St. Paul daily globe., 1895-08-11

preSSlon, rose at once from ner place
in the class, at Nine. Renters board
ing school, and followed the servant
from the room.
Madam met her at the door, say
ing, in a voice of strange compass
sion:
My poor darling!'
Eloise's dark eyes flashed panied
inquiry in madam's solemn face.
You have news?" she cried, in a
stricken voice-"you have news Of
mamma? Oh, madam, tell me-"
Poor baby! poor little one! how
can 1 tell thee?" madam murmured.
Don't tell me that" she cried;
don't tell me L shall never see mann
ma any more-my poor, suffering,
abused mammal
"I wish 1 had it not to tell thee,
madam said, sadly.
rs she dead?" the child asked.
Yes, dear"
Madam bent presently to look on
the little girls face.
Don't, child, don't look like thatH'
madam pleaded, shuddering. CRY,
EIOlSS-cfy mere on MY uoSoiA, IL
will do thee good"
Eloise lifted her great solemn eyes
to madam's.
He has done it, L know; I know
he has" she said, in strange, un-
childiike tones. Mamma said L
should not be sent away from her;
she would teach me herself. She
said it would kill her to take me
from her, and it has"
Hush, dear, you are crazed now
with grief"
Madam, am not. Madam, I will
tell everyone I see that it was that
bad man who killed her."
Child, you must not speak so.
Eloise, try to bear it-try to be
calmer. He is here; he has come to
take you home with him.
'Hei the man who married my
beautiful mamma, only to torture
the life out of her? 1 had rather
die than go with him.
Child, he may come in at any mo-
ment."
Madam, am not child. I am
only fourteen, but I am old enough
to remember"
and obey" said a deep voice be-
Side her, and without looking up,
Eloise knew it was her stepfather
who had stolen noiselessly into the
room and heard she knew not how
much of her passionate talk.
The child trembled like leaf and
shrank into madam's compassionate
arms with low cry.
"She has tainted
Sidney Herbert took her out of
madam's arms and laid her upon a
sofa.
''She will be better soon," he said
in a cold voice, "and pray prepare
her at once for the Journey"
"Tonight?" madam asked, aghast.
''She is not fit to travel so soon."
II will attend to that" Mr.. Herbert
said in unanswerable tones, and
madam, with a smothered sigh, re-
turned to her task of restoring the
child.
Poor Eloise had to be carried out
to the carriage, where she shrank
meeting the cold, icy looks of the
man who sat opposite and watched
her with merciless eyes.
By the time they reached home she
was in a high fever and moaning with
delirium.
Her stepfather carried her into the
house himself, and himself tended her
through the long illness that followed.
When the child grew better he thus
addressed her:
You assured Nine. Renter that you
were not a child. 1 expect you, there
fore, to exercise something of the dis
cretion which belongs to more years
than yours, and to let me hear no more
such wild talk as that to which you
treated madam. I desire to be to you
an indulgent guardian, but whether l
am so or not will depend entirely upon
yourself
Eloise made no reply. She only
looked at him gravely with a pair of
dark intent eyes that her stepfather
felt vaguely uneasy under, but made
no effort to avoid while he pressed her
to promise to do as he wished
But Eloise would promise nothing.
He might as welT have talked to the
doorpost, for all eliciting any response.
That night Barbara, who had been
Eloise's nurse in brighter days, crept
stealthily to the child's bedside.
You mustn't brave him, little dear"
she whispered to the child; "it won't
do no good, and he'll make you suffer
Tor it. You won't get out of this room
till you promise, if you hold on till
you're gray
But L can't promise not to talk
about her. Somebody must tell me
about it. l couldn't keep such a prom
tse if I made it,
III tell you, darling, ali there is to
tell; only you agree to anything he
bidsyou. It's best; take Nurse Barby' S
word for that"
Eloise rather astonished her STEP
father by suddenly asking, when he
came back to the room:
May L go out in the garden to-
morrow, Mr.. Herbert, if 1 will prom.
Use what you wished me to?"
yes"
'"Then I promise
Mr.. Herbert kept his word. Eloise
was permitted to go to the garden
but not with Barbara, and the poor
longing child looked in vain for nurse
about mamma.
1t was just so the next day and the
next, and then, at the turning of &
walk, she came suddenly face to face
with Nurse Barby.
Eloise caught hold of her dress
breathlessly.
You must tell me, nurse, or cam
keep my promise to Mr.. Herbert.
shall ask someone else"
Dear me, miss, I couldn't now pos
sibly. I'll go tomorrow and get the
things if 1 can get the time" Barbara
said in a cross voice and hurrying on
but while Eloise looked in puzzled
fright after her she glanced bacl
through the bushes and smiled ant
shook her forefinger at her warningly
And the next moment Eloise saw he
stepfather sauntering slowly up tn,
walk.