Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-05-30
CHAPTER y-(Continued)

GOOdgateS Of her consciousness, and with
mingled shame and fear, Nora saw that
she loved this grave, self-contained man,
with all the force of her young, warm
nature. 1t was suddenly revealed to her
how heavenly it would be to know that
he loved her, to hear him call her by
her name, to feel that she could make him
happy, and give him tenderness and SYM
pathy such as his rugged life had never
Known But, oh! would he thank her
Tor it? Was it not shameful of her to
think thus-to long to offer her heart to
q man who had never sought it, who had
never shown her any lover-like attention,
who simply liked to talk with her, proba-
bly, because she liked to listen? And even
that evening, there was nothing worth
thinking twice about in his words or hand
pressure, only q friendly acknowledgment
Of her anxiety-perhaps too boldly ex-
pressed How contemptibly weak and
ill-regulated she was, to allow the idea
of man who probably did not care for
her, to take possession of her imagination!
How was it she had come to love him so
dearly? and she did love him! The dis
treSS of her conviction seemed to confer
sudden maturity of womanliness on her
girlish nature. What sorrow was she
storing up for herself, to let any man pos
sess such mastery over her? How was
she to regain her self-respect? Only by
u steady consistent effort to stamp out
the fire that had been smoldering upper
cciyed in her heart, till the flames began
to make their painful burning felt; only
by assuming q tone of calmest friendship
to the man she loved and dreaded, for he
did not care for her, it was not likely.
He needed an older, ripper, more highly
educated companion than herself! She
must be careful to guard her secret-al-
ready she had been, must have been, fool
iShly administrative, or Mrs. Ruthven
would not have limited at any understand
ing between herself and Winton! Oh!
the shame Of being suspected of loving
one who did not love her would be in
supportable. Cost what it would, she
would so guide herself as to escape such
humiliatiCn.
She braided mp her long hair prayed
fervently for strength and help, and, with
tearbedewed lashes, fell asleep, Win
tons last words echoing sweetly in her
ears. despite her stern resolution.
In London, though Mrs. Ruthven neg
lcctcd to write to her friends at Brook
dale, she was by no means idle.
On her arrival at the hotel where she
usually put up she was astonished, and
slightly indignant, to find no Shirley
awaiting her; nor were these feelings les
sened by the receipt of a note late in the
evening, informing her that he had called
on the detective, whose address he had
succeeded in procuring and now inciosed
but the man was away from home, and
his wife was not sure when he would re-
turn. II am exceedingly sorry not to
see for myself how you have borne your
Journey" he added. ''but n telegram from
my sister this afternoon obliges me to start
for Ostend tonight. | hope to return
speedily, and to be Of any use you like to
put me to-.
Mrs. Ruthyen crushed up the note, and
thought profoundly for few minutes,
with knitted brows and a look of pain;
then she smoothed out the paper, and,
having copied the address in her tablets.
tore Shirley missiye to pieces, and threw
them in the fire.
1t was altogether Il miserable evening:
Nlarsden promised to look ill., if there was
time after an interview with the police
officials charged with the care of the
Austrian embassy; but the hours wore
on. and he did not come. Mrs. Ruthyen
was still unhinged. and unwell from the
result of fright, but she was gathering
strength and composure. In TRUTH her
nervous system was by no means weak:
nor did triles, whether of fact or fancy.
produce much effect upon her; still she
was glad to ring for her maid, and retire
to rest, with reading-lamp beside her,
and French novel of the strongest de-
scription in her hand.
But her own doubts, hopes, fears, were
of deeper interest. She did not put i'm
plicit faith in Shirleys assertions; faith
was not either her strength or her weak
ness: after Il careful examination of her
position on all sides, she made up her
mind to inquire personally into the where
abouts of the man she wished to employ.
She stretched out her hands for her tab
lets, which lay on the little table by her
bed. and read over the address,. 'Mr.
John Waite, II Maryland Villas, Camden
Road n W." Where was Camden
Road? A map would soon tell. She
would drive there tomorrow morning
Mrs. Ruthven had none of the helpless
ness of Il genuine fine lady; no shrinking
from unaccustomed roughness, if it suited
her purpose to encounter 1T.
Nor had she any fear of what her SER
wants might say or think. To her they
were merely machines, more or less well
constructed 10 10 IlcI SSIslCc. slill W DC
kept in working order they mist be prop
erly oiled. i. e., fed and lodged; of their in
dependent existence she never thought.
Yes: she would endeayor to ascertain all
about this man herself; she wished Shir-
ley had not gone away so quickly. He
surely was not feeling his feet firm enough
to try standing alone? Besides. his sud
den anxiety about his sister was curious.
That he had sister, Mrs. iRuthven was
aware, but that was all; sheF did not know
she was in Europe. "WellJ patience and
perseverance will discover most things
even my rubies- perhaps" twas her last
distinct thought.
As soon as Mrs. Ruthven had had her
coffee and roll next day, she dressed very
plainly and warmly. for it was a chill
misty morning, and informed Virginie!
her maid. that she was going to hold
consultation with her dressmaker To
carry out the idea, she directed that GER
tain pieces Of lace and Indian embroidery
IL, IL,