The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-02-15
Uncle Archie's Wife.


head frfesOlutely, ana 1 felt Nnugely
sure that struggle OF some kind was
passing within her mind; then she
raised Ter eyes with audacious coque-
try and said
fare you 80 sureP Your faith shall
be rewarded then - and you shall
heart"
She sang without music, and the
song she chose was strange 10 us all;
but we succumbcd 10 It's spell. ! saw
uncle Arches grave face soften. and
mothers eyes ill with tears; even i,
wrecthed and tortured with ever-grow-
ing and miserable doubt, felt in O
sague. half-conscious fashion the
charm OF that siren song. But Dicks
face puzzled me. AS the singer be-
came more and more absorbed in her
task, as the silvery notes rang out
more clearly still, the excited flush
with which he had listened died away,
giving place TO a curious pallor. His
ips seemed 60 be firmly set under his
golden-brown mustache; his laughing
eyes grew grave and almost stern.
We'll as the last note died away
Esiella looked up with conscious tri-
umph In her face ''you would put
me 10 the test. Mr.. Martineau are
you content with the result?'
Yes. Mrs Gerard am salts
fed" was Dicks grave. almost sad
answer; and he walked away without
another word.
Estella looked after him at FIRST in
blank silence, then her face flushed
with the angry. mortified look OF a
person who. having made some great
fort TO please, meets with publicly
ungrateful return. Even felt sorry
for her. as she said with n sharp
laugh turning round To us now
"Have | startled you all out OF your
witsP Has no one compliment TO
sparegn
Mother, almost always good-natured
in social exigencies, responded at once
TO that appeal.
My dear, you have taken us all by
surprise Your voice is lovely; |
never heard any one sing like you--in
private, ] mean, OF course; one hears
such voices on the stage"
'.Of course" Estelle assented hur-
riedly, and | thought detected sud
den flush on her face as she spoke.
Mother had turned 20 uncle Archie,
to whom she said in tone OF playful
remonstrance--
''Did you mean to smother the notes
OF your nightingale, Archie. or were
you really ignorant OF her gift until
nowPn
There was something pathetic and
pitifully helpless in my unclcs man
ner rs he shook his head slowly and
said. with bewildered air
IL never heard her sing before,
Gertrude
"And probably will not again. Es-
tclle put IN hastily, os though shej
wished 10 change the subject II am
the LATEST person in the world, Mrs.
Nal err. and have not touched piano
.. sang note since my wedding-day.
80 that you could hardly expect Ar HE
TO know that | had voice.
"Dick Murtineau know mother
began, and then paused, awkwardly
adding, with still more awkward
laugh. but Dick Is a barrister. and
has detective gifts you know. We
can none OF Us hope 20 keep secrets
from him.
Dick looked exceedingly uncomfort-
able under this eulogy; but be met
the curiously swirl and searching
glance or Estele Gerard with an ex-
iprcssioness stare, and, turning, made
some commonplace remark TO me.
The rest OF the evening dragged
heavily away ] think we were all
glad when the carriage was announc-
ed and IL was time for Us 90 20.
Mother seated herself snugly in her
cosy corner and composed herself 90
sleep. declaring. with laugh, that
she was worn out with tiresome
evening, and would leave ali the talk
ing TO Dick and me.
We did not avail ourselves OF the
opportunity thus given for any inter-
change OF lover-likc remarks. AS
Dick sat facing me In the carriage the
moonlight fell upon his clear-cut feat
ures, giving him "A curiously hard aud
rigid look. while there was--or /
iancied il. being In mood for calling
up iormenting fancies just then
something more than sternncss in his
eyes.
II did no; ease the dull pain at my
heart TO see how completely his
thoughts were absorbed-how he had
forgotten my presenCe-,as he sat
mood ly staring out at the moonlit
road, Al last could bear the 81
lcnce and the vague terrors that OPP