Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-01-26
By CHARLES GARvIcE

ready. win your lordship please go
down."
Yane nodded, and went on without
a word. Most husbands would have
gone in-we are afraid-grumbled at
the delay, while they admired their
wife's dress; but Vane receives her
ladyship's command and obeys.
Mrs. Fleming closes the door and
goes back to where Jeanne stands,
clasping a diamond bracelet on her
round white arm. A diamond TERRA
sparkles IN her silken, wavy hair. dia-
monds ON her taper fingers, diamonds
clasp her white slender throat.
As she stands robed in one of
Worth's masterpieces, she looks so
tall and stately that she scarcely rec
ogri5es in the marchioness the slim
little girl who leaped from bowlder TO
bowlder, or crouehed at the helm Of
the Nancy Bell.
But as she turns one sees II is the
same face, the same sweet, fresh love
4 Illness, not one whit hardened or dim
med by her sudden rise. There is
the old little curl OF the soft, express,
sionable lips, the old natural trick OF
the eyelashes dropping over the dark
eyes, and it Is not until she scans the
beautiful face critically that she de-
| tects a certain something that is
strange. that the old light-hearted
girl lacked. Is It sadness, pride re-
gret? What is It that gives the dark
| eyes, and the red, mobile lips, an un-
defnable expression of wistfulpess?
II is not always there. II is not
there now that Mrs Fleming comes
back. and fastens the armlet, but it
was there when Vane's step was
heard at the door.
It is three months since VaBe, Mar
! quis Of F'erndale. brought his bride 10
his ancestral home; three months
since. mad with passion and dissp-
pointment, he charged her with be-
| ing false and dishonorable, and de-
clared that they should be apart. and
they are apart still.
To the outward world. to thSse i'm.
medlately about them, they are pat
tern couple. No servant, no one OF
the many guests, has ever heard a
harsh or unkind aord spoken between
them.
A Spanish hidalgO could not be
more courteoJssly polished than hs
Vane when he addresses his wife. no
lady OF Castle more superbly bred
than Jeanne while receiving those
courtesles. That 1t is a love-match
pure and simple. the many who have
hung about her with adoring admira-
ton are all positively convinced. II
is only too palpable that his word is
her law. and that she has only to ex-
press a desire. and he knows no rest
until he has satisfied It,
Have not the whole side of the
Ferndale grounds been replanned be.
cause Jeanne once remarked that she
did not care for landscape garden
ing? Were not fifty men working
right and day In gangs. cutting a
glade through the home wood, that
she might get glimpse of the river
from her room? Was not my lord
himself in the saddle for three days
looking for a match pair for her popN
; carriage? And did he not, the n CHI
when her ladyship cut her little fin
ger in the conservatory, GO thrnaSt
the pelting rain for the doctor, be
cause no one could ride kaiser-tht
swiftest horse in the stable 1u
himself?
The servants hail ana the smoking
: room are full of these and simila
stories of my lords passionate deyo
ton to the beautiful young marchion
ess.
But no one has ever heard on
:. word of love. one touch of tenderness
4 exchanged between them
r And no such word has been spoken
e The last word, the last touch o
S love, was givta before Vane opene
t the fatal letter.
S She Is the Marchioness of FerI
?. dale. the most popular and sough
i after woman in the country; but 10
=. the rest. she might as we'll be sailin
!; the Nancy Bell or snowballing Ha
s. and vane might still be climbing III
II Pyramids or lounging about the Par
II clubs.
;. Jeanne had kept her VOW. an
n played her part we'll. To the worl
ID she is the loving wife of Vane, Ma
a. uuis of Ferndale. To him she is IL
proud. insulted woman, who keel
II him at arms length. behind a barrt
II Of injured pride which he is as powe
less TO break down as he is to remo'
i'd the hill upon which the castle stand
y Il am quite ready, am not?" sa'
IS Jeanne
re quite. my lady" says Mrs. Flel
r. ing. eyeing her with affectionate a
IS miration. Monsieur Worth knoN
=" what suits your ladyship," she AIDE
n giving these last. lingering touches
he the exquisite dress.
Jeanne laughs. IL is the old, swe
IL laugh, with just little trace OF IN
re ancholy
as Are YOU going to say, as usu
OF that it suits me better than anythi
ed clse? She said. You're a stnI
DIS cid thing after all. for you have
vn learned to fatter properly"
I'm Il don't 1atter, my lady says NJ
he Fleming. I'm not the only one "
ed thinks You beautiful, my lady" a