Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-12-05
)S334333
's~AN I trust you, Maudie?"


O~AN I trust you, Maudie?"
"Trust me! In what way,
Gerald? I am afraid I have
aet been paying much attention to oil
that you were saying"
She turned her beautiful nower-like
face toward him with n mocking moue.
her blue eyes sparkling under their
DARK lashes with q mischlcvous light In
their depths. and with coquettish lift
lnS Of the finely marked eyebrows,
which distracted and unnerved him
from the task he had set himself Would
che ever be serious? ever see that life
held deeper interests than the whims
end amusemcnts Of the passing hour1
His wife!-this bcwitching, lovely,
irresponsible being! He went over to
where she was lying In long chair In
the shadiest. coolest corner Of the YER
anda, and taking her two slim white
hands IN his strong brown ones. hs
knelt beside her and said: "Maudie,
I have to leave you here with Mn.
TAilyour. and I want to feel sure that
while am away from you, my dearest
one, you will be prudent. and do moth.
Ing foolish or unsuited to your position
- my wife for which afterward you
would be sorry or Ashamed"
"0ernldr' she interrupted, with petu.
lant indignation.
"Yes. my darling. must speak plain
y. You remember last winter. Il was
unintentional on your part, know; but
Still how unhappy you were made By
ell the wretched talk and gossip that
followedr'
'.That was three months ago. Gerald.
I am older now and more experienced.
am sure you need not remind me Of
that miserable affair; It u unkind Of
you"
She withdrew her hands from his
clasp with rcproachful gesture. and
added, pouting: "After all, II u not
my fault that am pretty. and cannot
help It II your friends will admire me
and pay me attention"
"But you will be careful. my darling;
promise me; this fellow Perez
val"
20. now, you are going to abuse
Lord Perccval again. suppose; am
% tired Of that topic; I shall not listen
70 q word against him, Gerald; have
known him all my life: he IL my Oldest
and greatest friend. and do not In
tend to give him up for any one; no,
not for any one. not even for you, Ger
ald--so thercw
She sprang to her feet and walked
quickly to the edge Of the veranda
where she leaned over the balustrade
with her head averted from him In %
attitude Of mutinous defiance. So small
and child.llke a creature. and yet pos
seased Of such potentialities to wound
and hurt the man who loved her with
oil tho passionate intensity OF bill
strong and sensitive nature. Such {
elm. fraRile.looking being. and yet x
powerful In welding an influence ovel
the hearts Of those around her.
A look Of helpless and banned anxiety
passed over Major Jocelyn's handsome
care.worn face. without glancing O
him bis wife continued coldly: " con
sider II very ungenerous Of you to ct
tack Lord Perceval In the way you hav'
done lately. limiting at things agains
him, throwing out insinuations - I,
BIZ character, but with nothing reall!
dsanite that you can state against him
You know like him. that he u m!
friend. ! call II mean Of you. Gerald
positively mean"
'.rhere are plenty Of things I coul'
state against him II ! felt inclined. blu
there II no need to particulariss.
ought to be enough for you that tel
you that distrust and dislike tho man
Lord Perccval has brought q slur Of
the names Of too many women for an,
honest man to care for bis wife to cal
him friend"
He spoke with angry emphasis, an
afterward there was an Ominous oil
euce between them for some momenti
II was at last broken by the girl sayins
with passionate reprOach: 20. 1t
cruel Of you. Gerald. to speak to m
like this. to want to quarrel with me |
these our last moments together;
leave me with angry words upon you
lips, making me SO unhappy.
Her voice trembled and broke, and he
hands went up to cover her tear-lade
eyes. In a moment he was at her sid
all the severity had vanished from hi
face, and with his arms around her
was murmurlng In pleading accents til
words Of penitence and love whic
made his peace for him before he lei
her.
A week had passed since Gerald Joe
Ign had babe farewell to his young vii
and, started on his journey through til
desert to Join the troops In advanc
The still. blue heat of an Egyptian da
brooded over the quiet villa, whic
from Its lack of Sign or sound OF III
seemed to be prolonging Its midda
siesta into the evening hours. tt
chatter Of ho0fs outside aroused the q
tention OF the solitary inhabitant (
the veranda, middle-aged woma
whose strongly marked features ar
keen dark eyes proclaimed her a pc
son Of intelligence and decided cha
acter. She threw aside the book 81
was reading, and advanced toward Il
flight Of steps where the rider. an q
tillery ofiicer, was already dismOuntil
from his horse. A he caught sight
her the dark cloud of sorrowful ankle
which hung over his couutenauce w
visibly lightened.
"Ah. Mrs. Tailyour. ! am indie