Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-07-24
CHAPTER XXv.-tContinucdJ

"
the view from the coppice. You have not
seen my Observation-Disclosures YOU.
duchessi"
mo; I have seen but few Of the ancient
houses Of England" she said; "vcry few"
Lady Hilda's heart had given one great
beat at the sound Of that word. Haven
dale, that had been her fathers home.
the great house where her fair young
mother died. How often she had bnged
10 see IL. II she had never left him they
would have been living ut Havendalc
now. How her whole heart and soul
longed for some news Of the place whic',
should have been her own. She looked
at the master Of 1t. but he had eyes for
no one and nothing except the lovely
young face before him.
DO you live at 1lavcndalc. lord Dun
havcnY" asked Lady Hilda. after q short
pause. He glanced at her with a bright
smile.
II ought TO do 80: 1t has always been
the home Of the head of the Dunhnvens
the last curl was the only one who lived
or died out of IT,"
"why did he not live therc!" asked the
duchess.
Lord Dunhaven shrugged his shout.
dcrs.
"He wa. eccentric. Duchess Lurline--n
handsome spcndthrift IN his youth. a
iniscr in his age: would rather not speak
of him."
Lady Hi,la bent her head. that no one
might see the sudden pallor of her face.
1t was of her father they were speaking.
the father whom she had kissed for the
first and last time us he lay dead. She
said no more. hut the curiosity Of Ouch
css Luriine was aroused.
"You need not talk about him unless
you like" she said. but am much inter.
es,cd. What relation was he TO you. this
old early" she asked.
"My father and he were cousins re-
piled Lord Dunhaven.
"'rhen how came you to succeed him!
Had he no sons Of his ownI"
NO" replied Lord Dunhavcn. che had
no sons: hchad one daughter. nnd l be-
lievc he hated her. lie never forgavc her
because she was not boy. ! have heard
my mother say that he never kissed her
once In his life"
"Poor girl" murmurcd the duchess. In
tones of sweetest compassion.
"Ycs, she was greatly 10 be piiicd." he
replied sadly: mo ono knows how much"
Duchess I.ur!ine was looking with curl.
Gus eyes into his face.
"Tcll mo about her." she said. IL am
Interested In her: what became Of hcr!'
4 sunbeam cnme over the grccnsward.
a brigh,.cyed bird hoped under the
shade. the wind stirred the deep boughs.
hut where those two sat there was no
sound. The words that the duchess spoke
seemed to linger In the air.
Lady Hilda rose from her seat: her
heart was beating. her pulse throbbing.
her brain seemed 10 bc on fire. She could
not remain there to hear what answer he
had 10 make. Dear heavens! what would
he say! She must hear Il: she cou.d not
20. She leaned against one of the big.
thick branches. She was fascinated: she
could not go. She must hear II. IL the
hearing of IL killed her. They were too
much cngrosscd In each other to think of
her. She buried her face In her hands
and ben. her head on the cedar bougli.
Duchess Luriinc repeated her question.
"rcl me-" she said. "what became of
herr"
lie was silent for few minutes. Then
ho answered:
"Do you not know? Have you never
hcard!"
mo, I never heard even of her existence
unit, this moment. or course the name of
Dunhavcn, rs belonging to the hautc
noblessc, has always been familiar to me.
hut | know no details Of the family his.
tory; tell me-"
II must tell you, since you ask me-"
he said. "Can you not guess what be
came of herr"
'No. how should II" she asked.
I'll married her. She became my
wife,"
"Your wife" cried tho duchess; "is Il
possible you married herr What was
her namey'
Lady Hilda Dunhaven." he replied.
"You married herY' repeated the Ouch.
css. 1T seems hardly credible. What
was she likeY"
II can hardly expect you TO believe me-"
he said; "but ! hardly know what she
was like. II were to meet her, ! am
afraid ! should not know her. I am
ashamed TO say so. but do not believe I
ever really looked into her face. My
mother said she gave great promise Of be.
Ing beautiful wOman--all tho women
Of the Dunhaven family are beautiful"
"You never looked at her." cried the
duchess, In wonder. II cannot under
stand-nay. ! do not believe It. Did you
not love her;''
swered. II cannot explain more to you,
because the secret Is not my own; but Il
was no question whatever Of love-"
But did you love herr" persisted the
duchess.
"since you ask me the questionable.
did not love her."
There was no one 10 see the agony of
the white face that lay on the cedar
bough. or TO hear the stihed cry thar
went up from that heart to heaven.
Il did not love her" he said; "yct |
know now tina; she was worthy OF love.
Poor girl, II would have been far better
for one of us to have died than for that
marriage to have taken place"
"Where Is she now?" said the duchess.
He looked ut her.
"Do not ask me-" no said. ~ would
tell You every secret of my own, though
may not tell hers There Is a mystery
abont my married life, Lurlnc. may tell
no one. That mystery has made for me
lonely, heart lonely home, a lonely
life"
lie stopped suddenly. A low, wailng
cry came to them, and. looking up, he
saw that Lady H!,da had fallen, with
Ecr face uptlEned, on the grass.
"She has tainted" said the duchess.
at must be the strong perfume; she will
soon be all right. What a beautiful face
ii is--how white and sti!l!'
CHAPTER XXVI.
1t was magnificent autumn night; the
air full Of perfumes and song, the flowers
still In bloom. To them 1t passed like a