The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1914-01-30
The Fair CreoIe'S Fortune
By SIR WALTER BEsAN MT and JAMES RICE
Scheming Of a Desperate
Woman For the Sake of a
Profligate Brother and the
Resulting Adventures Of
Winsome Virginie Ferrier:


she was ready to take up her old work,
and to devote herself to it.
She went into Il country troupe and
Travelled fort three years and more, pa
tlent. working hard. studying every
morning with Paul, and never neglect
ing the boy.
Then she came to town and made
her first appearance in a new comedy,
which would certainly have been a
failure but for her acting and her ex-
traordinary beauty. The enforced mer-
riment. the pathos. the ease of the
new actress startled and arrested the
people. 1t was a great success, and
Eiolet's fortune was made.
The first thing she did vas to adver-
tise for Il real lady to take daily care
OF her boy, now five years old.
Elsie was the real lady. Violet chose
her from a good many applicants on
account of her quiet and trust
worthy face.
1t was this assumption Of the real
lady, which preyed upon poor Elsie's
mind. Not that it entered Niolet's
busy head to ask who or what her fl-
Their was. She was profoundly igno-
rant Of the world outside the stage.
Whether she was told that Elsie was
the daughter Of a bishop or Of a city
clerk. she would not have suspected
any difference.
I'm tho nyoriro If <on 1o1, <hot va
let l-Ovelace saw her husband Nir-
ginie dined with her cousins. No one
was at the dinner except Mrs. Hal
loves and Guy, who was for once in
Il good temper. For this small mercy
Maude was grateful. The reason why
he was in Il good temper was that he
had only that very morning hit upon
an idea which seemed to him not only
the most excellent way out of his per-
pleNitieS. but also the only way out.
On arriving in London he realized
the truth Of his wife's statement that
she had become one of the most pop
ular actresses of the day. For her face
greeted him with smiling eyes from
every booksellers shop, from every
photographers, and from every sta
toners.
After the first shock he cared very
little about it and ceased to be IT.
ritated by the sight of a woman he
would fain have forgotten. She had
succeeded, Very well; let her succeed
so long us she kept her secret. 1t was
not until that very morning that he
began to think how this very success,
instead of being a danger to him,
might actually be Of the greatest use.
Why not agree with the actress to
break off suddenly, and say no more
about the bond which tied them to-
gether? All they had to do was to go
on as if nothing had ever happened.
Such simplicity in the idea. Such Il
swift and sudden cutting of a Gordian
knot.
To go on as they were all their lives
thus to be tied and yet to be kept
apart-could anything be more foolish?
If it was Il good thing for himself it
was surely a far better thing for her.
He would make her, by word Of mouth,
a definite offer Of release. How happy
she would be to have her freedom!
The thought that his sister expected
him to propose to Nirginie Immediately
and the satisfaction Of considering
that he might really be free and able
to take that step made him regard her
more curiously. Yes, she was certain
ly a very pretty girl and Of a type not
common in these realms.
Guy said Lord Ferrier when they
were alone. your cousin is a very
charming girl"
Yes, sir, she is very charming"
"And very beautiful"
"She is very beautiful"
as she-has she any entanglement":'
II believe, sir. she has none."
Lord Terrier stroked his chin retlec-
lively.
'Then, Guy" he said, I'VE will go
upstairs"
The three ladies were sitting togeth-
er. Mrs. Hallowes presently rose and
began talking to Lord Ferrier. Maud
began to play something. Guy sat
down beside Nirginie. Perhaps It was
the soft atmosphere Of the room; per-
! haps the sense of freedom gained by
his newly conceived idea; perhaps the
words of his father. which made his
heart feel an unwonted glow as he
looked upon the girl whose fortune
would make all things right for him.
Eirginie was sitting in an easy chair
beside a lamp covered with Il soft,
warm shade, whose color was reflected
on her cheek. Other lamps with soft
shades were standing about the room.
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