Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-01-30
CHAPTER XXXl1.

III EIs n all.
c,oraI Prinsep had been perturbed
! '9-o; ;,,+nrview Jane was no less so.
'I'.- forbid that she should condemn
5a'Sn bor susDicions, she thought, and
~ s.1 mi their mistake when his lie
t nr' own were both ruined. An oc-
o. III feeling of anger against him also
',]p II har 70 the decision to which she
st'4 arrived. She would herself prove
.;nnocence-or guilt.
.HI Community occurred q few days
~ The regiment was to go out lhto
', .onntrv to practice maneuVers, ana
- s, On occasion like this all the othcers
' su necessarily be absent from their
y 'rrsr, Jane could visit the Coionel s
~,aov without danger. For thls WAS
-1f sbe finally resolved to Go.
VA .1o felt her courage flag, as nav
nsSfnlIv eluded her mothers observa-
V, Che started away on her MISSION.
~, fra Bungalows were not Tar apart,
@i by good luck she encountered no one
tba way; vet at the gate she paused
-S,lntp feeling naturally unwilling
.,,,s the threshold of her lovers nome.
Villa she nesitated the sound OF
5.oI, decided her, and she went IN
rr,Ir It would not have done to be
y, Sanding thus outside his gate. Once
aide she put away all scruples and walk
an toward the veranda. AS she had
,,mispl, none of the servants We're
nnr and the bungalow door being open
10 might enter if she chose. A deep
Msb snfTused her face as she stepped in.
/ VAS the Colonels dressing-room, the
NOM in which the proof, if proof there
we're would be.
Dectly-for there was no time to be
Is, at any moment she might be dis
rrbql-she crossed to where his boots
I ,.nl side by side on q pair of shelves.
Ech in its turn was reversed, and after
hasty scrutiny again set down IN its
raq On none was found the triangular
F mark she had seen for an instant in the
M.Drut which the soldiers had on their
!rya! 50 thoughtlessly but etfectually
( faced.
That clew havins failed, another yet
renamed. Iii her pocket was the bit OF
| nth she had picked up near the spot
where Jacob Lynn was murdered. 1t
he could find the gaiter from which it
| bad been tern her doubts would become
EtaintieS: and she would know the
] DSt she knelt down beside poTt1nan-
raH, and sloWly-caressingly, an on
Nier might have thought-turned over
contents without finding what so I'M
willingly she sought. Another box and
arlrObe We're equally Intellectually
elnhcd; and as she rose to go, a sigh of
hdet escaped her parted lips.
But 50 much had not been required of
r, and she felt very grateful, very glad
d Aer non-succeSs.
Throwing back her veil, she passed
though an open door into the next room.
1t was plainly yet comfortably furnish
H. its owner having evidently hit the
happy medium of having sufficient, yet
l9t too many things about him. Jane
Mi IN every detail at a glance, and
moving slowly forward, mechanically
&Sed up a closed velvet photograph
name that stood on his writing table.
ieu open as she raised it, and her
@oF which had puckered into an anxious
"Q"n' cleared as she saw her own pic
urea tace. 1t was photograph that
MI Oeen taken during their engagement,
su Underneath was inscribed, in a bold
-'adWnung that she recognized as his
WI, %1 Jenny, January Goth to April
'fl the dates of their first meeting
@l the parting on their wedding day.
Inc girls eyes grew moist as she
sl'pl' But the next moment her eX-
!;'S>on changed as she saw an envelope
;E.4s on the same table addressed to
Hiss knonys.
me put down the photograph frame
,4 turned away. After all she could
~ expect that he would remain true to
4, mere memory, yet it panied her that
= "u!d turn so soon to one she had al
~" looked upon as a possible rival.
'4'' he loved her and her only, with
~'e incapable of change, was the only
,%,'Se She had been able to urge for the
y OF which she suspected him, and
,r'uu 1t become no longer possible to
, ,s,ae mat eNtenuation her one solace
'1 AZ 50 much misery would be removed.
~ L'e would marry Diana Knollys, she
r sure everything seemed shaping to-
r% ~u mat end, and the match was a
h ", desirable one, of course, than that
49,, a"N contemplated before. Yet wild,
.ESS!onate desire came surging into her
, ~, mat she had not sent him away
, SI her-that she had condoned the
!, 'le instead of suffering it to part them,
4 G All uuty to the dead man had seemed
n , ~o.aIe' 1t would have been so easy,
/ n seFi'ously easy, to forgive, even though
Nn 'snt never be able to forget.
non signed so deeply as she left the
rna1 mat an unseen watcher, who had
s, Ia ior the last few seconds half con-
,ol .u oy heavy curtain, which he held
a25a ""1 one hand intending to come in,
len nasty movement to follow her,
J,o vi second thoughts, refrained.
acban nao slipped out of the bungalow
l. r,, e,lsed' but as she passed through
ace w.. gates she came face to
A. 'n Valentine Graeme.
lar you going home, Miss Knox?
as fro,n ", d with you?'" he asked. jump
is srcai t Ills horse and handing it over to
ltaDt's O q up furtively into the Ad-
QessaS lace. He was frowning, and she
easant ,IaG the meeting was as I'M
'oud NJ. ~ MN as to herself. That he
as eonon oetray her she felt sure, yet
r"S,iy certain that she had fallen
~Yo p,a 10Y in his estimation.
I: On u" not go with the rest to-day? p
as OVAL 0n' yes! We were all out; but it