Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-10-28


some one else more suited to your rank
and station. But never one to love you
better, darling-never more faithful and
constant wife than shall be to YOU"
Don't talk rubbish, Jane, and don't
get sentimental. When people are mar
ried they're married, and there's an end Of
it. You will see the necessity that has
arisen for our keeping our marriage Sc
cret for a little while longer. Not word
to anybody, Jane. Remember, not to
anybody"
Not even to poor mother! 1t would
make her so happy" said the girl, regret
fully.
mo! Your mother is the last person in
the world to confide secret to-"
"And your mother, WHIP"
Il sha'n't tell her, either, until we are
settled at Lambscote Half we ever
are"
"Why do you say if we ever are ?'
exclaimed Jane, with surprise.
Only because there's many slip
tWlxt the cup and the lip you know; and
who's to tell what may happen in cou-
pie Of months? We may all be dead be-
fore Lady Ewell takes herself off to her
father"
"Ch, Will! it's your turn to talk non
sense now. But about mother, dear; you
won't separate us-will you? You prom
lsed me you never would"
She looked wistfully at her husband as
she spoke, but his eyes did not meet hers
If l said SO, my dear, it must be all
right. l have not been in the habit Of
breaking my promises to you-have [?
What time is it? Let me see. By Jove!
five o'clock; and I've had no luncheon.
l thought l was feeling deucedly hun
gry."
She sprang to her feet Immediately.
How selfish of me, Will. Here have
been thinking of nothing but myselfy
whilst my boy was starving. What will
you have, dear? There is a cold pie in
the house, and some lamb chops, and a
bunch Of lovely asparagus"
III have some outlets and asparagus,
Jane: and tell the girl to go round to the
wine merchants and order in dozen of
the best claret. How soon will it be
ready"
''In half an hour, dear; but 1 must go
and look after it myself. I am not to be
baronet's wife till you go to Lambs
cote. You told me so. And when / get
there / will be very good, I promise you,
and pretend | never darned a sock or
cooked a outlet in my life. But I must
teach mother not to talk about it-mustn t
I? Poor mother!' continued Jane, with
affecticnate pity, as she left the room;
''how she will enjoy herself at Lambs
| coter
| AS Il vision of Mrs. Warner, arrayed in
every color Of the rainbow, and with her
| tongue going like a water-mill, doing The
honors Of his residence with her daugh-
| ter, passed through Sir Wilfrid's brain,
| he shuddered and closed his eyes.
NO" he thought, that cannot be.
What l promised Jane when 1 married
| her, and believed that this cottage would
| be our home for life, must not be allow
| ed to stand in the way Of her own adj
| vancement. Her slender chance with the
| county families would be ruptured ut
| once, unless her mother is kept in the
| background. We must get someone to
! live at the cottage and look after the old
| lady Instead. How extraordinary it
! seems to remember what Parfitt declares
| that after all this time Of apparent Sc
curity, Jane is actually not my wife!
wonder if she will be cut up when she
| hears it! But / sha'n't tell her. until
am prepared TIC repeat the ceremony. She
is not, perhaps, in every particular what
would have chosen for Lady Ewell, but
she is a very handsome, intelligent girl,
and there is no doubt of her affection Tor
me. And, hang it all! after a couple of
years man could scarcely be such a
scoundrel as to propose to annul the mar
riage. It would be too mean! But I
wish Parftt hadn't put the notion in my
| head"
Which proved that, in whatever light
his conscience might regard such con-
tingency, Sir Wilfrid's inclination meant
to have a fight for it when the time ar
rived.
(To be continued.)