strathgate earnest
ly, those are mere accidents Of cir
cumstance. In beauty, in wit, in dar-
ing, in sweetness. Lady Cecily cannot
be mentioned with you. l cannot IN
derstand Darlington. Were +"
"Stopl" whispered Ellen.
They had come to the edge OF the
terrace. Through a rift in the foil
age they had a fair view OF the cen
ter Of the arbor. Through the same
sift the moonlight fell and displayed
two figures. One with his back toward
her was her husband. The other fac
ing the couple was Lady Cecily. They
were close together talking earnestly.
Ellen clenched her hands and lncau-
tiously stepped into the moonlight.
Lady Cecily caught glimnsa &c liz
before Strathgate drew her back. Here
was her opportunity. The distance
was too great to enable the watchers
TO hear what was being said, but they
could see.
Lady Ceeily was eommiserating
Lord Darlington on the rudeness of
his wife and my lord was so hot
and mad with jealousy and indigna-
ton, and so filled with affront to dig
nifty end amour propre, that he was in
a fit mood to be played upon by such
a consummate mistress of coquetry
and such a finished actress as Lady
Cecily. My lord had some Of the sim
plicity Of the sailor still left in him.
Lady Cecily laid her hand upon his
arm.
my dear Bernard" she said, II
may call you that for old times
sake?'
Yes, yes" said Darlington, would
that those old times might come
againl"
1T would please me-" said Lady Ce-
oily. Il cannot bear to see YOU
yoked with such a rude, uncultured
hoyden."
Darlington WINGED at this.
Nay" he began protestingly.
Rue Tadv TrofIv d9d not atom
"And she played that game with
Strathgate. 1t was all a matter of pre-
arrangement. No money was to pass.
She hath no need to give S~trathgate
money. His purse and all he has are
at her disposal
This was a half truth and therefore
the more deadly. Ellen had made
no prearrangement with Strathgate
or anyone else, and the game on her
part was honest and open, but 1t was
true that she could have asked moth.
ing Of Strathgate that he would not in.
stantly have acceded to. Lady Cecily
knew that Carrington's conviction OF
the latter half Of her statement would
carry with it an acquiescence in the
first part.
My lord gritted his teeth and
clenched his hands.
II would like to kill him." he said
"and by heaven l shall before long, OF
he me, and then she can take him
with my blood on his hands"
Il would not have you die, Der.
nard," said Lady Cecily tenderly, al
that moment catching sight of the
other two. Don't think that your
life is wasted because a foolish, wick.
ed woman has well nigh wrecked it
You are very dear tome"
She laid her hand upon his arm
She dropped toward him. She was
not bad looking, Lady Cecily, espe
cially in the moonlight, which hid the
paint and powder and some Of the
rayages Of time.
"You are the only true heart l have
ever known" protested Darlington.
And then Lady Cecily p%alpably fell
against him. What else could a gen.
tleman do under the circumstances
but enfold her in his arms? The arms
Of Lady Ceeily stole upward. She lift,
ed her face to his.
kiss me" she murmured. family
And although Darlington had not in
tetnded anything Of that kind, yet be
3pU kop,rt,d no han;totoa o,a .w..