Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 163, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 July 1912 — Lady Pamela’s Dishonorable Deed [ARTICLE]

Lady Pamela’s Dishonorable Deed

(Oopyrlfbt, mi, by Ateteteteß Literary Prate.) I was staying with Lady Pamela at her lovely honse in town. Lady Pamela and I had been at school together and later had spent two years "finishing" in France and Germany. Then we had come home; and the next time I heard from her she was engaged to Lord Gerald Lumley. Six months later they were married, and, after seemingly endless globe-trot-ting, bad settled down at Lumley Court in Kent. That was fifteen years ago, and since then Lady Pamela haa never missed having me with her for a month or so during the London season. ■ - v... —- “Let us have a quiet evening together, Helen,” she had said one afternoon. And I had heartily agreed, for the bustle and fatigue of dinner parties, theaters and balls during the last three weeks had thoroughly tired me. I drifted into Lady Pamela's boudoir and found her gazing with thoughtful eyes at a little silver casket she held in her hand. Slowly she opened the delicate silver box and took from it a visiting card. Then she put It back and closed the box with a tiny snap. "Pamela!” I said. “You look quite serious. There must be some tragla tale connected with that card.” Lady Pamela started. Then she smiled. “There Is a story, Helen, but it Is hardly tragle—at least to the person most concerned. It happened eight years ago. Gerald and I were staying in this very house, and I was giving a'dance —one of the biggest of the season. “I had staying with me at the time a very beautiful girl. Her name was Cyuthla Carruthers. It was her first season and London had gone wild over her. On the night of the ball Cynthia came to me. I knew she was in trouble or difficulty, but had not asked her anything, knowing that It would all come out sooner or later. And It did that evening. “It appeared there were two men—only two —whom she really cared for. Both were to be at the ball and both, she expected, would propose to her. ‘The poor girl was nearly distracted. Bhe could not decide which to accept and came to me as helpless as a baby. “The two men were Major Bewsher and Lieutenant Carstairs. Both were handsome. Carstairs was young, and poor as a rat Bewsher had money. Of him I had my suspicions. Monte Carlo—drink—cards. Nothing serious, of course, but there all the same. “I liked the boy Carstairs, but knew little about him. “ ‘Well, Cynthia,’ I remember saying, ‘you must take Major Bewsher and give up Carstairs,’ ‘Oh! no, no, no,’ she had cried, and when I said ‘Very well, then take Carstairs, you silly girl,' she burst into sobs and said she could not give up Bewsher, end so on. —„„—.„.l. “In fapt the girl simply did not know her own mind, and begged me to decide for her. ‘“Very well,’ I said, ‘I will do so—or rather I shall help you to decide for yourself. But you must promise to abide by whatever decision, we come to.’ “She promised. “’You see this box,' I explained, 'and you see these two cards. On them. I have written the names of your two admirers. You will draw <me from the box and you must accept the man whose name you draw.’ “She turned very pale; then with an effort she reached for the box and with trembling fingers drew out one of the cards, v “ ‘Well,’ I said, ‘and who is the lucky man?* And she whispered •Carstairs.’ "That evqplng Carstairs proposed. Cynthia accepted and they were married shortly afterward. Then bis regiment was ordered out to India and she went with him. Five years later, when Carstairs had come Into money and a title, and Bewsher had, well—shot himself in the Casino Gardens, I met Cynthia. • "From a beautiful girl she had grown into ft beautiful woman. She had two darling boys and was as happy as a woman can be. I invited her down to Lumley Court “One evening she showed me a visiting card. It was one of my own, and on it was written the name ‘Carstairs.’ It was the card she had drawn on the evening of the ban. She told me she treasured It as her most priceless possession, and—and this, Helen, is the other.” £ .fl see," I said, “the other, on which yon had written the name of Major Bewsher.” ~ “No,” said Lady Pamela quietly, “on which I had also written the name of Lieutenant Carstairs.”