Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-11-16

puOiIcity auu tne Iuss OF CONCENTRATIONS.
She was sst afraid Of opposition, her lover
was q good enough parti, and she was
glad that no one should know for q little
while. One day she awoke TO the fact
that she ought, perhaps, to speak. l1cr
lover had persuaded her to meet him by
the river, after dusk, and they were to 20
for q row. Mabel had rather reluctantly
consented to this plan, for her people were
rather straight-laced, and she did not
think they would like II. In fact, after
first intending to tell her mother, % q
matter Of course, q the day wore On she
found Il more and more difficult TO speak
Of II. She worried herself quite III, for
she did not want to break her promise,
and she could see no way Of keeping II.
As luck would have II, her people were
going next door for q quiet rubber after
dinner. Mabel looked 80 wretched that
her mother suggested she should stay at
home and 90 early to bed, and she gladly
accepted the excuse.
las soon - they were gone she put on
light wrap and FASTENED to the trysting
place. determining % she went that she
would ask her lover 10 speak to her peo.
pie next day. The path by the river was
. private footway used by the residents
ami visitors by courtesy Of the owner.
The meetlng.place was an old boat-house,
about . mile and Q half away. When
Mabel reached Il she was hot and OK.
hausted, for she had hurried, partly be.
cause she was . little late and partly from
nervousness. She heard the sound Of oars
out In the stream, and paused q moment
to listen, thinking Il was her lovers boat,
but Il Yves going towards the harbor, and
the sound soon died away. She cat down
on . log and waited. Presently footsteps
coming along the path made her Jump up
In fright. A terror Of discovery sud.
deuly csme over her. She crept round
the boat.house, gently pushed the door
open, and stepped inside. 10 that she was
quite hidden by the shadox. The foot.
steps stopped close by and Mabel was In
fear that her hiding place would b dis
covered. Presently she heard more foot.
steps, and then voices; Q party Of three or
foue girls had come out for an evening
walk. They did not pass the boat.l,ouse,
however, and after . little while they
turned and retracted their steps. Mabel
waited until their voices died away In the
distance, and then followed them stealthily.
She was cold and dizzy, but she cid not
dare to hurry lest she should overtake
them. She got home without having
been seen BY any one, and. went straight 70
bed.
I'm the morning she was very III, low
fever the doctor said, and Il was some
days before she was able to see aay one,
At last, when she was getting better, she
learned the truth. Her lover had gone
away-had left the country the very night
that he had asked her to meet him, no
one knew how or why. Called away on
business bis people gave out, and nobody
else had any explanation 70 offer. But
Mabel knew, for In the early days Of hcr
convalescencc, when she was allowed 70
cit 10 an armchair on the veranda, or TO
have her bath.clair pulled up among the
bracken and heather on the headland,
first one and then another OF her own per.
sOnal girl friends came and sobbed out
just such another story q heartbreak aud
deception. And not word Of explans-
ton or repentance did hs Sod to any one
OF them. Mabel kept l,er own counsel,
and no ono suspected that her Illness was
anything but physical. She never got
really well again. They took her abroad
but she never seemed to yet any stronger.
At last she begged them to take her home
and let her die In peace, aud tho doctors
said they might ~ well let her have her
way. 30 they took her back 10 the little
house at Seahcld"-
"Seatield!" The hals.burnt cigar
dropped from the mans nervous fingers ~
the word broke from him involuutarily.
Eyes, do you know Seafeld r. asked
the girl 10 surprise.
"And your friend-was II Mabel Cshu-
sacs" His face had gone very pale under
the tan.
"Mlabel Cahusac, yes. Oh! Captain
Aldenham, did you know Msbely"
~ met her-once," Fred Allenham
spoke with q great effort. "Miss Graham,
did you hear-the name--of the nany'
"No." said the girl, sadly. "Mabel
would not tell me that. And I don't even
know whether Ills people were visitors or
Eesidents.tn the place. am sorry, because
] have 90 wished could meet the man aud
zee him get the punishment he deserves.
But, you zee. ] might meet him without
ever knowing"
"For which he may thank heaven"
said Aldenhsm tsrvently.
"Y0u knew SeaAeld and you knew
Mabel" said the girl, softly and wonder.
ingly. chow strange II all seems! The
place has often been In my mind since
came here. The river sounds Just like
this, and the gardens slope down to its
banks Just like the compound here"
"Yes," said Aldenham In low tone.
ut was Of Seafleld was thinking when
said the place reminded me Of home.
like to shut my eyes, sometimes, and for.
get the palms aud the tree ferns, aud fancy
that the wind IL stirring In the oaks and
beeches Of the old garden"
"Idon't wonder you long for home,"
said the girl, gently. "Seatield Is such a
lovely spot! 1t must have been hard to
come away"
"Yes," said Aldenham, rising suddenly.
"When man gets to my age things begin
to alter. When l was q youngster
wanted TO see .ife. wanted to get as
much fun out Of the old show a. possible,
aud l was glad Of the chance Of getting In
touch with Q younger, freer, more spon.
taneous growth Of civilization. ! tried
everything, Miss Graham. I've hevie,l
cattle on the prairie, I've washed for gold
10 an African river. And finally, fate
landed me here. In the midst Of On English
society, more conventional, more dull,
more corrupt than any I could and al
home, In order that I might learn, sup.
pose, the value OF the English life ! had
forfeited. have learnt II, aud ] long for
nothing better now than 4 c0sy ho0Se ID