Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-09-03


Then she went to Lilith, who was lean.
ing In dumb despair against the painting
room window. Since the night when vii.
liam Macdonald promised Mrs. Drew to
protect and care for Lilith, he had grad.
ualy made himself indispensable to the
girl. While living his own working life
he had actually lived for her. II all seem.
ed 30 plain to Lilith now as she looked
out at the black gardens-the dying leaves
dropping with the steady rain and the
clouds OF smoke horne downward. max
ing dismal picture. She had been OK.
acting. too, and on one or two occasions.
when he was unpunctual, had been al
most disagrceable In her manner to him.
who was always cheerfully kind. When
her mother came In and said, He Is bet
ter; I feel sure he will live" she burst
into a 1T Of sobbing: but this broke the
Ice, and she spent the next half hour In
passionate eulogium--extrava VACANT, even,
for Lilith.
"This IL that calf.love Colonel Godfrey
sneered at" thought her mother; and
he, OF course, loves her." She sighed
sighed as one disabled by age may sigh,
watching the gambols Of young creatures
In the exubemnce Of youths grace and
freedom.
She was loath to erieve her child; but,
when Lilith spoke Of the time when she
should be allowed to see the patient, she
at once told her that she would return
home that night.
Lilith begged and entreated; she coax.
cd, argued, even fell at her mothers
knees and embraced them; but this made
Mrs. Drew still Armer In her determine.
tion--only she softened matters BY sue.
gesting that. when William Macdonald
was better, he should come to Heathsidc
for change Of air.
And being satisfied with this concession,
Lilith took leave Of her London friends
and returned home with her mother.
CHAPTER NJ.
II was o calm August evening. The
harvest was over; the last roses were half
hidden by the dying leaves. The hall
windows glittered golden red In the sun.
set. This was the day that Willie Mac.
donald was 70 come TO Heathside Hall ITO
be nursed," a. Mrs. Drew worded Il. A
fortnight before she had longcd to have
the forlorn little lad, her husbands only
son Gerald, to lavish her tenderness upon
but Colonel Ware and Mr.. Rawson had
taken the affair Of the actress and her
family completely out OF I4illian's hands.
Mrs. Drew WAS not consulted; she was
told what had been done.
And the ways Of those two worldly
wise men were not a. her impulsive and
somewhat eccentric ways. Gerald was
sent away to the seaside to be day board.
er at school where be was sfterward to
be ducated-instesd Of going TO Elton and
costing Mrs. Drew the greater part Of her
income, % she had intended. The mother
was removed from the house Of her
drunken parents to q home where she
would be nursed hack into health. should
such q thing be possible; and the little
girls were placed In the family Of Q stfug.
Cling clergyman, whose wife would give
them maternal care.' II was all most sat.
kfactorily arranged.
To-day Willie was to arrive, shortly BE-.
fore dinner. Neither Mrs. Drew nor LII.
ith had altered her daily program. They
had been out; Lilith had put the finishing
touches to Landscape. Mrs. Drew, Or.
ranging her hair before her glass about
six o'clock, saw Lilith, already dressed,
sauntering into the garden.
"Whcrc are you going Z" she cried, bur.
ryins to the window. 1.-THE train will be
In soon; he will be here In less than half
an hour"
II am going TO fetch book left In the
wiswam." said Lilith coolly, and then she
went slowly down the terrace steps.
Mrs. Drew stared for moment In sur.
prise; then she returned to her dressing
table.
STRANGE child!" she thought, pushed.
"she adores him--I am certain OF Il; yet,
when he II expected, she gets out OF the
way. j. she afraid OF betrayins herself
II must be that--it can be nothing elser'
Her kind little mother was already In
the drawing room. A Lillian Joined her,
she asked the aid Of her arm.
II must be IN the hall, to welcome the
she walked slowly out Of the room and
old oaken porter's chair. HE viii feel
from bis journey"
There was no sound but distant whis.
tie from the railway. How calm and
beautiful the park looked, with It's fair
green slopes, with the big trees still. q
~ umorStuk, tuejt vt1tejy TOPS Bu0eO Oy
the last sun.rays! What peace this must
seem to q weary invalid after the heat
smoke, and noise OF q great city! Mrs
Drew felt sudden fear lest the carriage
should drive up empty-lest Willie should
be worse-perhaps-who could tell dead
Dead-and through Lilith? Perhaps Lii
ith had feared this, and had gone away
into the garden to hide her suspense
Fear chilled Mrs. Drew a. she stood In
the pale evening light. Her eyes grew
dim; she could hardly realize that thii
was the carriage turning the corner and
driving toward her.
Willie, lying back on the cushions that
had been packed into the brougham BY
Mrs. Drew and her maid Mary, was Ian
guidly Illustrating In the quiet rural beau
~, filed with delightful anticipation. HI
felt cruelty worn, III, exhausted, yet hi
smiled.
1T would be good to die here" be wal
thinking, as they came In sight Of tn,
gray mansion, and he saw Mrs. Drew
watching on the steps. 1.-THE angel Of
gentleness and mercy" he thought, as tn,
carriage door opened and Mrs. Drew smil
ed upon him.
II seemed too good to be true to tn,
dazed invalid as the delicate lady assisted
a man servant to bring him into this new