Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-03-10


look at her husband; more than once
there came to her a wild impulse, a long
ing to strike the fair face. When the
song was over, it was time to go and
watch the sunset. Mildred saw that her
husband did not leave Lady Hamilton's
side. He remained near her, saying:
eve will watch the sunset over the
lake. 1t is one of the prettiest sights at
Ravensmere."
She did not hear Lady Hamiltons an
swer; it was given with smiling lips and
laughing eyes. Was it her morbid fancy,
or did she really hear her husband say,
eyes, and I will tell you the story of my
marriage"
She did not wait to ask herself if it
were mere fancy. She believed that she
had heard it, and the idea Of it drove
her almost mad. They were going to
watch the sun fade among the flowers,
and the Earl would meanwhile entertain
his companion with the story of his mar
riage-how he had wed the money-lenders
daughter, or else lose Ravensmere, but
how he had avenged himself by neglecting
her. Hildreds heart and brain were on
fire. The husband she loved despite his
neglect and the rival whom she dlsllked
were going to laugh over her together.
An idea suddenly occurred to the I'M
happy wife-they should not do this, they
should not laugh at her, her love and
her jealousy should not be sport for them.
She would follow them unperceived, and
then, when they began to laugh over her
story. she would confront them, and dare
them to anruse themselves with her an
guish. ALI the pride of her nature was
| 6nofh ra fhAr
than be laughed at by her husband and
| her rival.
The grounds of Ravensmere were so
we'll wooded that behind the safe shelter
Of the tall trees she could walk quite I'M
seen by the Earl and his companion. The
sweet southern wind that scarcely stirred
the leaves brought to her from time to
time chance words, but none of them
were of her. She did not want to listen
to their conversation; she only wished to
prevent the story Of her marriage from
being told. Sometimes the low, musical
laughter of Lady Hamilton reached her,
and then the rich ring of her husbands
voice would sound cheerily in the gather
ing gloom; and all the time she, his wife,
was slowly threading her way after him
like the shadow of fate.
| 1ueTC udu uOL Uccl OAC NO1u VI ASA
yet-the conversation had all been about
people they had known years before; and
now they stood on the borders of the
lake, where the crimson waters, to the
dazed mind of the young Countess, looked
like blood. She shuddered as the idea
| occurred to her. Some of the crimson
| glow fell on the white dress and on the
silken veil. She saw Lady Hamilton hold
| how xx,bifo hand on1 Olnn.
fully:
"Look Lord Caraven-my hand is dyed
| redv'
They had not spoken of her. The red
sun was fast descending.
| "That is what wish you to see," said
| the Earl. 1.-THE moment in which the sun
seems to touch the water q red CLEAN
passes through it; then the next moment
it is quite dark"
They watched in silence, while the dark
figure stood motionless and still behind
them. The sun, as it set, seemed to touch
the outer edge Of the lake; q red CLEAN
came over it, beautiful and curious, and
then, almost at once, it was dark.
1--WE will go home by the coppice,' said
Lord Caraven; and his wife remembered
| that the long avenue of trees extended
to the very gate. She could therefore
walk almost side by side with them, yet
quite unseen.
They had not mentioned her name.
| Gould she have been wrong in her sus-
picion? Had she mistaken her husbands
| words?
They were standing at the edge Of the
lake, cold, dark sheet Of water now,
and she established herself behind a
great group of alder trees. 1t seemed to
her that the silver veil on the fair wom-
ans head and shoulders absorbed all the
! light there was. Presently she drew near
Another group of trees separated her
from the two who were so unconscious of
her presence-large trees with swaying
branches; through them the night wind
brought every word to her. They talked
| only of the light on the water, and the
sudden darkness thereof some one who
had known and loved Lady Hamilton be-
fore her marriage. She laughed coquet-
tishly over it.
! How long was that nonsense to last,
the unhappy young wife asked herself?
| How long was she to stand under the
| darkening evening skies, with the great
alder branches swaying to and fro, and
the soughing of the wind in her ears, the
| fire Of love, the madness Of jealousy rag
ing in her heart-how long? 1t was al
most unbearable. She felt inclined to cry
out that it must end. She clinched her
fingers, she bit her lip; then suddenly she
heard the sound of her name-her maiden
name-"Hildred Ransomev' What were
they saying? Was the Earl telling how he
had been compelled to cucumber himself
with wife he did not love? Was he say
ing that, although he did not love her,
and they were strangers to each other,
she cared for him? Was he laughing be-
cause she had owned that she was jeal-
! GUS of him?
81 cannot bear it!'' she thought.
The next moment there was the sound
of a shot-something seemed to rattle
| through the alder branches-there was a
IoI