Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-12-10
CHAPTER V.-(ContinuedJ


Dear little thing" said Harrington,
as he folded up the letter and put it into
his pocketbnok. 'Shc is half afraid /
can see, that | shall think that she has
been too quick in giving her heart to the
first bold Wooer Pretty creature! I'll
go on Saturday and allay her fears, and
dry her eyes with kisses. l don't see why
we shouldn't be married Immediately.
What will Val Gilderoy say TO that. |
wonder? If she only had the money |
know very we'll which I should choose.
But there; no chance. If l don't make a
great coup with an heiress before long l
shall be flocre;l, indeed"
He spoke lightly about the matter even
to himself; bat he was rather unusually
nervous when ne set out on Saturday
Afternoon to pay his visit to Miss Rae
burn.
viii you walk this way, sir, please:"
said q solemn-v isaged maid in black,
who opened tie door to him at Thorn
bank.
The maid led him to q small room at the
end of a long passage-a place to which,
as he suspected, the women of the fam
ily had betaken themselves in their hour
of trouble.
Lie lOoUl WIS not very light. uc Ser
want had shut the door before Hanning
ton was quite sure that Stella was alone
in the room with him. She came for
ward very Quietly-a slender figure all in
black-and held out her hand as if about
to greet an ordinary visitor. He gathered
her in his arms, and kissed her on the
brow, but for the first few seconds did not
say word The silent tenderness of his
oil lo'
power of endurance.
She lay. trembling from head to foot,
upon his shoulder; he could just see her
cheek, and noticed that it was very
white the little hands which chung to him
were l:Inp and cold.
My darling, how you must have suf-
fered. Harrington said at length. He
led her to a sofa and seated himself be-
side her, with his arm round her waist.
He was surprised to hear no outburst of
emotion, no sobs of grief. But Outbursts
Of any kind were not in Stella's way.
She raised her head from the shoulder
on which he had tried to make it rest.
Her eyelids were red and worn with weep
ing and sleeplessness, but her voice and
manner We're very calm.
y ut has been hard,' she said. 81 sup
pose you know all-all about it-from
the newspapers?' The little catch in her
voice was very pathetic, even to Han
ningtonS ear.
Il know something, of course. 1t was
very sad; but, my darling, you must not
let your mind dwell upon it. He must
have been i'll, you know; not accountable
for his actions at the time. 1t was sort
of do!irium."
/ ooh, yes. l know that" said Stella
quietly. Dear papa was far too good to
end his life in that way if he had been in
his right mind. So kind-so loving-so
tender hearted! Nobody could doubt it
who knew him-who knew him as well as
Aunt Jacky and l! 1t shows how up
right he must have been, that these bust
ness troubles should prey on his mind so
much, and even affect his brain at last!
Half of it was for my sake, l believe.
AS if l would not have been just as happy
in a cottage as in palace far happier
indeed than in this big, overgrown, new
place. which l don't like half so we'll as
our old house in the Nethergate."
HE had business troubles, then?" said
Harrington, a sudden qualm of fear as
sailing him.
, sob, yes! Die you not know? 1t was
in to-day's paper; but perhaps you have
not noticed it. He was not so rich as
people thought him to be, and that preyed
upon his mind. He is not Il bankrupt, but
the house and everything will have to be
sold at once, and Aunt Jacky and will
have only pittance to live upon. But
YOU must not be sorry for me, DEAR she
said. suddenly breaking off at the sight OF
a strange expression on Hannington's
face: las long as have you, want moth
ing else! And you will not love me any
the less if am beggar, will you!
CHAPTER VI.
Harrington was aghast. And even at