Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-12-16

believe that the fact OF his not having
| seen Jane on the occasion Of his first visit
| to Chelsea was merely attributable to
accident. But when weeks elapsed with
out his encountering her-when he had
| paid three and four visits to the cottage
and Jane had never once appeared in the
sitting room, he could no longer lay that
| fattering JUNCTION to his soul. He saw
| that her avoidance Of him was intentional,
and he grew moody and restless in conse-
quence. AT last Sir Wilfrid confded his
trouble to Rosie, and enlisted her aid.
ut is nonsense. Jane Warner and |
playing at hide-and-seek in this manner, y
| he said. Cant you think Of some plan
to bring us together without compromis-
ing yourself, Rosie? If l could only see
her and speak to her, l am sure it would
be all right. But it will be impossible
for me to 60 on visiting here as an in
| truder, whom the mistress of the house re-
fuses to recognize. 1t must be one or the
other, Rosie. Either l must be friends
with Jane, or l must give up coming to
see you
And Rosie, who would have gone
through fire and water rather than lose
the pleasure of her brothers society,
promised to keep her ears and eyes open,
and effect meeting between him and
Jane Warner if possible. In compliance
with which, about a week afterward, he
received the following epistle:
Dearest Wilfrid-Do you know the
place they call the Old Dairy Farm,
about a couple Of miles from this on the
Middlebridge Road? She is going there
tomorrow afternoon, if fine, to get butter
and eggs. She will take the child and
perambulator with her. She will start
about two or half-past, and be returning
! about four.
Ever your affectionate
ROSIE"
This intelligence threw Sir Wilfrid into
q state of greatest excitement. Had he
! been obliged to parade for hours up and
down the Middlebridge Road, he would
have done so in order to get speech of
Jane Warner He could not imagine how
he could have waited for two years for
news of her. Surprising she had died in
the interim, what a lifelong reproach it
would have been to him! All he wanted
to know regarding her was, if she was
happy and at peace. Assured of this, he
would be ready to follow her wishes in
everything. That is what he persuaded
| himself.
1t was beautiful spring day now, in
the middle of April. The imetrees that
shaded the paths on the Middlebridge
Road had put forth their tender leaves
of green, the quickest hedges were full OF
shoots; above his head the birds were
wheeling in their giddy courtships. Ev-
erything smelled SO fresh and sweet, and
looked so rural, that it was difficult to be-
leve one was Within a mile of one of the
busiest suburbs Of London.
Sir Wilfrid sauntered along, casting a
look over his shoulder every minute to see
if the person of whom he was in search
were yet in sight. At last he saw her
coming He was sure he could not be mis-
taken in the tall, graceful figure pushing
the perambulator in front Of her. A little
| less distance between them, and he was
certain it was Jane. He could recognize
the swan-hke elegance of her neck and
hcad-could even catch the tones of hel
soft, rich voice as she addressed some
words to the child in the perambulator.