Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-04-24
CHAPTER XIV.

tirely closed against evil thoughts Of her
husband. and no fully occupied with her
old friends condition, that she never took
In the signiicntion of all this. while Nut.
tie. being essentially Of u far more shrcwd
and less cohiidng nature. and already i'm
buet with extreme dlstrust Of her fntlher.
was taking In all these revelations with
an opcn.cyc,l. silent horror Of conviction
that her old Impressions of the likeness 81
MarmiOn or Thcseus had been perfectly
correct. II was all under her hat. how.
ever, and the elder ladies' never Thought ot
her. Alice bringing back the conversation
tn Mrs. Houghton herself. "Oh. my dear.
! drug on ns I can. I've got FRAGMENT
of our old income. md when thnts run
too low. I go up to Monte Carroll III.
ways Ind the lucky hand. YOU know. nnh
tits only restitution after all! I'm sick
Of II ali, though. aud sometimes think I'LL
tnkc my good sister Anne's off,>s and 20
home"
"But," went on the poor woman. "huin.
bic pie goes against me. and think what
nm amount would be before me-nftcr
these nearly ivc.and.twcnty years; yes.
ivc.an,l-twcnty years u is--sincc Hough-
ton. poor fellow. told inc I was too bright.
and winsOmc for little country lawyers
house In poky street. What would they
think Of me nowY" and she laughed will,
a sound that was painful 10 hear. "Wel'.
Sycorax had done one good deed. anu
when I look at you. quccning 1t there. !
feel that no have l."
"You were very good 10 inc. ] know:
but. oh. IL you would go home to your
sister,"
.My dcnr. you little know what you
ask! Anne! Why, she Is the prime dis.
tsict lady, or whatever you cnll u. OF
Dockfortl. Think what II would be 10
her TO have this battered old vnurein
thrown on her hands, TO lie the stock sub
sect for all the righteous tongues. he
siles," ar she coughed. "the English ell.
mate would make an end Of me outright.
I'm In bad way enough here, where ]
can cit among tho lemon trees half the
days In the winter. but the English fire.
eide In q stufy parlor--" aud she shud.
dercd.
That SILVER reminded NIL that II was get.
ting late. too late for Mrs. Houghton to
b out Of doors. and near the time when
Mr.. EgremOnt was TO meet his ladies' at
The hotel. Alice begged for Mrs. Hough.
tons address, and II was given with
short, ironical laugh at her promise to call
again II possible. "Ay. u possible" the
poor woman repeated. II understand!
No, no." as Alice was about to kiss her.
II won't have II DONE"
''There's no ono In sight"
''As II that made difference! Alice.
child, you are as innocent as the little dove
that hew aboard the 'Ninon.' How have
you done Il? Get along with you! No
kisses 10 such as me! don't know wheth-
or Il breaks my heart. or binds II NJ 10
look Mt the face Of yon. Anyway. ! can't
bear H."
She hurried away. and made some steps
from them. A terrible parOxysm Of
coughing came on, and Mrs. EgrcmOnt
hurried toward her, but she waved back
all help. shook her head. and insisted on
going home. Alice kept her In sight I'LL
she divcd into u small side street.
"Alother," said Nuttie. Then there was
. pause. "Mother, did you know oil
this?"
"Don't talk Of Il. Nuttic. 1t 10 not a
thing to be- talked about TO any one or by
any one. I wish yon had not been there"
''But. mother, this once! Did you
knowf''
~ knew that knew not what I did
when ] went on board that yacht, but
that heavens kind providence WIS over
me In way that little deserved. That
10 all I cure TO know, and Ursula, ! will
have not another word about It. No.
will not hear IT,"
II was only going to ask whether you
would tell my father"
Certainly; but not before you"
Mr.. Rsrsmont did not like the intelll.
gence Of their meeting. and hoped no one
lAsN kAsS tns. n Al.
score, he humn,ed little and exclaimed,
"Poor old Flossy Houghton! I don't
wonder! They went the pace! Well,
what do you want? Twenty pounds for
her! Why, twill all be at Monte Carlo
in three days tune"
ut IL very good Of you. but ! want
more than that. She 10 80 III and wretch.
cd, you know"
~ can't have you visiting her. II that's
what you mean. You mustn't run after
Q woman like that-divorced to begin with,
and known at every gambling table In
Europe"
~ know that. Alwyn, dear AlwyA" lit
was very seldom that she called MIN 10,
and she put her clasped hands on his
shOuider); "but ! am sure she Is dying,
and she was 80 good TO me. can't bear
oOSuS uutuIuS
swell. there's twenty-ffty, II You
like"
''Thank you. thank you. but you know
] never meant to visit her-like-like 80
ciety; only TO 80 sometimes privately"
Alice had TO seek her friend In the
-dseary Guatrielne Of tall house with dirty
stone stairs. 1t was a dOleful, empty
room. where, with nannish lOOkin.
dressing gown and torn lace scarf tied
hood fashion over her scanty hair, Mrs.
HOughtOn sat over pan of charcoal OPP
pressive TO Alice's English lungs.
"Well. ] really shall begin to think that
angels and ministers of grace exist OF
the stage" she said. "You pretty thing!
Let me look Mt you. Where did you get
that delicious little bOnnety"
"Why, it IN perfectly plainw
$50 1t Is! IT'S only the face that Ia In
II. Now II some folks put this on-Sister
Anne. for example. what dOwdies they
would be. Poor old Anne. you must know
she had q turn for fnery, only she never
knew how to crafty It,"
So she went on talking, coughing at
intervals, and generally using q half
knocking tone, as II defying the tenderness
that awoke In spite of her, but always OF
her original home, and especially OF her
sister. Alice ventured to ask whether
they often heard from one another.
GOOD soul, she always writes ut Christ
mas and on my birthday. ] know as well
as possible that shall find letter poste
restante wherever she heard OF me last,
and that she hasn't done--I'm ashamed to
L