Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-10-13
CHAPTER XVI.
THE WIDOW FORSYTUE

at his sister.
you can't imagine what Lamar
wants to do now
mo? What is ito"
He wants to bring his-that Mrs.
forsythe here to CALI
Mrs. Forsythe call? Impossibler'
NO, 1t is not impossible 1t is the
fact l could see that Eustace was trou-
bied and reluctant about it. 1t is evil
IDENTITY not pet scheme of his own"
Surely she did not suggest it?''
"She must have done SO. Mrs. For
sythe Is very anxious to see your wife, ,
Is the way he put it. I suppose it would
not be out of place for me to bring her
here some EVENING""
And what did you tell him?''
Il told him-well, l suppose I did
more than l ought. ought to have had
more consideration for you and him. l
| told him to come by all means. What
else could do under the circulnstances?''
Consideration for me?' cried Miss
Maxey, reddening. Il don't know what
possible consideration for ME could urge
you to act any differently than you did
act. The Widow Forsythe whom 1 have
! heard so much about? Why, by all
| means let her come. Let her come, and
the sooner the better! 1 shall be ready
to receive her at her own convenience.
Be very sure of thatv'
And ready Miss Maxey was when the
critical time approached. Maxey thought
, he had never seen her looking SO hand
some, with SO much color in her cheeks,
with such sparkle in her eyes. As they
| sat in the front parlor under the bril-
liant gas jets awaiting the coming of
| the expected visitors she almost out
shone the radiant Annette
A roll of carriage wheels in the street
| below, long and breathless pause, q
ring ut the doorbell of the artists suit,
which Maxey himself answered, and the
guests had come.
Mrs. Forsythe, my friend, Mr.. Julian
Maxey, Mrs. Maxey, Miss Ellen Maxey.
What is this: You are pale; you are i'll,
Fostelle! Some water, Julian, quick!"
Everybody was startled and alarmed
Everybody except Ellen seemed more or
less i'll danger of losing presence of mind
| One moment 4 naughty and disdainful
woman in the full bloom of health and
strength bowling in lofty way to her
| new acquaintance, the next u pale and
tottering wretch clinging to the arm Of
her betrothed! The change was too sud-
| den, too unexpected and mysterious not
to be powerful in its effect.
''Thank you, Eustace," said Mrs.
Forsythe in a faint voice, taking the
water, which Maxey had run to bring,
from the doctors hand She swallowed
little of the cooling liquid and declar-
ed that she felt better. Nevertheless she
sank down upon the sofa, whittier the
physician had led her, faint and helpless.
Lamar bent over her with some solic-
| itude, but more wonder.
''Fostelle, are you in pain?''
''Not at all, Eustace. 1t is only lit
tie faintness that will soon go away"
He took her hand in his, pushed aside
the massive gold ornament that encir-
cled her wrist, placed his finger upon
her pulse and looked into her face search
ingly.
''Shall we take you back to the car
riage? Don't you think it would be bet
ter to go home at once?'
Mrs. Forsythe was rapidly recovering
her color. As Lamar spoke her glance
wandered in the direction Of the artists
sister, who stood by herself, silent and
composed, while all the rest were full
Of anxiety. A sudden CLEAN of the eyes
and compression of lips followed that
glance Then she said in voice which,
though it trembled slightly, was perfect
ly clear and audible to everybody:
''No, will stay. This is only mo-
mentary. Don't you see that it has left
me? Sit here beside me, Eustace, dear.
Pray do not stand any more ON my &C
count, Mrs. Maxey. Give yourself no
more alarm about me. In few mo-
ments shall be quite restored +"
At this everybody sat down The IN
usual came to an end, and the conven-
tional "call" began. Mrs. Forsythe kept
her word. In five minutes there was no
trace Of her late indisposition. Ellen
Maxey saw, with unwilling admiration
for her tast aud maaa2emeut the part