Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-12-29

honor better, and | will show your
brother or anyone else who molests
me tomorrow night how can vindi-
cate It"
Winiifed withdrew herself from
his arms, and the tears died on her
face, which had grown set and white
as she listened. At last, with a sob,
she answered:
There Is something inconsistent
in what you say, Mr.. Hastings; in
one breath you vow you love me, and
IN the next you refuse to save our
family from disgrace and me from
despair and wretchedness. Don't
you think l am worthy Of little
love. a little consideration %
" fancy, Miss O'Shea, our con-
versation had better cease for to.
night. will find means Of letting
your brother know that shall not
avoid him. / should advise you to
try an Irish lover now, Miss O'Shea;
Saxon one has too much self
respect to please you. Good night. u"
wal, my love, for Gods sake
come back !"
But his canoe crates on the peb.
bles and he Is gone. If he had turn.
ed back. II he had seen those out.
stretched hands and heard that pite.
Gus Come back!" all might have
been well.
But he never turned and so signed
her death warrant.
THE RESOLVE.
The next day hung slowly on Val
Hastings hands. He wandered
about the grounds Of Anthem Hall
In an aimless way, meditating on
the situation, and his blood famed
whenever he thought Of O'Shea and
the coming struggle. Hastings was
no braggart or Don Quixote, but his
honor was very sensitive, and never
a doubt crossed his mind as to the
course he should take that night.
He would be armed. too, and meet
this man, this coward, and dare him
to fight him to his face, and then
II he were killed-life was not worth
much, and II he conquered-anyway,
Winifred O'Shea was lost to him, and
he would try to be man, and live
his life without her. He once thought
of sending o challenge to O'Shea,
but, remembering that he had In.
formed the head groom, q shifty.
faced. suspicious.looking man, Of his
plans for that night, he went to him
and carelessly reiterated them, feel.
ing certain that O'Shea would get
the latest intelligence through this
medium. And in this he was right |;
the man was In O'Shea's pay to spy
on his master.
Dinner was an entire failure, and,
pushing the untasted food from him,
he went out into the dim hall, and
took green leather case from chest
Of old oak. Then no drew out two
revolvers, and, after loading them
and examining them carefully, put
them into tho case, and the case into
his long fawn coat. He returned into
tho dining room, and, throwing him.
self into . lounge chair. tried to d.
vert his thoughts with cigarette.
But, do what he would, Winifred
would rise before his eyes-Winifred
as she was when he saw her for the
first time. He had gone down to
O'Shea's farm to look ut shed that
wanted repair, and on his way back
he had suddenly come upon her round
shrubbery corner, and oh, how
sweet sho had looked In her blue
blouse and o sort OF sunbonnct,
against which her bright hair had
cleaned under the SUM- What o
pretty expression, half fright, half
amusement, she wore, and how
queenly she seemed as she faced him |!
Could not things be altereds Was
there not time?
1.-The dog cart Is at the door, SIR"
said trim manservant.
He rose and went out.
That morning, too, found Winifred
O'Shea In mental state which
might DO described as O fog.
Thoughts. plans, doubts, hopes,
fears-all chased each other through
her head like swallows at play.
She knew her brother well-his
vindictive nature, which would brood
and brood until It would drive him
to desperation, and that no would
kill her as we'll II she attempted to
interfere.
She knew her lover--his hasty
soul, his absolute contempt for dan.
ger, and his determinations o
shudder passed over her; but that
quickly died away as she remem.
bered how they had parted. II he
loved her, things would have been
different; he would have saved her
from this pain, this shame. But he
loved her no longer-that was evi.
dent.
Suddenly picture rose before her
eyes; she saw the Perrin Woods, and
the moon falling IN strange white
patches on the long road; she saw
Val walking unconcernedly along
with his swinging step; then a fash,
q report, and he throws up his arms
with moan, and rolls over and over
In the dust, and with an agonizlng
cry she buried her face in her hands.
No, her Val should not die like this |;
she would save him.
She would slip into the cloak-room
and take his hat and coat, put them
on, and, trusting to her height and
1.-THE step, would walk down the road.
She shivered; she was very young to
die. But what had she lefs to live
for?
The twilight deepened in the old
| ook.nanele1 room ot O,Shaa,a IA rr,.