Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-03-11
CHAPTER XIX.

Dumaresq, as soon as they were safely
ensconced in the railway carriage. "How
can she abuse poor Mr.. Damer Lawrence
an that public way! 1t is very ill-bred.
And the daughter, too-what a horrid
ssirl!'
She is very pretty" said Anne.
Pretty, yes; but what manners! A1d
MIR. Lawrence's manners are so extreme
iy good. L certainly thought that he
would have nice relations. I shall be
sorry for Mr.. Lawrence's wife if she has
much to do with them," said Mrs. Dumar-
esq significantly.
1t was soon found that Mrs Seymour
would so nowhere. She was more of an
invalid than she would acknowledge. She
was anxious, however, for her daughter
to go out. Miss Seymour was SO very
pretty that everybody thought it shame
to let her languish for want of amuse-
ment, and although the end of the Alex
andria season was approaching, and
there were no more dances to be had,
there were tennis parties in abundance
! There was something about Anne that
invited confidence Mrs. Seymour talked
to her rs she had talked to nobody for
years. 1t is easier sometimes to unbosom
ones sess to comparative stranger than
to frienGs of life's standing It was
TO Anne that Mrs. Seymour one day told
fact that she had carefully hidden from
her daughter. Her present bodily weak
mess did not proceed from the attack of
bronchitn, from which she had suffered
i'm Venice, but from concealed and far
more deeply rooted trouble-an internal
complaint which she knew would ulti-
mately prove fatal. When Anne heard
the story of what she had already endur-
ed, and was likely to endure, of pain ST.
lently borne lest it should sadden the vain
and shallow nature of the fair-faced
daughter, and saw the mothers anxiety
For that child's future happiness, her soul
bowed down in pity for the anguish and
reverence, for the self-control of the sharp
spoken, Withered, unprepossessing little
woman who seemed at their first inter-
view to be bent upon saying and doing the
things most calculated to wound and to
repel.
but VIII you not tell your daughter?'
said Anne, when she had heard the story.
''1f l had a mother, could not bear to be
left in ignorance of her Illness" she added
wistfully.
Tell Clare? She would be frightened
out of her Senses" said Mrs Seymour
''She would cry herself i'll, and worry all
the remaining strength out of me. No,
Hammond knows what to do she has
been with me twenty years, and l won't
spoil Clare's pleasure before the time"
docs Mr.. DenZil Lawrence know?'
''He does not yet. l wonder if he will
make it an excuse for putting off the
marriage? Not that he is likely to do so,
think; he is weak enough, but not dis
honorable. If could only see them bride
and bridegroom will make hand
some couple. l can't think why Denzil
went abroad this winter. He did not
seem to care about our following him,
either; but | was afraid"
"You were afraid?" Anne asked gently,
as she paused.
Il was afraid" said Mrs. Seymour.
with q graver look than usual, "that
might not see him again-and that Clc"e
would be left. And so followed him. If
he leaves her, she'll break her heart
tried to make her love him-and I've sue
ceeded."
Anne had no answer ready. Another
silence followed. At last the sick woman
reused herself as if from deep thought,
and looked searchingly at Anne.
Come here" she said, reckoning with
her lean forefinger. And when Anne
obeyed the call, and stood beside her
chair, she peered into the young face with
her cold, keen eyes until the color rose i'll
Anne's fair cheeks, and, in spite of her
effort to be brave, her eyelids fell. "Child!'
this was the speech that followed ON
that piercing gaze, what was Damer
Lawrence doing here?'
The question took Anne by surprise.
The color rushed to her temples and then
receded leaving her pale. What was
he doing? / do not know-I cannot tell,
she stammered.
Cannot tell? All, that may be true
enough" said Mrs. Seymour, releasing
her. Don't you trust him, that's ALL
Just here Glare opened the door, just i'll
time to admit Hammond, the servant,
who was running upstairs eXcltedly.
ooh. Miss Glare, he's come. He's
come, ma am, if you please. Mr.. DENIAL
come
Glare uttered little inarticulate cry of
10y. Mrs. Seymour tried to rise, but sud-
denly turned faint and sank back in her
chair Hammond ran to her aid, and
Anne hurriedly brought some smelling
salts from the next room. 1t was during
her momentary absence that the newcom-
or entered, with Glare clinging fondly to
his arm.
"NIamma!' she cried. almost impatient
sn her delight Don't you see that he
- here? He has come back! Denzil has
come at last!
And MS the name was uttered. Anne
looked upon the face of Clare's long-ex-
pected lover. =,
She looked and looked again, with an
other name frozen upon her lips. He,
hacgard as if from illness, and perhaps
from doubt and fear, also looked up, met
her ewes, and suddenly recoiled. Glare
saw nothing; Mrs. Seymour's keen vision
told her that he had turned as white as
death. She glanced round at the door.
bnt Anne had fed without word.
For the Denzil of Mrs. Seymour's plans
and Clare's fond dreams was none other
than the man whom she had known and
Ioved as Damer Lawrence.
CHAPTER Xxx.
AZ the very moment of Anne's flight
lawrence uttered her name without
knowing that he did So "Anne!' he ex-
,.-.a o,d made step forward, as II |