Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-03-12


"Why, there, you have christened her"
cried Wriothesley, gayly. "she shall be
called Marvel even though Il be for this
night only. Misunderstanding toward the
child-''do you like your new name,
babyT'
The CHR nodded her head sagely, and
then wrigyIed of Lady Mary's lap and
toddled up to the boy. As he took her In
his arms the door was opened, and the
maid who had undrcssed the little wan
derer again entered the room.
III you please, my lady, we found this
lockct pinned inside the child's Dress" As
she spoke, the girl held out o fat gold
locket, very plain, and rather battered.
There was surprise In Lady Mary's face
as she took the trinket. She looked at Il
seriously for a moment, NJ II hesitating,
and then opened Il. Inside was the pic
ture Of young man with handsome,
aristocratic, but reckless looking face, and
with a displcasing expression Of mockery
In his light.blue eyes; the mouth, how
ever, was beautifully formed, and the
brow was broad and open.
Having dismissed the maid, Lady Mary
glanced thoughtfully from the picture to
the child, and then back again. No, there
was no likeness.
The morning broke bright with sunlight,
and as calm and clear as though the pre-.
vious nights storm had never been; but
Il brought to the Towers no anxious moth.
or crying for her child. Day after day,
week after week went by, but still the
child remained 40 alone In the world %
though she had indeed, az Fulke had sug.
gested, dropped from the sky"
At last Lady Mary's secret belief that
the child had been purposely abandoned
was declared by common consent to be the
correct solution Of the mystery-not cru.
ely abandoned, perhaps, but dcsignedly
placed within Lady Mary's reach by some
one who was aware Of the clemency and
love that adorned her life and endeared
her to all the villagers for miles around.
CHAPTER II.
The years passed away swiftly; and, a.
married, and others who were strangers
places, the event Of that wild night was
almost forgotten, and the child came to be
considered AZ one Of the family. She was
asst ? cQwSoyt TO Lady Mary, whose
She took the little one into her inmost
heart, and cherished her there without
detrimcnt to the love she bore Fulkc. In
marvelously short space Of time. as II
seemed to her, the boy sprang into early
Hussars, and quilted the home nest.
Lady Mary took great pains with the
girls education. A Roverness taught her
all N1~A Nvn~ AkmH v1~1
and three times o week masters came
from town. Marvel accepted them ali.
and was docile and obedlcnt, imblblng
their knowledge with little trouble to her.
self; but the delight she felt In learning
she reserved for such lessons a. were civ.
en- TO her by the rector, with whom she
was a special favorite. He was unmar-
ricd, Q student and q book.worm-a
strange man who hitherto had been alb.
sorbed In himself; but the child took hold
Of him and dragged him whether he would
or not into the warm sunlight Of her own
young life.
The first knowledge Of the worlds pain,
the first touch Of anguish, came to her
through Fulke. He sailed for India, and
suddenly II seemed to her a. II the whole
earth had become empty. What q void
his going left! He started full Of hope
and pride, 10 young soldier should, leav-
Ing behind him sad old woman whose
every desire was bound up In him and q
slender. mournful child. who was hardly
to be consoled.
II was early morning, OF a perfect June
day; nine o'clock had only just been
struck, with quite q reprchcnsiblc waste
OF time, by the slow old clock In the cor.
ridor. Marvel had como upstairs with her
auntic's breakfast and the post" and
was now waiting while Lady Mary slipped
her chocolate and dipped into her CORE
spondence. She was very feeble now
and quite unequal to rising before noon.
Tho girl was gazing out Of the window
when an agitated voice within the room
reused her from her musing.
"Marvel, come to me! He IL to be herr
on tho nineteenth; ! have had q definite
line from him-the nineteenth" criet
Lady Mary, In her eager, feeble way.
",The nineteenth" said the girl. "Why
II II quite close! 1t sounds like to-mor
row; and. after all these long years-oh
Il IL incrediblev
Nonsense. dear child! Why. we hav'
been looking forward to It for the last si'
months"
II know; and yet II never seemed I'm
possible until now, when It Is SO near.
wonder"-she hesitated, and then wen
on-"I wonder II he will he changed
Greatly, ! mean. II all seems 30 lOnl
ago! When he went, was only twelve
now ! am seventeen, and he must b
twenty. eight--quite old It sounds, doesn'
tip
"Quite young, dearest" said Lad
Mary, a little sadly.
At that moment one of the servant
. opened the door, and. with little couI
tesy to Lady Mary, addressed Marvel.
"Mrs. Bunch says, Miss Craven, tina
she would be very much obliged II 20
, could come to her to the still-rOOm. Sh
, would have come to you, but"
II shall be there In a few minutes,
, said Marvel.
! Mrs. Bunch wassthe hOusekeeper, an
] Of late Marvel had given all the house
hold directions. The servants-indeet
] every One--called her "Aiiss Craven" tina
being the Wriothesley family name. tn
poor child had no name of her own, q
] Lady Mary had lent her one.
! Marvel made sign to the girl, VIII
: withdrew.
"WOuld you like to speak to Bunc
now about his rOOms-Fulke's" she asl
Q ed. HE will have the old suite, ! SUI
Q pose; but years make things look ding!
: and think the rooms would require
t Everything" cried Lady Mary, wit
a touch of her old impulsiveness.
9 would have nothing less than perfection
o WHAT'S 1t not his homecoming? WIFI
then should we spare? See to II, deares