Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-06-30

| vOiTE1lf, liOlIel, sdlA tAc gill, Using
and wo1jering with complete disinter-
est Wig would be the outcome of her
| menta yaberration anu wandering re-
spons
"Ad I may tell him-"said the
moter, eagerly.
anything you like" her daughter
| ar@ered as she disappeared.
The servant entered with q tea tray,
made up the fire, and lowered the
blinds. The girl passed swiftly through
the hall, wrapping soft gray cloak
about her as she went, and then, open
ing side door and closing it quietly
behind her. she slipped out into the
snow-covered garden. In the low
hedge which divided 1t from the neigh
boring patch there was q broken space
large enough to squeeze through, and
a moment later she was skimming
across the very lawn where she had
just seen the owners footsteps multi
plying in the snow. AS she had ex-
pected, he had left his garden door
open, and through this she made her
way into the hall, and thence into the
only room from which as yet q light
emerged. A coy fire and red-shaded
lamp showed her a charming study,
lined from floor to ceiling with books,
and in deep armchair before the ire
she beheld her three years neighbour
the owner Of this delightful little sane
tum.
On the threshold she stood still with
establishment. From what she had seen
Of his face she had not thought him
remarkable in appearancs-thS man
was without doubt singularly hand
some. She had believed the bowed
form belonged to a man of 80 at least,
whereas this man could not have been
more, and was probably less than 80.
A vague sense OF veXatioD filled her,
and she wished she had not yielded to
the ridiculous impulse which had
brought her hnher. Then, in mo-
mont, a revulsion of feeling made her
glad, with a great throb of gladness,
that she had obeyed the dictates OF her
folly. He looked up from the fire,
gazed at her abstractedly for half sec
ond, and when he spoke his voice
showed no surprise.
Come In and shut the door," was
his greeting; 81 have been wanting
you
"You are alone, as usual?" she ask
ed. drawing nearer.
II am always alone. Why In the
world did you Gomez"
you had telegram just now, In
the garden" she explained; Il feared
| it might be bad news"
He gave a little hard, mirthless
laugh bad news has long ceased to
be possible in my life he said coldly
WAS that why you Gamer
! YES"
Reason enough to keep most peo-
pie away" he remarked dryly. they
| looked at each other and were silent
| At last she asked: why do you walk
round and round your lawn every eve
ning?"
| He shrugged his shoulders. Force
Of habit, l suppose; it is the way
think"
Then, hastily changing the subject,
he inquired: What will your mother
say when you tell her where you have
been?"
Il don't think 1t will occur to her to
ask. Her thoughts are taken up at
the present moment'-she glanced at
the clock-"in accepting an offer of
marriage on my behalf. She Is an
admirable woman; l am her sixth
daughter, and when she shall have dis
posed of me we shall have all been
married before the age Of "a"
The girl was gazing at him steadily
and without fiinching; vaguely she
found herself wondering II there had
ever been time in her life when she
had not known him-when, in fact.
this stranger had not been her first and
greatest thought, the supreme interest
which completely filled the emptiness
Of her world. So had love come TO
her unsought, and as yet she knew 1t
not by that name. When she spoke
her voice was low and appealing:
We'll. it can matter little how one
works out ones destiny II in the end
all will infallibly turn out well. For
instance, shall marry this man OF
my mothers choice. and perhaps for a
| rev years we SHill pe AiSelaplS W
gether; but at last death will free one
of us, and then life's object will be-
come clear and l will view 1t with the
impartiality of my last hour, from the
standpoint of age. experience or resig-
nation, as charming picture in cir
cular frame, and shall smile to see how
we'll the colors blended" She laugh
ed hopelessly.
Poor little grill" he muttered, ris-
ing, and, leaning against the mantel-
! piece. he looked down at her with
yearning, dreamy eyes. Shall tell
| you the riddle OF my Iife?" he asked.
She assented.
Ten years ago I married the girl
| my father chose for mean heiress,
the only child Of rich and indulgent
| .>oso,ts yYa atd mt loua aaph nj her--