The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-09

es!s q |
Eagenia, look at ms and say goa love
me ~
His dark eyes charmed ami compelled |
her.
II love you! Hove you" she murmursi
Her words satisfied him; moreover, she let
the hand be graspai remain In his, perhaps
even returning ths pressure Of his own. So
they stood for more than an hour, while
Gerald talked OF the future aud the fame he
meant to win-taikel as one who has the
fullest confidence in lin own powers and di-
recting genius.
Presently thay saw Mr. Herbert walking
through the twilight towards them Geraid's
hand frightened on the girls so as TO Gauss
her positive pain.
"Ramsmber,h he whispered. Life or
death! Think of it while We are apart.
Your love means mans life CT death!'
Many a lover has said an equally extrava
CANT thing, but Eugenis Herr knew that
his words were not those of poetical
imagery, and as she ra-ent.rei the house
she trembled at the passion she had aroused
What ii time and opp0si tioa should work a
change in her feelings, She tried to re-
assure herself by thinking that if she did
not love him in the Same blind, reckless
way, at any rate she wCul1 never meet
another man whom she could love as shs
| loved Gerald Leigh,
The sculptor wens back to Paris-to bis
art and his dreams OF love and fame Two
years slipped by without any event Of serious
import happening to the persons about
| whom We are concerned. Then came
great change.
Mr. Herbert died - suddenly that neither
doctor nor lawyer could be summoned 10
time, either 20 all him to hive or to carry
Gu, his last wlshss. His will gave Eugey,s
50 OOO and an estate he owned in alouees.
ter shire-eyerything else to his son. I'm
| fortunately, some SIX months before he had
sold the CLIQUE 3st.rshire property, and, with
cuip4ble negligence. had not made frsst
viii. Therefore, ths small money bequest
was all that his daughter could claim. How
ever, this scented of little MON snt, as hsr
| brother az once announced his intention OF
settling upon her the amount TO which she
was equitsbly entitlel. He had given his
| solicitors instructions to prepare the deed.
jaime, Herbert, Eugenia's brother, wa,
| unmarried, and at present had no intention
| Of settling down TO the life Of a country
| gentleman Six weeks after Mr.. Herbertt
death the greater number of the servants
were paid off, and Acton Hail was prae.
| ticallv shut up. Eugenia, after spending
some weeks with friends in the north OF
| Eng'alj, came to London TO livs for an in.
definite time with her mothers sister, Mrs
| Cathcart
| since her fathsr's death, Gerald Leigh had
written 10 her several umes-letter, full OF
| passiona tie love. and psnned as if the writer
| felt sure OF her co1stancy and wish to keep
| her promise. He too, was coming 10 Lon
| don. hnd she wished it, be would at once
have come to nar SIDE; bat, as it was, be
would take 10 as qusf ter, ia town about
| the same time Euzshia arrived there.
The hour vas at hsn!-th. hour To which
Miss Herbert hs / for $50 years Looked for
ward with strangely mingled feelings
| when her friend uut bo tol that sh. In,
tended to mar.,y The yoang AMI a. yet IN
known, sculptyr Gs ali L>i3h, the son O.
her fathers late tenant farmer, Abrsham
| She loved hin sid. She felt sure OF tina,
much. If time sui absance Lad scmewha;
weakened the spel h. had thrown over her
| proud nature, sbs kn.w that, unless the mau
was grestly ehanZe1, tls magic of his words
and looks would sway h2r as irssistib,y a
before. She loved h.In yet retelled again st
her fate
Hag father mad died ignorant Of what had
passed. between Ii; daughter and the young
artist. Many a t;na Eugenia had tried tC
bring herself to confess the truth to him
Shs now regretted she had not done So Mr.
have been at ieass staff by which TO guido
her Steps. Hs hal Suspected nothing. Tha
few letters which passed. between the lovers
| had been unnoticei. Their love was a.
yet, secret known oaly ID themselves.
She loved him, but why had be dared Il
MAKE her love hint Or, why was be no,
well-born and wealthy Could she lind
strength to face, TO- his sake the scorn O!
her l:ienasl
She must decide 81 oue. She is sitting
and thinking all these things in her owl
room at Mrs Cathcart's, ami in front of her
lies letter in which Gerald announces hii
intention Ct calling upon her tomorrow
She knows that if sho receives him she viii
be bouni to proclaim herself his affianeeo
wife
He called She saw him Mrs Catbcar
was out, so EGysnia was alone when tn;
servant announced Nj Leigh Shs started
and turned pale. She tremble1 In every
limb as he croisei the room to whsre sh.
stood. He took her hand aud looked int,
her face. He sYok5, AMI his rich, nusica
voice thrilled her
"Eugenia-is it life or .atas
She could not ans war She could not tar,
her eyes from his She saw the intensity O
their EXPIRE sion deepm. saw fierce. yearn
ing look CONE into them, look which star
tied h,r
is it life or daathf he repeated.
His love corqu. rad
Gerald, it Is ,ife,' she said
Drunk with j,y, he threw his arms arcane
her AMI kissel har uatil the blushs, dive.
her cheeks. He stayed with her as long a
she would allow, ha5 his delight was to-
delicious to permit him to say much abou
his plans for the future Whsn, at last, sh
made him leave her, he gave her the mum
Der OF a studio at Chelsea, which be hai
taken, and she promised to write and lie
him know when he might call again.
! They parted Eugenia walked to the win
! dow and for a long time looked out on tn
S gay thoroughfare, now full Of carriage
0 going to and returning from the park. o
, course, she loved Gerald dearly-that wa
now beyond doubt But what would sh
! have to go through wn,n the engagement
was announced-what had she to look for
' ward to as his wifei Must love and worldly
misery be synonymonsi
The current OF her thoughts was inter
rupted by the arrival of anothsr visitor
! her brother. James Hsrbert was u tai
f young man, faultlessly dressed. and bear
: ing general look of what is termed higl
{ bre aiing. He bore hkenssi to hi, fsther
. but the likeness was tu- an outward one
By this time he was a old. cynical man q
-he world. He had Nc lived thu hat n.