Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-02-27
CHAPTER XII.

shine. into which we walked together.
Four long windows opened into cool and
shaded veranda. Curtains of primrose
colored Liberty silk swayed languidly to
md fro In the breeze. The furniture was
light hut luxurious, and. in wicker chairs
Of quaint and comfortable design, the
company were grouped.
Victor Burnside was the first saw. Hc
was rearing his tall form by mothers
chair: and her cheeks were flushing with
pleasure ss she spoke to him and mndc
friends. Ny grandfather was reading n
newspaper. There was a stranger pres.
cnt. Aunt Rosalic. NIL unhcc,ling the
Victor whom she had SO admired only
yesterday evening. was standing In til"
window. holding an animated cOnvcrsn.
ton with tall and very handsome man.
He was exceedingly graceful. though he
looked too slender when contrastcd with
Mr.. Burnsitlc's massive proportions. His
features were aquilinc. his eyes u deep.
melancholy brown. particularly express
sive.
I advanced. Tho stranger WINS looking
straight at INC; but IN his beautiful.
inOurnful eyes was no trace Of the "fulI-
length mirror effect" The chief impress.
sion they gave was one Of fnthOmlcss
sadness.
This Is our Olga" said my grand.
father. M he rose. and passed his nrn,
over my neck. drawing me gently forward.
"tct me Introduce you formally. My
granddaughter, Miss Olga Damicn---1.ord
EgcrtOn."
80 this was Lord EGcrton. Of whom ]
had heard ~ much! The mysterious
mister Of vallcyforl! Surely they had
told me he wns blind! ! gaxc,l NJ scr,l-
tinizingly. us he smiled slightly and bow
ed. II seemed impossible to believe those
eyes sightlcss.
l noticed that he slightly inclined his
head, us II to catch every accent of the
first words he should hear me speak.
which fact made me little trcn,ulOus NJ
I observed that the chief things wished
to sec were the Dying Gladiator" AMI
Raphacl's est. Michael and the Dragon"
His face lighted up. "Ah! you have II
great deal before you" he said. eagerly.
II envy you, Miss Damien. How LONG
do You propose staying In tomc!'
II can't ,cll-usk grandpapa," | an.
swcrcd.
"Shc may stay M long rs she likes"
said xrnn,lpa,m. fo,,dly stroking my hnir.
IL only stpuln,c that she brings me home
by Christmas"
That night when We all went Ia view
the Coliseum by moonlight. ! had clam.
bcrcd up higher than the rest and was
sitting Oh nm ancient stone mising over
the faded glOrics Of Rome.
Lost In mmsing. ! heard not u soft tread.
Now glanced mr. aud saw II man. or
rather the head mud arms Of II man. for
tho rest was invisible behind tho stone,
work. lie was not very far on. md he
was looking straight ut INC with n half.
sncering smile. For II minute u feeling
Of cOwnr'licc cnmc over me. for the face
was that Of my uncle. ltcmy Damien.
Himself. yet 10 altered That II seemed
unnatural. ms though the beautiful facc
! knew had become the dwelling place
Of some mocking ticnd. and was frgught
with bad designs against me.
! sprnng M, rccOiled n few PAGES, aud
then said. "Cnclc ilcmy."
lie laid a finger on his lips. "llist." he
said. In u kissing whisper. which sounded
to me like the utterancc OF n snake turn
ell into v man. "llist. What! Afraid
Of met"
80 far from being afraid" I said. II
am going to greet you after 30 long M
absence. How do you do. Uncle ltcny:"
80 saying, ! came u few steps toward him.
NY uWuu OUtbtTctCUcus ~" u Uouicut W.
looked uncertain, doubling what 10 do:
then laid both hands on the rock. us if
to vault over mo. ! was rather uneasy
ut this movement. hut | stood still. ,lc.
termined that no motion Of mine SHOULD
show fear of any kind: when. on II Sudden.
10 my extreme surprise. he paused. an
altered look passed over his features. and
IN IN instant he had dropped behind tho
wall and disappeared as suddenly aud
silently as u water rat slips into the still
waters Of the mere. lilo was gone.
Almost ut the same instant l became
conscious Of step behind me. and swift.
~ turning backward saw the tall figure
and uncovered head Of Victor Burnside
looking, In his evening dress, auaintly
out Of keeping with his surroundings.
"What In the world induced you TO
mount to such an cc.ssible spot." he
began.
] grasped his hand spasniohically. SEQ
look behind that piece of WALL" I suhl
law and hurriedly. 'He IL there-Unclc
Remy-I saw him."
There only elapsed those few seconds,
just long enough for question and rcply
hc was behind tho wall In an Instant, II
was a part OF the ruins evidently consid.
cred inaccessible. for grass and various
flowers grew In prOfusiOn. There was no
perceptible way of getting down, aboy.
was II sheer, high wall.
did l understand you rightly. Miss
Damien! Did you tell me you saw Remy
hercy"
"fes. nm convinced of it," answered
warmly. II could not be mistaken.
saw him plninly rs l see you; besides, he
spoke to me-"
"If he went down there" snid MIR.
Burnside, "he must have gone down by
means of a rope. and afterward slipped
the loop off tho stone. ] don't see how
Itemy could possibly be In Rome ut this
minute, and ! can't imagine how or why
he should be In this exact portion of the
Coliseum ut midnight, least of all, with
appliances to enable him to drOp down
a precipice at moments notice. Fur
ther, ! don't see why he should have
shown himself to you. yet vanished on
hearing my footsteps"
1t certainly, when summed up thus, did
appear absurdly impossible. I advanced
once more TO the mysterious spot. 1t was
so lonely, 40 undisturbed-the moonlight
slumbered on the ruins 10 white and still
that l began to doubt the evidence Of
my senses.
am generally rather sure-footed. but
] think my adventure of that night had
mnnerved me. for In descending the rather
precipitous tiers my foot slipped. Mr.. |
burnside was Just behind me, holding my