Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-10-19
CHAPTER XIV.


And the new beauty? What is she
like?" drawled a languid young
guardsman.
She's perfect" cried Algy Dessing-
err with energy. MY dear chap, if you
were only % see her!-and you may
do so tonight at Lady Clothilda's ball.
why. she would awaken even your
sluggish nature into an ecstasy! l met
her last night. I took her in to dinner
at General Bateman's-fancy sitting
from soup to strawberries side by side
with a goddess! Such luck never came
my way before"
why, Algy, are you in love!" laugh
ed an older man, who was listening
with some amusement tc the CONVERSE
ton. 1t was the man who was SO
strangely like, and yet unlike, Rupert
Carroll.
II should rather think L was in Lowell"
cried the amorous Dessinger raptur-
ously, and SO would you be. too, #
you saw her, my boy!"
MY dear fellow replied Neither
VILE, with a Ianguid SMILE mo more
girls for me! l keep out of their way
now a days"
And then the others remembered
that Netherville had been jilteds about
a year ago by girl who had married
his own cousin. and that he was still
supposed to be secretly sorrowing over
the event; although he was we'll known
to affect the society of a certain lively
and somewhat vapid little widow, who
was presumably engaged in pouring
balm into his wounded heart.
Presently he rose. and making some
excuse, left the rest to the party to
finish their smoke and talk without
him When he was gone, the others.
who were al younger men, became
more at their ease, and the talk went
on very much as before.
Tell us her name, Algy?" persisted
BERTHE Norris who is she. and what
is her history"
she is a Miss Garland. She was
brought up in the country, and just as
she grew up her mother died. and her
aunt took her abroad They have been
away for more than a year; on the
Riviera first and afterwards they trav-
eled about in Italy; spending last sum-
mer in Switzerland. They came home
in May, she and the aunt. and this is
positively her very first appearance in
London" 81
And who is the aunt?'
Lady Garland is the widow of a
Lord Mayor, or Something of that
kind: a stupid sort of woman. should
say, but / didn't speak to her"
The eighteen months since we saw
her last have worked great change
in Irene Garland. She is older harder.
and colder. and yet quite as beautiful
as in those old days. long ago, when
she dawdled away the dreamy hours
amongst the water lilies and surren-
dered the whole CT her fresh young
heart to Rupert Carroll.
1t is not good for any woman TO be
deserted and sighted: still less is it
good for one who has the power of
youth and beauty on her side. 1t makes
a woman's heart grow hard. her judg-
ments on others bitter. her views OF
life altogether to become distorted and
unlovely.
Because one man had treated her
badly. Irene was convinced now that
all men were unprincipled and dishon-
orable. 1t seemed to her that a wom-
an. who had suffered as she had done.
had best turn her hs.ad against them
all indiscriminately and that to repay
the wrongs she had endured from the
cruelty of one. upon the rest of his
sex, was only a fair and just retalia-
ton.
Many women have felt this. but all
have not the power 20 act up to t.
Now Irene had the power. II was Ru-
pert himself who had once told her so,
and no sooner was she fairly launched
into the swirling tide of the London
season that she found out by expert
ence the truth of his words.
IL was easy TO smile and look sweet
TO talk pleasantly and even cleverly
In order to faScinate the men who
crowded about her. 1t was easy 10
make them fall in love with her. and
chen to turn round upon them and
laugh. ard declare that she had meant
nothing at all-upon her word OF hon
or nothing at all' 1t was really a
most amusing game to play at and
Irene soon learned to play it with ex-
traordinary dexterity.
1T serves them right" she would
say TO herself. with a toss of heg
scornful little chin. Il am very glad
I can trample on their hearts; they
would think nothing of breaking mine
into atoms-if had any heart LETT e
nreak-which. fortunately. nave
mott"
Yet often and often the poor chiia
would lie awake through hours or ths
night, her pillow wet with tears. nei
hands clenched hard together, mel
heart bursting with the sorrow tha'
she never could quite succeed IN cheat
ing away. and in the darkness low