The Brussels Post, 1888-1-27, Page 66
14..ias,4ssEctesare,rrw mencw.::am
PUT ASUNDER;
an,
tatty Castlemaine's Divorce 1
Uy- l]Y:IITIIS ]ll, CLAY,
LUTuon as
irfae:arcd Jl.tebi' "'Etta Earls, Alerts
castes..'"',! Struggle far n Ring,"
rte., etc., ais
all your aspirations, understand your
plans, sympathize iu your: pride of a
noble race ? 1)id we ever disagree "
Whose talk iutorested you as mho did ?
Had I not more ambition for you than
you had for yourself ? Did I not urge
you to give yourself to politics, to be,
some a power in the country ?"
"We wore indeed warm friends;," said
'Lord Castlemaino.
"And I was worthy of your friend-
ship ; and I am one who will give a
friendship unreservedly, and not limit
:its display. I desired your happiness;
and when your infatuation for Gertrude
made it impossible for me to give you
happiness, except through hor, then 1
devoted myself to trying to make her
worthy of you, to wardiug danger from
your home: and I failed, If your hap•
pines had been iu my hands primarily,
you never would have known any sor-
row."
"I did not understand Gertrude. I
should have made allowances. She
was young, inexperienced, indulged, If
I had been more tender, less dietatorial,
left her alone less in society, had daily
won her confidence more gently! Oixl
I know now my errors when it is too
late !"
That is madness !" said Isabel, re-
straining her voice, but her soul was in
a turmoil of jealous fury at his words,
"There never was a maw so deceived.
Did she try to gloss over your faults, or
what she called your faults 2 Did she 1
not make a jest of your honest pride of i
race ? The stories of the house of Cas.
tlemaine wore her theme of sarcasm,
She despised you because you were
even to pursuits of peace. Men of war,
like Colonel Lennox, were her heroes,
as redoaated soldiers are heroes of bar.
maids, She accused you of pride, of
tyranny ; she loved. to vex you. When
she had grown weary of Colonel Len.
nor, she would have amused herself
EMU tortured you by flirting with some
one else."
"You aro wrong. I am sure you mien
judge her. And, at all events. remem-
ber she is yet my wife."
"I do not wish 16 remember it. Drealt
that tic, which is now virtually mill and
void. Take up a new life marry SOME!
one worthy cf you ; melte a tour ef the
world, and in two or three years _rs r: r
open these closed doors ; fill cosi ho-sse
with hospitalities worthy el your race
take your place in Parliament : b-ec:..e
apower In your country; live ui, t:
your rights as Earl of Castlemaine."
"It is impossible ! Mine is a heart
that loves but once. Whether Ger:se:it
loved me as I did her, I cannot tell l
. her my least thought was true. Bee'de
her no other woman looked lovely. or
desirable. Even if sbe had really fled
with Colonel Lennox, and I had seance
a divorce, it would not have been t
marry again. I should have lived in
memory of my lost love and my lasting
woe."
Isabel Hyde suddenly bent her head
on the table near which she sat, and
burst into a passion of sobs and tears
Lord Castlemaine remembered what
Lady Craven had told him of Mis9
Hyde's evident interest in himself
Even his heart, apathetic now to ail
words of love, told him that 3Iiss Hydt
had now spoken to him of more ther
friendship. He knew not what to ea
or do. He sat in silence surd leer etereee
emotion had worn itself away.
"Miss Hyde, I am gratelei to n.
grateful for sympathy, for pat frier.a.
ship, for present interest—:u:all.T..ssi
remoustranees hest fail tr, tan
course, or ab.mate myheart is any r..
of happiness. Let me t'reied ye: ,..a
you are yet a young, Bea f
With your fortune before yes. a of ;
as your kindne i is, I isnot, sneer,- -, 9
thepriceof e:..e:yrra. leen-t. ,- ire
your kindslap a., :y !sr fsr
c'it'e, you f, g t .. _ Sr..
son woul,l net fa,:leo. , sit
too t,lng serf r e da9.r
wrth",i a , is : r , t part
mysadness gsseves y..r li-»: a
your friendly l r -ere ,t use manes it
hard for o,e to resect yezr 6,5:;11.V1113. as 1
nnaltorably n.:.5 . Will yrs not alley,
rue to aceeveriany yon through the para:
to the "Nuns' Gate," where we shall ;lay
good -by '
He rose. Isabel rose also. Slit
Duelled back the dii.grrdered hair from
her heated brow. She looked into his
face.
"Say good -by?" she faltered.
"Yes, Isabel, Good -by is all I can •
offer, for even friendship, now."
"Good-by—and forever 2"
"Forever I"
"Oh, Lord Castlemaine 1" stied Isabel,
holding out her hands to hire, "Lord
Castlemaine 1—Rudolph 1 will you Haver I
care for me ?"
Ambition, pride, uelflehnasti, many
all passions were in Isabai's tearful;
for Lord Castlemaine - but there was
also love, real love, and that love thrill. 1
ed in that passionate cry. It was one
drop more in the cup of Lord Castle,
rganie'e bitterness. He was eliivalrons
toward wo mon.
o
• e had really been a friend to feabel
yy .
Hyde, though lie had often thought . lrr,r
a singular girl, and her mariner, had
r.
many times puzzled hint. Ile Y.n "s lr;/
had experience how terrible a thing
was love outraged, unreturnefl, Ant her
cry fell coldly on a dead, shrouded hrart,
Ho bell out his hand gravely.
seems, Isabel, wo mute go, rn: reuse
part. 1t is only ono more of the hard
things in our fate, Go, and forget mc. "
,,1cannot—I will not forgot!" said
Isabel.
,
'Remember," said Lord Castiernains,
"that whether she is living or dcad,my
froom was unalterably given to (let -
Exude,"
And he led her beyond the "Nuns'
Gabs,"
CHAPTER LXIII.
" a sutox NEVER RETVux 1 "
If (Gertrude Castlemaine had boon a
eriminal, flying from justice, making
every effort at concealment, she would
probably have been discovered long be.
fore. As she proceeded ou the ])over
boat, at Calais, and afterward, in a per.
featly quiet, open, rnattor.of-fact way, no
ono had had particular attention causer
to her, and no oue, when inquiry was
made, Was able to identify her.
Colonel Lennox and Isabel sedulously
kept the secret about the -carriage—the
colouel, because his discomfiture, if
known, would have made him the last-
Mg butt of jest ; Isabel, because her
action iu the matter would have ruined
her with Lord Ca,tlemaino.
Tho carriage -driver had not only been
well paid by Gertrude for silence, but
that night's work was his last driving in
England; the had already secured his
passage as an emigrant to Australia.
The theory of the pursuit had been
that Clertrudo had gone by cars, or m1
foot. No ono imagined that she had
caught the Dover boat that very night.
The stewardess of that boat was called
next day into Belgium, to a dying mo-
ther : and tho fact that at Calais Ger-
trude had covered her hat aud Paco with
a thick tissue veil, and carried her
cloak on her arm, with only its white
lining visible, had completed the slender
chain of events which diverted pursuit,
especially when that pursuit dated all
its inquiries at least twenty-four hours
too late.
That very week of Isabel's painful
visit to \oath Abbey, Dr. Randal and
Mr. Grimheld met there to consult with
Lord Castlemaine.
"I have coneludedmypersonal visita-
tion of every public and private insti-
tution for the sick and insane in the
United Kingdom," wad Dr. Randal; "I
have conversed with the attendants,
and looked over the records; I have ex.
amined the burial records of every par.
ish in England ; and I cannot get the
faintest trace of your wife."
"Our agents in Scotland Yard have
come on no trace, and seem hopeless of
success " said Mfr. Grimheld. " It is,
as I told yon at first, Lord Castlemaine;
we must "calla more of the press—of
advertis^g.•'
"• I had enc.u,h si the l.ress, dragging
my fans:y a=.;i-s to if>"1:, when that
Isiragrass she tdivcrce, in Yretia,
turae.t ,,.
_1 u.-
t0155 on my
ur apwyt..
is -ss- 'tees' great
: �s _rsay have
end
. _—tixat
and
titzessr.s I veer
- v 1_
ay cc
Inseseesess
an 1 ..,..-.r-t-
:ZE an
e., nY
de - : yip_.1 ._.az in-
deed,,
r;:
1 ...a n ▪ z -x ,a.I,ba ...e a.x t ; and
I shall neve: maxi^.
Ti . _ - _• y:, shiti,it
one a 'k -'s ex r ns 'of yanr
title a ..:-,:a,.F^3.'Isrles e. lens;line
to and &', ice raL
, And 'ssas. sets- .. s _ :c:3L me
to OSLO
pelinse el the
eµ e s s„i n c.m by printed slips
es ,..a .. Cys i a,nes
anpea ;eek,6.:i ia.:,: f .fy,.'t re,
`• -,ns Larner . v acSirese. Ad.
ve c , w.6 kingdom,
'lam.
dy I as Ir F 1 • ' e r',ante,' asking
1.er ts retssn. ,r iofr,rmation.
r rt-ao'l=. shall be
pont—teat she shall
• .aisey. Advertise alio
./Arneany, and France."
yo"1 like," said Lord
n%lcertise as you like;
nst I :f (, .rtrnde yet lived .1
l.eard from her. Could
have ordered lonclineesliko mine 1 "
Toe forget," said Doctor Itandal,
"-i may have a child. That would
eery largely console her, encu fill her
heart."
" lint there was no need for her Si' '
Immo. She know I loved her."
" Answer me a few questions," said
Dr, Handal. " emu retro jealous of
Colonel Lennox, and accused ]ler of vee
rieue follies ? "
" Unhappily, yes."
" Sho scorned greatly terrified, over.
whelmed, distressed ? "
". Yes."
" In your anger you threatened gape's.
ation or divorce? "
" Yes, yes ; I have admitted all that."
" 1)o you not know that if she had re.
mained, and you had demanded separa-
tion or divorce---"
"1,would not have done so," inter.,
rupted Lord Castlemaine.
" Probably not, when the whole facto
were before you. Sho did not know
that. Sho thought you meant it. I say
if you hacl carried out your threat, and
she had had a child, especially if a son,
Fon would have hadcustodyo£yourheir.
iero is nothing like maternity to
obarpon a woman's perception of resultw,
of £acts. Unused to any business, ns
.Lady Castlemaino was, the mother 1n.
etinet would have shown hor he danger
ofbeing deprival other baby. If oho had
some alight mania, as I apprehend, thab
world havointensified her terror of such
lost--hor expectation of it. A mother
wee. uo r,e,f/th,nil w xuti.iu hor Chita. If
Lady ('astlemaiuo is living, and keeps.
t,ilent,itisbocauao she fears you will
claim custody of loot little ono,"
"Rub what am I to do?" crier Lord
flee ins rising.,"n 1i
Cas aand roar lea
library in eisorder.pacing
The idea of Gertrude hiding in loneli•
toss, terror, poverty, to congeal that bo -
r }-1 } !'uj- USSELS
loved child, so precious in his drought,
drove him frantic,
" Advertise, as Grimholc1 suggests, in
klugland, Scotland, Inranoe, Address
' Gertrude.' Tell he hor child shall
not be interfered with; sbe shall make
her own terms. Also, fee the French.
police heavily enough to get them
searchingfor any stray English lady,
fair anyoung, with a youug obild,
:France is near; your wifo spoke French
fluently. As we have failed in England,
1 look to 1"rauce, Franco, too, is the
land where she could live longest 011
the sale of her jewels."
" Randal is quite right," sail 111x.
C rimlield,
A tap at the library door.
"The nail, my lord," said Jenkins.
Lord Castleneaiue took the letters,
anti mechanically turned them aver.
Ho started bank at sight of one, and
dropped it, with an exclamation. It
was from Egypt, in the large, peculiar
script of Colonel Leuuox,
At first Lord Castlemaine felt as if bo
could not open it—as if ono of his friends
must break the seal. Thon he gathered
himself together, because there might
be something under that cover which
no eye should sec but his own. He
withdrew to au alcove, and opoued the
envelope, with a trembling hand. It
was dated at a nulilary hospital. 11
ran thus :
"LORD (1.1sTr.E.1rAr"rE :—Wo have been
enemies : but when life roaches its end,
enmities are forgotten. I write to do
justice to your wife. 1 never met a, lady
whom I admired as 1 did Lady Castle -
manna. S11e was as good as fair. There
was nothing iu her intercourse with me
to which any husband could object, ex-
cept that she tolerated my society, and
that was because she did not know my
character. All my association with
Lady Castlemaine—all our meetings—
arose not from her will ; she was
invariably betrayed into my company
by her friend, who deceived us both. I
should say no more. Where your wife
went, and w11y, I do not know, As%
l'ixr de ---she 1 nexus. LENNox."
" 011, Gertrude ! doubly injured Ger-
trude 1" cried Lord Castlemaine.
We must find Miss Hyde, and ques-
tion hor," said Grimheld.
I will telegraph to Lady Cresson to
obtain her address."
x * * *
The clay after that bitter interview
with Lord Castlemaine, Isabel entered
herauut'e dressing -room, in Lady Cros-
son's country -house on the banks of the
Thames.
Isabel," Amid Lady Crosson, sharply,
" you told mo you wore going to Miss
Aaerton's. I had a uoto from hor yes -
ter ;ay. You have not been thorn.
Where wore you ?"
Isabel was silcut.
I M-iss upon knowing—.I have a
right."
Yes, you have a right," said Isabel,
1-oid'y. "Yon arc co take mo to Lady
Gordon's cee:nitry-seat, and I have two
ger sous dresses up stairs, witnesses of
year right. I was at death Abbey, to
Lord Castlemaine."
-• ',covens, fsabol 1 What madness 1
And you with a proposal from Lord
Smart :Douglas!"
"I have not accepted him, aunt."
Lady Cresson threw up hor hands and
eyes.
" Isabel, you are twenty-four 1 You
have been jive seasons out You have
refneed two or three offers,but have had
no good offers till now. Now, by ex-
traordinary, marvelous fortune, a fine-
looking man, of your own age, heir pro.
sureptive to the Earl of Dunoddin, pro.
poses, and—you say you have not
accepted him 1 You go to sec Lord
Castlemaine 1"
"I went," said Isabel, hard and bold,
"to see for myself whether there was
5.07 hope that Lord Castlemaine would
finish his divorce case, and make an
offer tome."
" Horrible ! Monstrous 1 Outrageous I"
groaned Lady Crosson.
Isabel proceeded steadily :
t' There is uo such hope. He will not
geb a divorce. Ho will not marry again.
He is still the slave of that white-faced
fool who left him."
"Hush 1 Your language is scandalous."
" I went to him, aunt, because fox
mote thau four years! have loved him—
because I ant mad about him, I think
I would rather take Rudolph Castle-
maine, without title orestatea, than one
of the princes of the royal blood."
" The princes end Lord Casbleinaine
are ovally out of your roach."
" I sec 1t. Compose yourself, Aunt
Cresson. I takl Lord Stuart Douglas
thatho.hunkl have my answer at Lady
Gorcdon' ,, neat Thursday. 'shall accept
him. I shall have a title, a prospective
coronet, a fortune, three handsome
estates, au amiable husband, who
marries because his unole orders him to
do so, aud who likes me as well as any
one. lie suxo, aunt, the belle of ,/ir:e
sruxon.v appreciates her good fortune,
At all' events, I shall not make a scandal,
and leave my husband, as Gertrude
Craven did."
,"Oh, heavens! And you are to be
presented on Thursday to the Earl of
Duneddin 1"
* 1 s * *
Thursday; had come. been—Lady
Gordon's country -seat fu Kent,bhrongea
with guests. Envied of all, is Isabel
Hyde. After five seasons she has cap,
tuned a ptospeot:ve earl 1
Lord Stuart Douglas is a tall, jolly,
noisy, red -whiskered; florid, hones,
young Sootchman -- not very senti.
mental, but heartily admiring les fiancee
The pearl of Duneddin has come, and
is to be presented to his future niece
arm of Douglas
Isabel is on the a g s, ; Lad)
Gordon has the earl's arm, Lady Oros.
son is elate. The five meet in the groat
drawing -room, aud ttlers are many there
to see.
Uncle, allow ms to present . r.
future Lady Douglas."
Suddonly a black cloud testa on the
face of the old Scotch earl 1•Iis ex. 1
tended haucl stops hall way ; his cold,
I
ferocious stare. 1 estixedl eboiina u to
blue eyes s
'
"Thislady your future wifo,Douglas?`
"Yes, nnole; and yon an admirer of 1
beauty—dark beauty--"
" uever forgot a beautiful face once
semi," said the earl, still glaring at Isa-
bel. Then ;
"Lady Gordon, may wo withdraw to
a more private room?"
The five are alone in the library. "1
Miss Isabel Hyde," says the earl, in
the voice of a judge, "carry back your
mind to the latter part of September
before last—almost two years ago.
Thinly of the Redmoss Station,"
" She was 'visiting Lady Castlemaine
at Reath," cried Lady Crosson.
Tho oarl waved his hand, aud pro.
tended solemnly :
"At liedmass Statiou, rifler midnight,
you ontored the train for London, The
third-class cars ware out of bbe ques-
tion ; the second -plass were pretty well
filled ; two first-class cars were paid for
us.. private. You entered the other,
whore there was ono traveler, 1n a cloak,.
You wore not alone ; you wore with
('glomi Gurnee'', and / was that traveler.
You went to London. You and Colonel
Lennox loft the train together; you
entered a cab together. Before I secured
a cab, yours was out of sight. It was
before four o'clock, a very dark morning,
aud—the character of Colonel Lennox is
well known."
Lord Stuart Douglas, with flaming
eyes, had dropped Isabel's fiend aud
stepped back. Lady Gordon looked
scorn and dismay. Lady Cresson was
pallid, aud dropped into a chair. Sho
cried :
" Sir, you aro mistaken 1"
" I ant not mistaken. I could swear
teller. I saw her for over an hour. I
heard her voice. It was she!"
" I only met Colonel Lennox by acci-
dent at the station 1" cried Isabel,
breathlessly. "1 missed an earlier
train. If yo'n had followed the cab you
would have seen that I went to the
Westminster Hotel, and he to his club."
" You can never explain or excuse a
lady of your age and position wandering
alone at night with Colonel Lennox..
The wife of my heir must be without re-
proach, Lady Gordon, allow Douglas
and myself to• take our leave ; it will
cause less talk."
They departed.. Lady Gordon looked
ab aunt and niece-
" Dear Lady Crosson, you have my
sympathy. This. is terrible! Bub my
home is full of friends—young ladiep,
too--"
" i understand you," said Lady Cres-
son. " If you will order a carriage, I
will at once remove my niece."
They were in the oar.
" Isabel," said Lady Cresson, "I will
never see you again. You understand,
you can never eater London society
after this. Go home and hide your
head 1"
They parted at the J'uuction—Lady
Cresson for London: Isabel, apparently,
for home. Isabel passed two stations.
At the third she left the car, and waited
for another train.
She had made up her mind. Sho
would throw herself on the mercy of
Lord Castlemaine. Sho would tell him
that she bad been sacrificed in hor
effort to save bis wife,for his sake. In
recklessly undertaking to lead Colonel
Lennox away from Gertrude, she had
destroyed herself. All hope was lost
now but in Lord Castlemaine. She
would go and boldly plead her love for
him. Even if that failed, in what
would she be worse off than now?
CHAPTER LXIV.
ROW THE DREAM CAME TRUE.
Shut up alone in her first-class car.
riago, Isabel I3yde suffered an anguish
es of lost souls. Fury against herself,
remorse, not repentance, seized her.
How easily she might have prevented
this horrible end 1
On that fatal night, when she had
meant to betray Gertrude into flying
with Colonel Lennox, she had madly
lost all by going to London in his com-
pany. Sho could have remained at the
cottage, bribing the woman to silence.
She could have gone to an hotel at Red-
moss, and left alone in the early morn-
ing train.
In her confusion and wrath because
Gertrude bad overthrown all her plans,
she hurried to London in the same car-
riage with Colonel Lennox and allowed
him to escort her as far as tho hotel.
True, she had entered the hotel alone ;,
she had given a feigned name; break.
fasted alone, and gone home by the
afternoon's train. Loudon had been
empty of society people ; no one recog-
nized her; she supposed that escapade
dead and buried. Now it had come up
like a ghost to break her engagement
with Lord Douglas, which was malting
a nine -days' wonder at her amazing
good fortune.
Lady Gordon would be obliged to ex-
plain to some extent. Lord Douglas
would feel himself obliged to explain.
Her aunt had flnaUy cast her off. Her
family would be forious at hor folly, and
the wreck of her prospects.
The glories of Douglas and Duneddin
grew on hor as they vanished out of her
grasp forever. She was taking her last
chance. Her one Hope was in the help,
the chivalry, the blindness of Lord
Castlemaine.
To him she hastened, flying with all
the speed of steam through the waning
summer day.
* * •x- * * * *
Lord Oastlemaine and Doctor Randal
were uneasily pacing
e s ill y the terrace. Lord
Castlemaine had sent his dispatch to
Lady Crosson. His one hope lay now
in wresting the truth from Isabel Hyde.
Every hour seemed a year, until he
could get on the track of bis vanished
wife.
Up the long avenue dashed a horse,
covered with foam, and ridden bye man
looking like a publie-house hostler. Man
and boast wore breathless, and coveted
with dart.
111oc ttdor held out to Lord Castle.
=sine a slip of paper, rumpled aud
soiled, torn from a noto.book, and hon -
ti ly writto n upon with a lead pencil. Lord
(, gticurau
Cagier -wino snatched g stetted thePaP
or. and
re{,+d those lines
"
7.orliblo It. R. arcident, five miles
oncl .11odmose, A lady in first-class
oar seriously injured, She 18 in a state
of extreme anxiety to see you, Coma
at open, She cannot live out the night."
Lord Castlemaine reeled back against
Dootor Randal,
Dr, Randal, it is Gertrude 1 "
"Who is the lady ? IIave you nothing
else ? " shouted Dr, Randal.
The man was still fumbling iu his
pockets, Refound the objovt of his
search and handed it over—a card,
"It was in her pocket," be said.
On the card was
" HI'Inn,"
"Man 1 " shouted Lord Castlemaine,
"did you Ember ? Was she dark? "
" I don't know—yes—I saw her—yes,
she was dark and handsome. It is her
epine, my lord. She is quiet and don'b
suffer ; but she is goin' fast. You'd
better hurry yourself."
" Hasa! horses 1 " roared Lord
Castlemaine; " the two fastest horses 1
The grooms sprang about in the
stables, and in five minutes two swift,
blooded horses, impatient for the road,
were ready for Lord Castlemaine and
Dr. Randal.
They leaped into the saddles, and.
were away lure the wind.
The sun had set ; thomoon had risen ;
the world was still in the balm and dew
of the summer night; the insects whirred
and chirped; softly from the distant
woods called too sad whip -poor -will, or
chanted the nightingale ; and still over
tho broad, hard road thundered the feet
of the horses, as Lord Castlemaine and
his friend went to her who was dying in
her wasted youth, and so unfit to die.
They reached the place at last—Nue
turn iu the road where there bad been a
collision.
Cause—a neglected switch.
More remote cause—e, switelr-tonder
asleep.
Still more remote cause—a human
being overworked for seven days in the
week; given a pittance,. shortened
hours of rest; lengthened hours of
labour. Treated as amen ?'No; as ama-
chine. Well, the machine breaks down ;
the maw falls asleep. Asleep? Rather
into coma- Who is to blame? Some
one is to blame. See this wrecked
train ;: see all these dead bodies. The
jury will blame and punish the switch.
tender. High Heaven will blame the
company who overworked hill; and this
blood and his blood will be zequirocl at
their hands.
Here is the cottage where Isabel
Hyde has been carried. A couch has
been drawn into the centro of the room.
made as easy as possible, and. on it lies
Isabel Hyde, the shadow of death al-
ready quenching the fire of her great
black, oyes,. aud smiting the lately
splendid colour from the cheek of so-
ciety's Red Rose.
Lord Castlemaine and Dr. Randal
entered.
Isabel," said Lord Caetlornaine,
handing to take her hand, " Beaven
only knows Low grievedl amt" see you
like this 1
"You will be sorry about me, Lord
Castlemaine ? " said Isabel.
"Yes ; words cannot tell how I shall
grieve that; you die so young and so sud-
denly."
"And you will stay with mo until I
die ?
" Yes, Isabel."
"It is more than I could have ex-
pected; aud it is better. What was
there:loft for me to live for 2 " said Isa-
bel.
The women of the house withdrew.
Dr. Randal went out and spoke to the
doctor who was attending the injured,
then returned and made some slight ex-
amination of Isabel; more was not
needed; her fate was on her face.
"Miss Hyde, do you know your
state ? "
"Yes, 1 know," said Latch
"And what can 1 do for you, Isabel,
now 00 hereafter ? " said Lord Castle-
maine.
"You can listen to what I have to
say," said Isabel. " I sent for you for
that. I shall shock you, Lord Castle-
maino ; but ado not leave mo for that."
"I will not leave you. I have pro-
mised."
" Say, before I. bogie, that you forgive
me."
"I—forgive you," said Lord Castle-
maine, slowly.
" Think back to when wo firsb mot..
I know you liked me ; you lilted me
better than all the rest; I saw it. At
first I acted toward you merely as am-
bition and Aunt Ciresson's orders to
make a good match diotabed. Bub 1
grew to love you. I, who had never
cared for any one, whose heart was cold
to parents, brothers, sisters, friends, I
loved for the first time, and 1 loved you
—oh, how madly 1 "
"Hush, hush, Isabel 1" said Lord
Castlemaine, deeply pained.
"Itis too late to mind now," said
Isabel. " Lot me go on. You never
spoke or acted love, but there was no
ono you preferred, and I hoped—until
you met Gertrude, and you loved her at
once, when you had known me so long 1
I tried to win you away, bile you un-
heeded nay effort to charm you ; you
were not to bo won, I hoped to the last
-.hoped until Istood first bride's.maidat
your wedding, and there I swore to part
you—at any price."
" Isabel 1 Isabel ! are you mad ? "
cried Lord Castlemaino.
" This is the hone of truth. 1 pre-
tendedstrong friendship for you both.
It was lova for you, halo for lox;"
" My poor Gertrude! " moaned Lord
Castlemaine.
" She was wax ih my hands; so were
you, I made the little quartels between
you; 1 merle you icaloue, and roused
ha pride, and mado her headstrong.
I introduced Colonel Lennox to her. 1
told her you were meanly- jealous, end
that he was the beat of noel. 1 planner.'
meetings for them, sending him word
wherever she would bo, and she Trevor:
s,knew it. I forced them together. T
w Ito loved her ; she never dreamed
of it. 1 asked him to lunch at your
ho se; 1 arranged the tableaux 1
tel ,raphect him to meet us at }bath. 1
tole aphid him to meat mo at Lath. I
p
gate tit hor constantly toresist \o1 1
rc rrr, cox'rxl•Irn.1
JAN. 27, 18gP.
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