Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-01-19

threw herself on her knees, C. ling
on Hal" she is upright again and
facing her position. With a Ii tie
tremor of shyness and alarm, she
looks at the strange richness Of her
surroundings, upon the decorations OF
the dainty little rooms, the rare hang
ings and exquisite furniture, the
costly appointments-where is she?
AS she goes TO the table, her hands
fall on a magnificent dressing-case,
and her gaze rests on the coronet and
initials emblazoned on each of the
brushes, upon the golden tops OF the
scent-bottles.
And here Jeanne remembers that
she is the Warehouses of Ferndale;
It is not all a strange and feyered
dream. The man from whom sne
has fed, whose hard, cruel words
ring in her burning ears, 10 her
lover the great marquis. and she's
his wife
Jeanne hides her face in her hands
and thinks-thinks as she never
thought before, staring at the sweet,
pale face which stares back at her
in the glass.
Every word OF that bitter ancuEa-
ton she calls up, sparing herself not
one. She has deceived him-yes; no
matter with what motive. 1t is true
that she had deceived hint How
could she tell him of the doubts and
fears which kept her silent on all
concerning that baleful visit of the
Lady Lucille If ever it was hers to
lose. That is the thought which
makes her lips culver and her heart
ache. II is true, all that the fair
haired, fashionable beauty told her!
Vane's love for her was fancy. and
it has gone-dispelled by the dis
covery that his within was baked ana
mis- identity known!
1t is a bitter thought, but it is the
only thing that saves Jeanne
Jeanne. alone in the great castle
saves her from utter despair, for it
rouses her pride!
He does not love me-" she says to
the dainty Venetian mirror, "and he
fears that | shall bring scandal and
idle gossip on the great name he has
given me, He need not fear! /, too,
can be proud and cold I. who am not
plain Jeanne Bertram, but the Mar
ohioness OF Ferndale! He thinks
that I shall make a noise before his
people, and let the servants see the
trouble between us, He shall see.
Oh, JeanneJeanne If you have any
courage. now is the time to see it,
Be brave!"
Then she falls to pacing to and fro
on the thick Persian carpet, her
little hands clasped before her, her
dark brows drawn into the straight
line across her eyes, as they used to
be when the Nancy Bell was nearing
the bar and danger doomed ahead,
her red lips set tightly and closely,
and her heart beating quickly.
For the future, from tonight. they
are to live apart, widely sundered,
though living in the same house,
breathing the same air He has
SAID it-SO Sndll IL De. Inere Slall
be no moan, no wall, no complaint
made by her AS he reminded her,
she is the marchioness, and not plain
Mrs Vane, for whose incomings and
outgoings the world cares nothing;
she Is the marchioness, whose every
word and look will be noted. "Well!"
ard she confronts her glass defiantly
"he shall see how she can play the
part he has set her"
And as this resolve is made. Jeanne
is a girl no longer, but woman
proud condemned. and injured,
II he could see her now, her white
forehead puckered in her endeayor to
solve the problem of her future
course. he would himself solve it
there and then But while she fights
for courage, struggles against the
duh anguish that beats at her heart
he Is moodily remersefully wasting
the precious moments of reconcilia-
ton In the night air; and thus wasted
they vanish. to return, who shall say
when?