Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-09-24
born to them, from across The

grave.
While he supported his aunt, the new.
made widow. across the turf, while they
made the silent journey home In the dun
eeon-Iike black carriage. the words rang
In his ears. Man walketh In vain
shadow. ard disquicteth himself In vain"
HE cometh up. and IL cut down, like a
flower: he 1ccth as II were n shadow, and
never continueth in one stay"
These and the robins song haunted him
also throughout the luncheon. where the
widow insisted on assuming her place ut
the table. and he sat opposite her, carving
for the small party. who seemed unable to
speak above whisper. and throughout
the reading of the will. In the gloomy IL
brary at the back Of the house. "He
heapeth up riches. and cannot tell who
shall gather them he muttcred to him
self. as, the reading of the will over. he
found himself possessed Of capital far
In excess of that he expected his uncle
would leave. fortune tempered only by
a charge of lifc-intcrcst to be paid by him
TO the widow.
He went to his aunt. who was sitting
bolt upright. her black-borlcrcd handkcr-
chief to her eyes. and said great many
kind. dutiful things. Then. as he found
he could not get her to listen. he embrace
cd his pale mother. and urged her to ac-
cept the general invitation issued by all
In authority at Ilca,hsidc Hall for her
to 20 to them as soon and stay as long as
possible.
But. while he was trying To- comfort the
women. while he was accepting the con-
CALCULATIONS Of the lawyer aud the family
physician that his affairs, through the wis
dom of his late uncle, were placed on such
highly desirable footing. he felt that he
was acting n part. that he was chilled,
| scared. miserable. that all this was un-
bearablc to him. and that he had forgot
ten. almost suddenly. how 20 hope. how to
be happy.
He got the rector away as soon as he
could. Taking his arm. he hurried him
along the side Of the square. and into the
first hanson they mot: then he drew a
long breath.
you want all your brightness for dear
1.illinn. for the babe. for Lilith. too. by
the way. asked the colonel to come for
| u night: ! wanted to see him. Perhaps
We shall find him at the station"
Willie leaned back, but partly rcassur-
cd, and thought long and deeply rs they
sped through the beautiful county now so
dear and familiar to him. As the train
drew up at the station. he looked even
more nnxiously than did Mr.. Rawson for
the coloncrs stalwnrt figure. Colonel
Ware was there. pacing the platform and
| looking bright and energetic.
"You two look rs II you had been to a
funeral" he began. But what means
this sudden summons, RcctorI Mary wns
so disturbed by your telegram. In spite
| OF your all we'll nt the end. that I have
just wired to her TO save her further anx.
icty."
Mr.. Rawson said word aside TO him,
and any one watching the colonel would
have seen change of countcnancc In the
gallant soldier with the empty sleeve.
Then the rector turned to Willie.
Not one word Of my affairs to Lillian"
he said. In an undertonc.
Then he asked II Willie would come
round to the rcctory, should he and the
| colonel require him.
I'VE may want your advice" he said.
"Who is that In the pony chaisc waiting
for your"
"I.ilith." answered Willie.
Then the three went down the steps and
| talked TO the young girl. who was ut home
for a month to join In the baby -wOrshiTp--
for no young Bacchus had more frantic
followers making contOrtions and uttering
| strange cries than this young GcOffrey
| Macdonald. the cOloncrs godson. Lilith
| wns fast losing her uglincss. or rather her
ang,ilnrity and swarthincss were develop.
| Ing into n peculiar beauty which might
he cavlare to the multitude while being
| cavinre 20 the epicurc In art.
Willie sprnng into the carriage. took the
reins, and, nOdding 10 his uncle and the
colonel. drove on rapidly.
Then the colonel turned to Mr.. Ra wson.
"What IL this all abOut?" he said. "Will
| these pests never leave us alOncy"
The colonel, although he had not won
and married his Cousin Lillian. had not
| rclinQuishcd his interest In her affairs. As
trustee with the rector to her marriage
| settlement he had acted In concert with
| him when the affairs Of Captain Drew's
three children were to be arranged. The
| hoy was ut school: the girls were still
| with the lady who first agreed TO take
| charge OF them. 4 fortnight previously
| their actress mother had died u quiet,
| painless death In the house Of a humane
| country doctor who lived near llfrac0mbe.
The doctors wife had nurscd the unfOr-
| tunRte invalid-whOse death would be a
considerable pecuniary loss to the worthy
couple-tentlerly through her long illness
| 70 the end.
"What Ia this fresh demandy" repeated
the colonel, for the rector was walking
silently toward tho fields leading to the
| rcctOry.
Demand! Would to heaven It were a
demand! said the rector. emphatically.
| "Ware. just as was starting this morn
| ing ! received an anonymous letter to In.
| form me that that woman hOaxed IN all,
that Drew II not dead, hut that he went
mad, and IL alive ut this moment la some
lunatic asylum In Italy.
The colonel stopped short; this was q
shock-at first. Then he turned to the
rector.
II don't believe IT, he cried. "Absurd
--untcnable! The woman was immoral
and fool; but she would not have died
with lie upon her cOnsciencc!'
''She may have said this, and have
sworn Doctor Hale and his wife TO Sc
crecy at the last moment" said the rec
tor. Heaven knows! 1t IL an awful
blow; Mt first II unhinged me SO that
could scarcely meet Il, lie or no iie."
"Well, II must be met-aye, and dealt
with ut once" declared the colonel. stern
~. striding along the path with u deter
mined step. Each moment lost IL a
wrong to Lillian. Good heaven, till we
have proved this thing lie, what Ia she I