Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-05-04

feigned astonishmcnt. "Who said any.
thing about young lady"
"You did"
"what absolute nonsense. You must
be dreaming, darling"
Lilian's eyes opened wide.
"Oh, I am dreaming, am II" shc
drawlcd. II shouldn't tell lies II I were
you, Hamilton"
The taunt stung the Colonel to fury
and enraged him none the less because
Il was meritcd.
He drew himself up to his full height
and then suddenly turning on his heel
he marched out Of the room, slamminS
the door behind him.
"All right" she called out after his
rctreating figure, you needn't show
your temper like that. I had made up
my mind not to 60 to Lord Montague's
dance tonight, but shall now" And
she Topped herself down on chair and
knocked the top OF ON egg with rather
shaky hands.
Since the day Of her marriage she had
reluctantly denied herself every form
Of dissipation, but Lord Montague had
been one Of her. oldest friends, and she
had set her heart on going to his bail.
The COloncl's back went up at once
when she proposed accepting the invi.
tation. and there had been q consider.
able scene the night before, and, oil.
though Lillian had carried the day
she repented during the evening, and
she really had intended to tell him 90
the first thing In the morning.
The Colonies bad temper, however,
had put the matter on different foot.
ing. He had been Jealous Of her, and
now she was Jealous of him and meant
to give him a lesson. who was this
mysterious girl who was not to try her
husbands patience any more?
That night, true to her word, Mrs.
Clifford ordered the carriage and drove
to Lord Montague's country house.
which stood between theirs and the seq.
She danced almost the whole even.
Ing with her host, entirely Indifferent
to the glances which were thrown nj
them from different quarters Of the
room, and making fun over tho whis.
pered comments which now and then
reached their cars. There was nothing
she hoped for more than that some
scandal. mongcr would report her be.
havior to the Colonel.
Her husbands innammable nature,
however, required no other spark than
his own suspicious afforded to set him
ablaxc, and his passion was famed by
the recollection Of his discontinue
In the brcakfastroom that morning.
Hc passed the night shut up in the
library and suffering torrents. He
could SEQ nothing but the vision Of q
pretty woman with flushed checks and
glistening shoulders. being whirled
about by q handsome guardsman. t.
whom she yielded her slim waist with
widest pleasure.
And by tho timc the dim gray light
Of morning crept In through the vcne
tian shutters no was hopclessly, faith
omlcssly intoxicated with jealousy
and wild to be rcvenged on someone.
The whole Of the next day he stu
diously avoided his wife, and the,
scrambled through lunch to their mu
tual relief without o word on eithe
side.
It was during tho course Of the after
noon that tho Colonel coming dow
stairs with his hat on and stick undo
his arm, caught sight Of q letter lylu,
ON tho hall table. He glanced at
carelcssly In passing, and then, seein,
It was addressed to his wife in an I'm
known hand, he picked It up and exam
ined 1t critically.
49," he muttcrcd to himself. 1T In
come to this. has It? All right. my FIN
lady," and, thrusting the letter uncerG
moniously into his pocket, he vanishc,
through the front door.
| Ten minutes later, comfortably seat
cd behind ledge, he brought It out au,
quietly opened the carelessly fastene,
envelope.
Montague, thought So" no r.
marked. giving glance at the signn
ture. Then he wiped his glasses wit
his handkerchief and turned back til
first page.
spear Mrs. Clifford-I am sure yo
will forgive me for writing, -"aslie
him to, Ill take my OATH" commente
the ColOnel-'tho truth Is. I am In a
awful hole. thanks to you, and for til
life Of me cannot make up my min
how to get out Of the difficulty" '-Th
Colonel smiled grimly-" Ever sine
you went away last night have bee
celebrating as to the proper course
take. Ought I to burn 1t or return It,
The Colonel raised his eyebrows wit
IN involuntary exclamation, "Hull'
what's this" he CALCULATED" How
ever tho letter went on, as the resu
of these reflections I have decided
reassure you by informing you that
fell into my hands. Trust to me that
will never breathe q word Of the secrt
which came so strangely into my POI
session. Rest assured no one sha
know. least OF all your husband.
an old friend, however, I must give 20
a little sc0lding, SO young, 80 fair, an
already q deceivcr. I will come an
call sometime tomorrow II you let m
know when the old boy is likely to 1
out, aud return 1t into your own hand
BY tho way. l only saw It full Just q
you were leaving and managed to g.
cure It before anyone else could poss
bly, have noticed It,"