Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-06-17
"Joan," he said, abruptly, show did you
come to engage that woman as house
CHAPTER XIII.

|
II did not engage her at all L said at
last "It was Sir Ralph"
Then he turned and looked at me, and
something in his face sent the blood flying
| to my own.
ooh" he said significantly. Perhaps
that accounts for it,
Accounts for what? | faltered.
"For her familiarity" he said, "and
| the correspondence
Correspondence" I gasped, turning
cold and faint
Eyes" he said. ga few moments ago
she passed me in ore of the corridors. She
| constantly is passing me in one of the cor
ridors. For housekeeper she seems a
singularly ubiquitous person. But TO re-
turn. As she passed me her dress brush
ed against me-; she hurried into one or the
rooms, and half curiously-looked back.
AS I did so, 1 saw lying on the carpet
white square packet. | walked back and
! picked it up. Here"-and he took some
thing from his pocket and handed it to
me-''here it isl
l looked at it. 1t was letter, directed
| to Sir Ralph.
! For a moment I stared stupidity at the
| packet, turning it round and round. Then
looked up.
'"This," 1 said, 'is not her writing"
"She dropped it-that l swear! he
cried, impetuously. even if it is not,
what business has she with your hus-
| bands letter"
II will ask him. said, calmly, rising
and putting the letter on table close be-
side me- 'Lcan't say" l continued, that
I ever liked Mrs. March; but Sir Ralph
spoke of her as lady in distress, and
we'll connected, believe. AS far as the
performance of her duties goes, she is ad-
mirable, and it seems foolish to harbor
prejudces."
II think he said, dryly, sin this case
prejudices are excusabe.'
was silent felt deeply annoyed that
Yorke, of all people, should discover d
flaw in my husbands projections, but,
even at this time, my trust refused to be
shaken. felt convinced that explanation
would be easy to him, however impossible
it might look to me.
Yorke made little impatient move
ment as Darby returned. | rose and
brought out the childs lesson books.
81 must ask you to leave us now" |
said duty has to be attended TO some
times"
He left the room silently.
The child took her books and sat down
on her own low stool, and began to read
the strange raised letters as fuently as
if she could see the characters she had
learned to trace by touch.
l paid no heed to her. My eyes turned
persistently to that letter, and l Won
dered if Sir Ralph would tell me it's con-
tents. l kept Darby with me till close
upon luncheon time. l knew Sir Ralph
would be home then, and at last l sent
her with a message, requesting him to
come to me in the boudoir. He came soon
after saw how surprised he looked, but
l merely rose, and took the letter and
handed it to him.
"It dropped out of the housekeeper's
pocket" said 1T does not look to me
like her writing. lift it is, l should
like to know what she has to write to YOU
that she cannot say to me-"
He looked perpexed. He turned the
letter over and over as had done. Then
he tore its envelope and began to read. It
was a very brief communication, so brief
that one rapid glance seemed to take it in;
| but dark flush rose to his brow, and he
crushed the paper in his strong grasp.
Then he turned to me, as, pale and trem-
bling, / stood there.
Il will do you the justice" he said, "to
suppose you were ignorant of the contents
of this-production. But at all events,
you shall judge for yourself of the re-
suit"
He rang the bell The footman answer
ed it.
"Ask Mrs. March to come here" he
said.
clasped my hands with sudden joy.
"Oh,' cried, Il hope you are going to
send her away. l have always disliked
her"
He looked at me with such a fame Of
anger in his eyes as had never dreamed
could light their kindly depths
"Have your he said. perhaps you
had good cause"
Then the door opened and Mrs March
entered. AS her eyes fell on us both she
started, and the color left her cheeks. Sir
Ralph motioned to her to close the door
and come forward. Then he drew him
self up Not even the anger of his face
could detract from its dignity.
Mrs. March, he said, II received YOU
| into this house less as q dependent than
a friend. had learned the circumstances
! w AlCu hdu NClShtcu w. li1c WITH lIOu-
bic, and when you pleaded with me lis
tened only too readily. Since you have
been here I can safely affirm that you
have met with nothing but kindness and
consideration from Lady Ferrers as we'll
as from myself. I simply put the facts to
you as they stand Now will ask you
how you have repaid me? l could see
from the first that you did not like my
wife, but did not see also that the hints
and insinuations and misrepresentation
so often made to me were based upon
dislike | am not clever man where
women are concerned. don't pretend to
understand them. But now things have
reached climax. What do you mean by
writing me this letter.
He he'd it out as he spoke-held it so
that she could see for herself the writing
and contents. AS | watched her. | saw
1