Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-08-17

she read these INES written inside an
old envelope
Il forgot that had left a most i'm
portant letter in my desk, directed to
A. Smith, Esq, ETC.: it is necessary
that it should be sent off to-day. Please
open my desk and you will find it ready
sealed and stamped in the right-hand
drawer: send you the key"
The post did not go until l o'clock, so
Mabel. in no hurry, finished and fast
ened up her letter, and she took up the
key and went with it to Angus room.
Her husband s sitting-room was very
little known to the young wife. Very
early in their married life, she had
found out that she was not welcome
there Whenever she went in, he
ceased any occupation on which he
might be employed, and contrived to
make her feel as if she was a visitor
and an interruption to him; and as he
did almost all his morning work there,
she saw very little of him, and was too
timid to attempt more.
It was a large, comfortable room, well
filed with books, and with useful maps
and papers. The bureau, which Angus
always kept carefully locked, stood close
to the fireplace; for he was of very
chilly nature. and otter had fires burn
ing when other people could not have
borne them. The room had northern
aspect, and overhung the end OF the
lOch.
Mabel, with the key in her hand,
went up to the bureau, and sitting
down before it, unlocked it. The lid
taire) was heavy, but she suceeeded in
hn
drawer that Angus had mentioned, but
to her surprise, for he was very accu-
rate, the letter was not there, and she
proceeded with her search. The draw
ers were all set round an arch in the
center of the bureau, with tiny ivory
pillars ana little floor of ebony and
ivory diapers. There she saw what
was evidently the letter of which she
was in search on the floor, held down
by al exceedingly heavy brass paper
weight. She took hold of it eagerly,
she was so anxious to execute well this
little commission her husband had
given her.
Mabel had not calculated on the
weight of the brass ornament: it
slipped from her hand and fell with
violence on to the ivory work. One OF
the little pillars was pushed back, evil
IDENTIFY by the jar given to some strong
spring, and under her very hand
secret drawer sprung out.
Mabel was much startled: the drawer
was full of papers. and she was about
to shut it hastily when her eye was
attracted by one word, and she opened
and read them.
Presently the bell of Angus room
pealed violently through the house.
The butler, astonished at SO unusual
sound, ran hastily to answer it.
Mabel was standing in front of the
desk looking quite awful, as he ex-
pressed it afterward, her eyes wide dis
tended and staring, her face blanched
to a deadly whiteness.
Lady Grisel, send Lady Grisel, "she
gasped.
Lady Grisel was just coming home
from her walk when she was met by
the man running to meet her with
scared face. She did not wait till his
story was over, but rushed into her
sons room.
She found Mabel lying insensible on
the floor. and strewn all over her the
papers.
Lady Grisel caught them up in deadly
terror: there was no installing their
meaning: they we've Evan and AS
sunta's marriage certificates.
Before that night kilograms were
speeding over the country: to Edin-
burgh for doctors: to Lady Armine-
summoning her to come without mo-
ment' s delay.
All through the night there was run
ming to and fro, and whispering and
agonized prayers. Before the first
blue light of morning paled the 81 ky,
son was born to Dunmonaigh, and
mother and child lay dead.