Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-09-22

been very good friends, Mrs. Horton,
have you not"
"Wen, I've helped him with his boys,
and he's given me the advantage of such
legal knowledge as he possesses.
land you wouldn't let the poor little
man come to Bruges with you"
mo! | wouldn't-and what does he do
in consequence? Here's letter written
yesterday, not twelve hours after my de-
| parture, to say that he is just about to
start on the same journey by different
route, and expects to be here this morn
| ing"
'"Then he must be actually at Bruges
this moment!'
That's just it! Against all my orders,
the man is actually in the place.
"And he has crossed for the express
purpose of being near you and of use to
you in travelling. 1t is very kind and
friendly act, Mrs. Horton. You must
be very good to him in return"
Good to him in return! What for! L
| shall be no such thing. l have a great
mind to write to the Hotel Belglque,
where he says he shall stay, and tell him
that unless he leaves Bruges at once, l
shall start for Antwerp tomorrow
| ooh. that would be too cruel! Be
sides, you surely would not punish me
for his offense. Think how long it is
since we met each other. Why cannot
we make pact with poor Mr.. Bond. and
| let him join us when we go sightseeing!
He will enjoy all the places we visit two
| fold if seen in your company.
Mrs. Hephzibah does not appear unWlll-
| ing to be Modified. She sits there twist
! ing the little lawyers note undoubtedly
round and round in her fingers, but the
| thought does strike the womanly part OF
| her, that now that he has been foolish
enough to make the journey on her ac-
count, it would be rather hard to shut
him out in the cold. But if she yields to
| Delia's request, it must be for Delia's sake
| and not for her own.
"Well. my dear, if you wish it. of
| course / am not the one to raise obJec-
tons. | am your guest! | do not forget
that fact, and you are at liberty to ask
anyone to join our party that you like
For old acquaintance sake, Mrs. Hor-
ton. II you really want to show him a
kindness it would be great one to call
at the Hotel Belgique as we go out this
afternoon and take him with u.s."
Della thinks that the little solicitor
looks like anything but shriveled-up
nut, as, on receiving her card at the hotel,
| he descends with alacrity to the vestibule
| to greet Mrs. Horton and herself. He is
fresh-colored, pleasant benevolent look
ing old gentleman, very neat and prim in
his appearance, and carrying his "a years
| brayely. His mild blue eyes seemed trou-
bled also, as if his impending loneliness
| grieved him more than he cared to con-
fess; and the eagerness with which he
turns to grasp Mrs. Hephzibah's hand
proves where he looks for sympathy and
depends upon finding it.
IF you mean to walk" says Mrs. Heph-
zibah, you had better come at once, for
the afternoon is getting on, and we want
to get on too"
| Mr.. Bond expresses his gratitude and
promptitude to obey at one and the same
moment by running upstairs to fetch his
hat and stick, and the ladies step out upon
| the pavement in front of the hotel to wait
| for him.
1t is a bright, beautiful afternoon, and
| the street is crowded with pedestrians.
Della, letting her eyes wander at will,
raises them to the hotel windows, but
suddenly withdraws them with a sort of
| frightened gasp.
What have you seen now, Delia?''
Look the other way, Mrs. Horton. o!
how foolish l am. l know it is only some
sickly fancy, but l saw face at one of
the hotel windows, and just for the mo-
! ment it looked to me so like the face of
William Moray
Mrs. Horton laughs aloud.
What will you get into that silly little
head of yours next? William Moray, in
deed! I wonder what he would feel like
set down in the middle of Bruges. Why,
[ don't suppose he knows that such a
place exists! Put him out Of your
thoughts, my dear. He's safe enough in
Cheapside, sorting his samples of wool.
Take my word for it"
Mrs. Hephzibah and her little solicitor
enjoy their wall, exceedingly, and are full
of regret when they find it is time to re-
trace their steps. But Della hopes to see
her boy, and the distance between the
cemetery and the Rue Allemande seems
twice as long as usual in consequence.
But another disappointment awaits her
at home. Instead Of Angus happy face
for greeting, she receives a note from him,
hurriedly written, and inexplicably mys-
terious.
Il cannot attend the theater tonight"
it says. "You and your friend must go
without me- You will find the tickets on
the manteipiece in my bedroom"
When she returns from the theater, and
having bid good night to both her friends,
enters her own room-an explanation
| awaits her there. Seated by her table is
Angus ggard, pale and disordered in
appearance: but as the door opens, he
starts up from his chair and waits her
approach She is about to fly into his
arms with an exclamation of pity and
affection, when he waves her from him.
Mother" he says hoarsely, Il was
obliged to wait for you here. l couldn't
meet you before those people downstairs"
"You couldn't meet me, Angus! Oh,
/ what is the meaning Of this:'
NO! Not until had received an an
swer from you to a question that is eating
into my very soul. Mother, have heard
that to-day which seems to have taken
all the light and life out Of my existence.
/ I cannot believe it-but Won are the only