The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-05-23
CHAPTER w.


morning about Week after his dis
patch of certain letter, Il pair OF bright
bays came whirling past, driven by a
lady, who seemed as unconscious Of his
presence rs though he and his horse
had been fashioned ont of mist.
''Duchess." he said, not raising his
voice rs she passed him. But the horses
stopped like clOckwork. and she looked
up, without speaking, ut the man who,
in his black ridingcloik, showed
The regal port
And fa led splendor wan.
that in some minds Is associated with
the idea of Satan himself.
And SO you are back again. The said;
land we're both married since we last
met, for l think you and the Duke left
Immediately for abroad Oh our coming
to settle here: so you've never seen my
wife. Surprising YOU waive ceremony
and come with mo to see her now?'
The firmly held reins suddenly slack
ened, and the woman who held them
looking up, and knowing her master,
took the hand extended to her flor Mr..
Eyre had already dismounted). and
aighting, without word walked beside
him mp the winding hill. her breath
coming quick and short with the exer.
ton, as though she had been hurried.
Mr.. Eyre heard this, and drew her
hand through his arm, AS he did so
their eyes met.
you have been missed, " he said; 81.
was.time you returned. And you won't
find my wife very bright Just now;
those mutes at my fathers funeral
frightened her. l think. I've put il
down in my will that she's to mourn me
in ,cl,ite-if she mOurns me ut all, >" he
added, with tone of mockery in hi.
voice that misled her into the belief
that, like all the Eyres, he had grown
tired of his wife ut last.
The Duchess was not bad. A woman
who has profoundly loved but one man
in her life seldom is; it may be doubted
too, If she ever heartily dislikes the
man from the violence of whose love or
enmity she may have suffered-what
she can never be brought to pardon is
his indifference, and there was none of
the latter in the glance just then bent
upon this one by Mr.. Eyre.
1--WE are neighbours" he said, as they
neared the house, land | mean that we
shall be friends. Suppose you ask us
to stay with you for q few days." he
added, pausing abruptly. Il have fifty
things to talk over with the Duke-and
you" he added, in q lower tone.
Il will ask your wife" she said, re-
covering. her self-possession as she
spoke. But Madcap was nowhere to be
found, though Mr.. Eyre opened four or
five doors in search of her. AS he OPEN
ed sixth, something sprang out from
just behind it, and, with peal of
laughter, hung round Mr.. Eyre's neck,
crying out
''I'm hiding from my sweethearts;
but heard you coming, and thought
-" but here, seeing that Mr.. Eyre
was not alone, she stopped short, and
retreated, putting up her hand to ruff
fed head, and coloring brilliantly.
And so this was Mr.. Eyre's Madcap,
thought the Duchess, hardly breathing
as she looked at her-this laughing,
roundlimbed young romp, whose hair,
lips, and eyes laughed equally in the
sunshine, with
All things else about her drawn
From Maytime and the cheerful dawn.
Perhaps it was the thought of how this
same beauty had detached Mr.. Eyre
from another, and very different style,
that nerved her to go through the cere-
mony of introduction with apparent in
difference.
You stedleded away, mummy" said
little voice at the window in tones of
reproacli, and the Duchess looked round
to see two miniature copies of the mas
ter of the house shyly approaching to
hide themselves behind Madcap's white
gown.
"Those children would content her if
he died tomorrow" thought the Ouch
ess, as she preferred her request, and
saw the dismayed look that flashed over
Madcap's face, while she twined hand
closer about each little neck
..lx \ 4
Eyre, cutting short Madcap's refusal,
and then in some subtle way in which
women understand each other, Madcap
knew that her husband and this wo-
man had been .sweethearts once, and,
favored by the infinite possibilities of
life might be sweethearts again-the
thought made her proud in her attitude
to the Duchess, as to Frank, 1t Is so easy
for the interrupted TO assume those
honors of virtue that are never really
won, till wrested by an effort of SUI
preme courage over the adversary; and
in those days Madcap was harsh and
rnripe in her judgments, as was natural
to her youth and inexperience. And
perhaps that GOODNESS OF hers presaged
forth the Duchess's triumph flor cour-
age never doubts itself, or its powers),
SO that it was with q renewed sense OF
belief in the Eyre history that the
Duchess presently departed, escorted to
her pony carriage by Mr.. Eyreihimself.
II am gla you are bick,' lie said
abruptly, us he wrapped the light rug
about her; land there's that poor fel-
low Frank LoveI, !" he added, "you know
/ always loved lim-and the tall: about
him is mere moonslIine-and vou'll help
me with the Duke about it, he added,
as he put the reins in her hands and
forced her to look at him.
II will try" she said, speaking firm
ly, as she thought OF her power In the
county, "but Colonel Busby has already
been to see him."
"Oh, Busby," said Mr.. Eyre, laugh
ing. THAT best good man with the
worst-tempered muse but you'll get
the Duke to reserve his judgment till
tomorrow. You can influence him,
and Won will"