Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-06-11
CHAPTER TT

Innings were SO we'll ordered in the es-
adjustment Of which he was master. that
q telegram from Liverpool dispatched a
Few hours earlier, had been sufficient to
cause everything to be in readiness for
him.
He walked into his handsome library.
followed by staid, grave man-servant,
chairs, said:
"Well, West, what's the news in Lon
DOM"
''Not much, sir; at least nothing that
would interest you. There are good
many balls and parties going on, of
course, sir. Sir Paul Raughton's man
and me were attacking together, sir, last
night at our little place of meeting, and
he told me as how Sir Paul was going to
have quite large party down at his
place, you know, sir, to celebrate-to cele.
brate--I mean for Ascot, sir.''
''Well?"
wen, Of course, sir, you'll be wanted
there, too, sir. Indeed, Sir Paurs man
said as how his master had been making
inquiries about the time you was a-comine
back, sir, and said he should like to have
you there. And, of course, they want to
cele-I mean to keep it up, sir. Now, I'll
go and fetch you the letters that have
come since / sent you the last MALL
While the servant was gone Walter
Cundall lay back in his chair and medi-
lated. He was handsome man, with
dark, shapely head, and fine, well-mark
ed features.
AS he sat in his chair he wondered
why Providence had been so unfailingly
good to him through his life; why it had
showered upon him-while he was still
young enough to enjoy 1.-THE comforts
that other men spent their lives in toiling
to obtain, and then often failed at last to
get
''And now," he said to himself, 'let
Fortune give me but one more gift and l
am content. Let me have as partner of
all I possess the fairest woman in the
world; let my sweet, gentle Ida tell me
that she loves meas know she does
and what more can ask? All, Ida!' he
went on, apostrophizing the woman he
loved, Il wonder if you have guessed how,
night after night, during these long six
months, I have sat on my veranda gazing
up at the stars that look like moons there,
wondering if your dear eyes were looking
at them in their feeble glory here? l
wonder if you have ever thought during
my long absence that not an hour went
by, at night or day, when was not think
=. ms. Of you? Yes, you must have done so;
you must have done so! There was every
thing in your look, in your voice to tell
me that you loved me, that you were only
waiting for me to speak. And now l will
speak. l will deprive myself no longer
of the love that will sweeten my life"
The man-seryant came back with an
enormous bundle of letters that made
Cundall laugh when he saw them.
'Why, Westv' he exclaimed, ''you don't
imagine that am going to wade through
these now, do your
az think they're mostly invitations,
sir" the servant answered, "from people
who did not know when you would be
back"
swell, give them to me. I will open
few of those the handwriting of which
recognize, and MIR. Stuart can so through
the rest tomorrow"
Mr.. Stuart was one Of Cundalps secre-
taries. who, when his employer was in
town. had sometimes to work night and
day to keep pace with his enormous cor
respondence, but who was now disporting
himself at Brighton.
The valet came down at this moment
tn take his masters orders, and to say
that his bath was ready.
s'I shall dine quietly at the club to-
night" Mr.. Cundall said, ''and then, to-
morrow 1 will make a few calls and let
NV friends know / have returned. Is
there anything else, West?"
"No. sir. Oh, I beg pardon, sir! had
almost forgot. Lady Chesterton called
rho day before yesterday to ask when
Won would be back When I told her
Iodyship you were expected, she left Il
note for you. It's in that bundle you
have selected, I think, sir
Cundall looked through the letters until
ba found the one in question, and, on
onening it, discovered that it contained an
invitation for ball on that evening
AS Lady Chesterton was hostess
whom he liked particularly, he made up
his mind that he would look in, If only
for an hour. It was as good way as
any of letting people know that he was
hacS in town, and his appearance at her
house and at the club would be quite
enough to do so.
IT, was eight o'clock when he entered the
lottar institution, and his arrival was
ha;,ad with chorus of greeting. Two or
+brae of them made up table and sat
down TO dinner, and Cundall told them
tbat he was going to Lady Chesterton's
later on.
Rut neither here, nor over their coffee
afterwards. did any of his friends tell
him that he would meet there the girl he
was thought to admire, attended IN all
nroha bility by her future husband, Lord
Penlyn
As. at eleven o'clock, he made his way
~ the staircase to greet his hostess, he
again met many people whom on he he kn eSy
and, by the time he at last reached ss Lazy t,s
| .rbasterton, it was rapidly being told
| ,aho,t the ball room that Walter Cundall
| was back in town again. :.
81 declare you look better than ever
her ladyship said, as she weleom M nln M
III The other men seem terribly pale and
Oh slr How you must enjoy roaming
ohont the world as you do!'
Ha answered with smile and re-
mark that. after all. there was no place
nn the london. and that he was getting very
l4;nea ~ rambling, when he turned round
and saw Ida Raughton coming ooWafus
Ivy