Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-04-09

l look Mt you. l can sec that you nave
been ut your dreams again. I wish you
wouldn't. know he isn't worth IT,"
| II haven't been thinking so much Of
Fulkc." said Marvel, mournfully, "as Of
Mrs. Scarlet. Cicely." she said. Mrs.
Scarlet hates mc!' Ciccly laughed.
"wcll, what did you cxpcct?' she said.
"You should have been prepared for that
But why? What have done to her?
DO you know-it Is foolish pcrhaps-but
I can't bear people 70 dislike me; and no
one hns ever hated me beforc-at least
II hopc--1 think not"
"You have committed the objectionable
sin-you have outshonc her. That for one
thing: and for another" She checked
herself. you see, Mrs. Scarlet has been
for too long the acknowledged beauty Of
our world TO look with loving eyes upon
rival. Years do not always bring sense;
and you have supplantcd her: and once
there was Irritation between her and
Wriotheslcy."
''Oncc! How long ngo?'
"Eh? Oh, quite a long while nowv'
II bcsecch you TO tell me no lics!" cried
Marvel. rising TO her feet. and pushing
hack her chair. II can bear It whatever
II II. ! am no child. no fool. And 10 bc
|
me all. by once you mean that-that
he loved that woman when he married
meY'
She looked 30 pale, 80 determined, that
Mrs. Vcrulam gave In.
"That Is the TRUTH" she said, in a low
tone.
"Not a word-not just yet" brcathcd
Marvel, rnising her hand as II TO cnjoin
| siI Ahss IN I'm sS.ts, lpss mud
flinging X wide. ms one might who was
suffocnting, she leaned out into the velvet
darkness beyond.
She leaned against the window, and,
Tightening one hand upon the other. strovc
TO restrain the wild rebellion against her
fate which was expressing her.
$50 II was her he loved" she snid Mt
last. turning back 20 Mrs. vcrulam, who
still sat In n stricken attitude upon the
rug. Il knew-1 guessed there was some
one :.but that Il should le that one woman
Of all others!"
She began 70 walk rapidly up and down
the rVou,. She was ,lry-cycd, and she
held her head high. There wns world
Of angry contempt upon her lips. She
had taken II 80 altogether differently from
what Mrs. vcrulam had expected, who
had anticipated tears and sobs and gentle
misery Of that sort, that the latter still
sat on the white rug. not knowing OK.
actly whnt 70 say or do.
''Still your story II not complete" said
Marvel, turning to her sharply. "Whcre
n that old man you spoke OFT She Is as
yet only Mrs. Scarlet"
''He died II, a~ said before, revenge
would comfort such rs you. there II ID
rendy to your hand. hut you will extract
; nothing from it, know you. Yes, on
: the very exc Of the contamination Of her
proutlcSt hopes death stepped In aud shat.
tered them. The old man was gathered
TO the fathers who had had ample time 10
forget him, and madamc's chance Of bc.
coming a duchess was knocked on the
head"
Marvel was scarcely listening. Her
quaint habit OF giving herself up 20 the
moment and letting II carry her whittier.
soevcr II would Ind taken her now back
, % the yacht. Once more she stood In the
saloon, and had caught up the paper on
which he had lain prone some days be-
fore, hcart-broken. Again she eagerly
scanned its contents and saw the nara.
graph with the heading In huge letters:
"Srddcn death Of the Duke OF Dawtry.'
She knew all about II now quite wcll-no
explanation could mako II clearer. The
old man was dead. and she was free; bu,
he. Fulkc, was tied and bound TO one
whom
She raised both her hands aud pushed
hack her hair from her forehead. Once
again that terrible sense OF suffocation
was bearing down upon her. She would
not endure II. She turned quickly to Cice-
".
Now no more!' said Marvel. with q
strained smile. I'VE will forget It ALL
. for while at least; and whenever I am
very unhappy about II, rs you think I an,
now. shall come to sou for comfort"
Then she kissed Mrs. Hcrulam. and led
her to the door, and stood there with a
light held high above her head, smiling nj
that dainty matron az she sped swiftly
and n0isclessly up the corridor TO her own
room. She gained n corner. turned "a
wave her hand to Marvel. looking 10 pale
and slim aud ethereal In her shimmcrina
robes. with the diamonds flashing here
and there. and her eyes Ike stars. aud
then was gone.