The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-01-25

sionate eager protest and look OF
keenest pain.
"Not that--not that he said. with
bated breath. II cannot make IL all
plain now. You must think me vain
deluded old foolr'
nArchiePn
"Yes; what else can you--can the
world think me? But that does not
matter. Gertrude" tie paused again,
In evidently troubled thought ''Some
day you shall all read Violet Egerton's
letter-the letter she wrote on her
death-bed. confidlng her child TO my
care, begging forgiveness for the
wrong she did me long ago--the
wrong she expiated, by married life
OF utter misery"
..Has Mrs. Egerion only just died
thenp" 1 asked, fascinated and
stirred strangely by his curious Sc
quence 10 the romance that had always
u supreme interest for me.
..No; she died years ago" answered
uncle Archie YEARLY; and then we all
turned, for The words were arrested
on his lips by clear, silvery, mock
ing laugh, the same laugh in which /
had found discotdant notes before,
and. the velvet pouteye being swept
aside. Estelle Gtrrard stood for
moment prettily framed In the door
way, then came towards MS with her
graceful gliding step. and turned her
great shining eyes from one face TO
another, evidently enjoying the con-
fusion she read on all.
She was dressed for the evening in
an apricot-unted robe OF some soft
fabric mixed with silk. She had
jewels in her hair and mt her white
throat, and, as | looked ut her, / an
swered at once and with an eager
affirmative the question that had puz-
zled uncle Archie. Whatever else she
might he, she was most beautiful--iall
and slim and straight, with warmly
tinted skin, great hazel eyes. aud hair
that was neither red nor yellow, but n
subtle combination OF the two. And
yet, perfect rs was her beauty, there
was an expression on her face that re-
PEELED rather than attracted me--a
look OF hardness and insolence in the
dark eyes that made me think nothing
could abash that scornful glance; and
| was sure that | detected craft and
cruelty In the curved scarlet lips and
thin dilated nostrils. As | looked at
the beautiful woman standing SO easily
and gracefully among US, / felt n
despairing consciousness that, let me
try as ! might--and for uncle Archie's
sake, / would try zealously 90 ingra
tiate myself with the new lady OF the
Hall--Eslelle Gerrarl and | would
never be real friends.
"Well,r she said, drawing her chair
up beside poor mother, who looked
the picture OF conscious misery and
guilt at her approach, $50 Archie has
been entertaining you with the story
OF our courtship and marriage, Mrs.
Walter. Very stupid OF him blythe
way, for he does not shine as n rdc0n
teur. and had much better leave such
tasks TO me. What has he told you?''
Mother looked steadily at the brill
liant hooking face, and said, with a
sudden outburst OF resentment
"For one thing, your mothers
name"
thought that, In the circumstances,
such an answer should have crushed
her; but Estelle was not OF my opinion.
She leaned back In her chair, arrang-
cd broad gold bangle more 10 her
satisfaction on her white arm, and
answered, with airy unconcern--
''Of course that Is the prime fact
which poor Archie relies on to explain
his apostasy from the perpetual cell
bate creed--to which, he tells me, you
and your daughter and all Ludleigh
believed him vowed. By-the-wayn-
turning suddenly TO me--''you have
accepted his excuse and forgiven him,
| hope?n
looked around for uncle Archie;
but he was gone-he must have slip
ped away nolslessly almost directly
his wife appeared. She noticed that
had turned TO look for him, and laugh
ed again as unsteady and AS unpleas-
antly as before.
"You must answer me your uncle
has vanished, Irene. Accept that rs
"a warning, my dear. All that any one
has TO say 10 him now must be said
through me-
twas difficult TO listen TO that speech.
even though IL was spoken in u half
testing tone; but. for uncle Archie's
sake. hoping against hope TO keep the
peace with my provoking new rela-
tive, / kept my temper. and answered,
almost civilly and quite sincerely, that
my uncle and understood each other
quite well. and | had nothing TO for
give