Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-10-09
r1LH.ln1ENDD@N.
CHAPTER xx.-tCoutiuued)

En ~ Ns~tSOus'ss"-'
He had taunted her ~ nm adventures
and husband huntrcss. This rignt.mnd,,
ed, resolute creature. who hnd refused
the utmost promotion to which eiri IN
her position could aspire. rich. tndulgent
husband. high.plnccd. famous. having all
qualities calculated to charm woman. ex-
cept youth. Why had she so flung away
high fortune. why refused sucl, help
mate? Simply because she did not love
him. Was her young heart blank, then,
or was there anyone else? Yet who else
could there be for her who had lived like
q bird In cage--who had never since his
brothers death been In the society Of any
men Of refinement except Nestorius and
old Werner? There could b. no one else;
her heart must be still unawakened to the
mystery Of woman's love.
"YOu are very mcrciful, In your silence, "
he said, after long pause. returning to
the front Of the fireplace where Nestorius
was standing. but no upbraiding you
could bestow upon me could intensity my
sense Of my brutal folly. ] was like
child destroying q butterfly In wanton
rage at Its beauty. II she were here !
would ask her pardon on my knees. !
have been miserable from the hour Of her
Gight-the abjcct slave Of remorse. All
kinds Of horrors have presented them
selves to my mind, even the Idea Of sui.
eide, that she might have rushed down to
the river and nung herself in-"
mo. no." interrupted Nestorius, quick.
y. II have no fear Of such sinful folly.
Her mind IL too well balanced and she has
that inner consciousness Of genius which
II almost M an arnior against the arrows
Of fate. Her dominant idea was that she
would be able to support herself by litera.
ture, to pour out her wealth Of thought
and fancy In fiction. She had her day
dream Of q cottage near the Avon, with
an old nurse Of hers for housekeeper and
companion. She had scheme for the
future. and In leaving this house you may
be sure she went with the intention Of
working out her own destiny In that man.
ner. ! am not afraid Of any folly on her
part. My only fear 10 for the dangers to
which her absolute inexpcrience Of the
world might expose her."
"She was pennilcss,' said Lashmar,
"unless-as Lady Carminow suggested
she had borrowed money from you."
did Lady Carminow make that sus.
gestionY How like Lady Carminow! No,
she had no money from me. poor child!'
"You say she has literary aspirations"
said Iashmar: "and you imply that she
has talent for writing"
"Shc has more than talent, I.ashmar.
She has Renius-origlnal genius, rarcst
gift In these days Of initiative art. She
has genius a. original Mnd m unique an
that Ut Charlotte BrOntc. the untutOred
child Of those lonely Yorkshire mo0rs you
and know no well. But ! will not ask
you to believe this upon my assertion.
You shall Judge for yourself, II you will
allow mo to ask for my letters here"
Lashmar rang the bell aud Mr.. Mes.
torius' settlers were brought, among them
Q packet Of printers proofs, which Mes.
torius opened. unr0llcd and arranged In
sequence with the deftness Of hands &C.
customed to dealing with proofs.
'Read for yourself" he said. "when
you have IN hours leisure. That In the
beginning Of 4tclla's story. read the
whole Of II In manuscript"
"What can she write about, she who
has seen nothing Of the w0rldf"
"Blind John Milton had never seen hell
and John Keats had never seen Titan,
and yet they cOntrived to write about
such things with very fair effect" answer.
ell NcstOrius.
ut seems to mo that she confidcd oil
her plans and aspirations to you-her
manuscripts even. You were privileged
In receiving 10 much Of her confidence"
II am her tutors old friend. and she
knew that ! sympathixcd with her. Those
two facts brought IN ut once en- rapport.
Well, now, I.ashmar. what have you done
towards finding herY'
lord I.ashmar gave detailed account
Of his efforts In Brumm.