74© 
THE 
RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
4 
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'completed with a round cuff-facing made of the 
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striped goods encircles the neck. Price of pattern 
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IN FOLLY’S NET 
CHAPTER Xm, 
(Continued from putre H!U.) 
THU SHADOW OK A TKOUItl.K. 
".Than, Archie Is here 1" said Lady s hoi to. put¬ 
ting her head In at Miss McLeod’s door, on her way 
to her own dressing-room. “ Re Is waiting in the 
library. He hurried over Ills dressing on purpose 
to have a glimpse of you before dinner; and If you 
are ready to go down you will have a clear half- 
hour, for the dressing-bell has Just rung.” 
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“My darling, you are alarming me terribly. 
What Is It, Jeanle ? Are you 111 ? ” he said, In a tone 
of unutterable love and tenderness. 
She shook her head faintly. 
“Not 111?” he said. “Then what Is It, Jeanle? 
My child, it Is almost cruel to keep me In this sus¬ 
pense.” 
“Archie, Archie I” said Jean, brokenly, “I can¬ 
not—I cannot rell you 1 ” 
And then the tears broke forth afresh, and she 
trembled so exceedingly that Lord Ivor's fears re¬ 
doubled, and be saw the necessity for soothing her 
with as little delay as possible. 
“Jeanle,” he said, with gentle firmness, "try 
and tell me what Is troubling you. my love. Noth¬ 
ing can hurt me so terribly as your evident suffer¬ 
ing. but at least give me an idea of its cause, and 
let me see if l can alleviate it In any measure." 
“ When l tell you,” said tbe girl, faintly, her 
tight clasp round his neck relaxing a little, “you 
will put me out of your arms and wish you had 
never seen my face ” 
“ Whatever happens, It will always be the dear¬ 
est face tn the world to me,” he said, fondly lifting 
It a little and bending bis lips tenderly to the wet 
cheek lying against his heart, and softly putting 
away the soft, bright hair, loosened by her agita¬ 
tion, straying over his breast. “ Come, my dearest, 
take courage and tell me what It Is.” 
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Jean lifted her eyes, and with one look at the 
beautiful, smiting face of her lover, one glance 
Into his proud, tender gray eyes, her self-control 
deserted iw?r; she sprang forward, and as he 
clasped her in his arms, she burst Into a passion 
of tears, the saddest, sal test, tears Jean McLeod 
had ever shed In her life of twenly-two summers; 
for she hail sailed under fair weather skies hither¬ 
to, poor child, and now that the storm was threat¬ 
ening she had not courage to meet It. 
“Jeanle, why, Jeanle. darling, what Is the mat¬ 
ter?” said the Earl, surprised beyond measure at 
her agitation, and a little alarmed. “ Are you so 
very glad to see me that you are crying for joy, 
or,” with a touch of serio-comic reproach In his 
rich, deep tones, “ are you sorry that I have come 
at last ?” 
“Ah, no, no, no I" said Jeanle, through her 
sobs; and her clasp tightened round his neck, and 
her head pressed closer against his shoulder. 
“Not sorry! Then look up, my darling and let 
me see If 1 can read In your eyoa the reason of 
this foolish agitation,” he said, tenderly, "it is 
so unlike my little Jeanle to give me such a tearful 
greeting that you quite alarm me, pret ty one 
still the passionate sobs continued rending the 
slender white-robed form which trembled In his 
arms, still Jean McLeod clung to her lover, weep¬ 
ing bitterly—hopelessly, in a silence which she 
could not break, and which at length seriously 
alarmed tbe Earl. The smile faded from his lips, 
and with a look of tonderest anxiety on his proud 
face he bent over her, trying gently to raise the 
bowed head lying upon his breast. 
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“ Very well,” Jean said; " I am ready, Florence, 
•and will go down at once.” 
And as Lady Sbolto closed the door and the 
sound of her quick footsteps died away, Joan rose 
slowly tram her chair, and turned to r he door with 
a faltering step, she was alone In her room, for 
she had dismissed Collins as soon as the important 
operation of dressing wes over, during which pro¬ 
cess her maid had found her young mistress 
strangely languid and indifferent, notwithstanding 
her anxiety of the morning to look her best. All 
tbe brightness and animation had faded out of her 
face, too, and It wore a strange look of pain and 
trouble. 
Glancing at herself In t he glass, Jean sblvered a 
little at the wan, white race which met her gaze, 
and mustering her courage by a strong effort, she 
turned resolutely away and went down to the li¬ 
brary with a quick step, as If she feared her cour¬ 
age would not last her until sue reached her 
destination. Maklng a desperate effort, she pushed 
open the door, and Lord Ivor, who was alone in 
the room, uttered a glad exclamation and came 
forward to meet her. 
Earl put his arm around her, giving her his sup¬ 
port with perfect gentleness and patience. 
“What Is It?" be said, in a moment, bending 
over her with a smile, as she took his hand and, 
clasping It In both hers pressed it Wildly to her 
feverish lips. " Have you been a very naughty 
child during my absence 7 Have you been flirting 
very desperately, and do you think I shall be very 
angry?” 
“ You will bate me,” she said, piteously. “ And 
yet—oh! Archie—I did not mean—you know 1 
did not mean It, do you not?” 
“And so It Is a flirtation.” said Lord Ivor, 
drawing a long breath of relief. “Come, then, 
mademoiselle, confess, and I will forgive all, 
absolutely and entirely, for the sake of the peni¬ 
tence you have evinced. ” 
lng upon his shoulder; her eyes seeking his 
face In unutterable love and sorrow, and her hands 
still clasping his, Jeah told liltn ; ftnd short and 
simple Os tile harfatlve was, It was often broken 
He encircled her again fondly with his arms, 
and Jean trembled and shivered at the tenderness 
of his touch. 
“ You know I cannot be very angry with you, 
Jean,” be whispered, tenderly “Tell me what 
It. Is without fear, my child— here— in my arms 
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by irrepressible sobs and once by a short silence, 
when her voice failed her from very weakness and 
her eyes closed in a momentary faintness, dur¬ 
ing which her head lay yet more heavily upon his 
breast. 
The Karl listened In complete silence, by no 
word or gesture did he Interrupt her story, al¬ 
though his color faded perceptibly once and a 
glearn of passionate anger shot Into his eyes at 
the denouement. Even when she had ended ho 
was silent for a moment, though he held her 
still close to his side with undlrnl Dished love and 
tenderness. 
“ A «d so he thinks ho can take my darling from 
me so easily,”he said at last, when he had stifled 
the anger In his voice, In the fear of Increasing 
her agitation and alarm. “ And you think I am 
going to let him do so, Jeanle,” he added, with a 
little, low laugh, at which Miss McLeod lifted 
her head and looked at him with some faint sur¬ 
prise on her fair pale face. 
“But, Archie, he seemed so sure, he asserted It 
as a fact,” she faltered. “Ho said he would 
prove It." 
“ My darling," the Earl said, Impressively, “put 
your heart at rest. Let him prove It If he can; 
but my opinion Is that not even the abominable 
law which Is in force could prove ttiat a marriage.” 
“Oh, Archie!" tbe flood of relief and joy at 
Jean’s heart almost suffocated her, and she turned 
so ghastly pale that the Earl was startled and rose 
to ring tor assistance. 
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“ No, don’t ring,” she said, faintly. “ I am not 
111, but the reaction 1 b terrible. Oh, Archie, if you 
knew how i have suffered since this morning I I 
dared not see yon, and yet I longed for your com¬ 
ing with such an intense longing, i thought you 
would help mo If anyone could." 
“Prior little girl,” said Lord Ivor, compassion¬ 
ately. “ Such a white, wan face appeared when 
you opened the door, that 1 was quite startled, 
Have you told anyone else, Jeanle?” 
“ No," she answered, with a startled glance. “ I 
did not say anything. Lord Sholto was out. you 
know, and 1 knew Florence would be dreadfully 
distressed. Besides—’’ she hesitated. 
"Besides wliat, my dearest? " 
*• Besides If you had told me that I was Ills wife, 
Archie, 1 should have run away to-night, and 
never seen any of them again.” 
“ That would have been a very foolish and child¬ 
ish proceeding," sold the Earl smiling a little 
No. 2, 
He had seated himself on the sofa as he spoke, 
and drawn Jean gently down to a place athlaside, 
and bolding her little hand In bis, walled silently 
for a moment. The young girl’s sobs had ceased; 
but. the exhaustion, which could not but follow 
such excessive agitation, had succeeded It. She 
was white as death, her breath came In hurried 
gasps, and her head sank forward heavily. The 
Now are you comfortable? Yes? Then 1 am 
ready to hear this history.” 
“ And when you have heard it you will put me 
out of your arms forever,” said, Jean, with weary 
sadness. 
“Try me, darling,” he said, touching his lips to 
hers. 
Huddled up close to him, with her head rest>- 
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