Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-01-29
CHAPTER Xli.-(Continued.)

Those only-who have ever spent weeks
or months In vain longing for the bodi'y
presence of a friend whose absence took
Che best mart Of their life away, and
then found that that friend had been en-
toying himself SO well without them as
TO have almost forgotten their existence
can understand what Evelyn Rnync felt
when Agnes Fcatherstone told her she
was engaged to he married. No. there is
ono other who could have sympathized
with her.
Agncs--hcr little sistcr---hcr child. a.
most-cngngcd to be married to some
stranger whom she hud never seen or
heard of before! II was incredible. and
when shc had recovered from her speech
less surprise she said 40.
"Oh, Agnes! Engaged! Going TO he
married! And you never told me. 1t IL
impossible"
There was such bitter sense Of not
having been treated as her love had the
right to expect In her voice. that the dull
est person must have recognized II.
'"Oh, Evelyn. how could ~ answered
Agnes. without raising her head. "Jas-
pcr--that Is, Mr.. Lylc--only spoke to papa
u week ago, and then thought II would
he 30 much nicer to surprise you by com
ing home and telling you myself. And
II I had written TO you about II. !
shouldn't have known what to say
but you have never even mentioned
Mr.. Lyle's name to me. Agnes. How long
have you known himT
''About six weeks or two months. We
met him In Rome during the Carnival. The
Spcncers introduced him to us, md he
took such fancy to me, Evelyn. that he
ns.s s.1. tai ar
II will learn 10 love him, too. for your
sake, darling, though he does threaten to
take my little Agnes from me-" cried Miss
Raync, ns she burst into tearx.
But, Evelyn, DEAR" said the younger
girl, when they could talk calmly again.
"why should you be afraid TINT Mr.. Lyle
will not make me happy! It's the usunl
thing for girls to mnrry, isn't Il? You
don't want me 10 he nm old mid like
Aunt sophy? You will marry yourself
some day, Evelyn"
"No, darling, ncvcrw said Miss Rnync,
vchcmcntly.
But why not? Don't you like mon?
DO you mean to live all your life alone Mt
Mount Eden? Surely not! II would bc
70 very dull, Mamma scys you ought
10 have married years ego"
"YOur mamma judges me from the usu.
nj feminine standpoint, Agnes, and ! am
not like other women. Sometimes think
I have much more the mind and feelings
Of man. The care Of my property Is
enough 20 occupy my life. don't whnt
my interference with II or myself"
''Isut some one who loved you very
much, Evelyn" whispered Agnes. out OF
her newborn experience. would help and
not hinder you. Wouldn't Il be very sweet
20 have all the trouble takcn Off your
hands, and to have no bother and no anx.
icty? Sometimes I think"
"Wcll, darlingy
"That there II reason why you have
never married, Evelyn; that there In some
one you are fond Of. md something has
prevented you marrying him."
'rherc was someone" replied Evelyn,
with q solemn look In her sad eyes.
lis he dcad?" interrupted her compan-
lon, In tone Of awe.
mo, Agnes, no! I nm certain that he
II not dcad-somcthins In my heart tells
me NO, but In all the wide, wide world.
do not know where he may be now.
My poor Will!'
"Tell me about II. Evelyn" said Agnes,
nesting close to her.
"!Ah, darling. II In the trouble Of my
life. He was willful and high.spiritetl,
like many other young men, and he Of.
Tended uncle terribly. He was 30 angry
with him that he turned him out OF his
Office, and though I begged for his for.
Givcness on my knees. he would not take
him hack again. S:And then Will went to
Americn-what chance was there left him
In England ?-and have never heard Of
him SINCE"
''Never heard Of him since! Didn't he
write to your"
.No, dear; he didn't oven write. For
ten years there has been total silence bc.
day, I feel sure of that. 1t u oil ] am
waiting for-to see VIII again before /
de-"
Miss Fcathcrstone was silent. She was
mot q clever girl, but she had sufiicient
sense to wonder at her friends crcdulity.
TO 20 on waiting for and expecting tho 70.
turn Of lover who had not written for
ten years, seemed very simple thing to
do, And, Jasper had, sworn. that " they
were separated, he should send hcr 4 let.
ter every day. After o pause she said
timidly:
"And II he shouldn't come back, Eve.
lyn-if-if-hc should be dcadY'
He will come. dcar-hc In not dead
replied Miss Rayne confidently. 'Have
not already told you that have a con-
victiOn on the subject, too deep to be un.
truc1 But may not see him yct-nOt fol-
many years. There arc reasons against
1t, but they will not lust forever, aud then
we shall meet"
"And be married." interposed Agnes.
Evelyn shook her head obviously.
II am not SO sure Of that, dear. Time
works 10 ma. y changes. We may neithe,
OF us wish to marry by the time we see
each other again. But, however he may
come back to me-pOOr or rich, sick OF
well, old or yOung--Will will find me the
same-his true aud faithful friend"
CHAPTER NH.
Agnes was In the. seventh heaven. Al
uLo ua utosl nnvy xvns IN hpinU Mr. I vl1