Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-05-06
CHAPTER XVII.

Wnen HefOert asked sydney to what
part Of England they should 20, on lcav.
ing London, she mentioned Snndyseal as
a place that she had heard Of, and felt
some curiosity to see. The same day
bent on pleasing her, careless where he
lived now, at home or abroad--he engaged
rooms at the hotel.
The servant showed mir. and Mrs. Her.
bert" into their sitting room, and begged
that they would be 80 good as to wait a
few minutes, while the other rooms were
being prepared for them.
Moving toward the window to look at
the view, Herbert paused to look at some
prints hanging on the walls. which were
superior as works Of art to the customary
decorations Of room at n hotel. II he
had gone straight to the window he might
have seen his divorced wife, his child and
his wife's mother. getting into the cur.
rage which took them TO the railway sta.
ton.
Sydney rang the bell. The chambermaid
answered II, ready to show the other
rooms. She turned round at the door.
Lets try to make our sitting room look
like home" she suggested. "How dis.
NAL, how drcadfully like a thing that
doesn't belong to us. that empty table
looks! Put some Of your books and my
kecpsakes on II, while ! am away. I'il
bring my work with me when I come
back"
He had left bis travellers bag on n
chair when he first came In. Now that
he was alone, and under no restraint, he
sighed as he unlocked the bag. "Home!"
he repeated; 1--WE have no home. Poor
girl, poor. unhappy girl! Let me helm
her to deceive herself"
He opened the bag. The little fragile
presents, which she called her keep.
sakes," had been placed by her own
hands In the upper part of the bag, so
that the books should not weigh on them,
and had been carefully protected by wrap
pings Of cotton wool. Taking them out,
one by one. Herbert found a delicate china
candlestick broken In two pieces, In spite
of the care that had been taken to pre-.
serve Il. Herbert discovered that the
fracture could be repaired at the nearest
town. In fear OF another disaster, II he
put 1t hack In the bag, he opened a draw.
or In the table and laid the two fragments
carefully inside, at the further end. In
doing this his hand touched something
that had been already placed In the draw.
or. He drew It out and found that 1t was
a book.
Herbert instantly recognized the gliding
on the cover, initiated from design In.
vented by himself. He remembered the
inscription, and yet he read It again:
ITO dear Catherine from Herbert, on
the anniversary OF our marriage"
The book dropped from his hand on the
table, as IL II had been new discovery,
tOrturing him with q new pain.
His wife must have occupied the room
might perhaps have been the person
whom he had succeeded as guest ut the
hotel. Did she still value his present to
her, In remembrance Of old timesY No!
She valued 1t SO little that she had evil
IDENTIFY forgotten 1t. Perhaps her maid
might have included II among the small
articles of luggage. Perhaps dear Kitty
might have put It into one of her mothers
trunks. In any case, there II was, aban-
dOned In the drawer of table at hotel
"Oh," he thought, bitterly, III could
only feel as coldly toward Catherine as
she feels toward me" His resolution had
resisted much; hut this final trial of his
self-cOntrol was more than he could sus.
tain. He dropped into chair-hs pride
OF manhood rccoiled from the cOntempti-
BILE weakness of crying-he tried to re-
member that she had divorced him and
taken his child from him. In vain! in
vain! He burst into tears.
When Sydney reached her room she
asked the chambermald II the postOffice
was near the hotel.
The woman smiled. Everything Is
near us. ma'am, In this little place. We
can send to the postotlice for YOU"
Sydney wrote her initials. "Ask, II you
please, for q letter addressed In that
way" She handed the memorandum to
the chamber maid. Corresponding with
her lover under her husbands nose"
That was how the chamber maid explain.
ed 1t below stairs. when the porter re-.
marked that initials looked mysterious.
Sydney had written to the head Of q
convent near the place, and the mother
superior had replied. Sydney trembled
as she opened the letter. 1t began kindly.
II believe you, my child, and AN anx-
ious to help you. But cannot correspond
with an unknown person. II you decide
TO reveal yourself, 1t Is only right to add
that have shown your letter to the Rev.
erenA Father, who, In temporal as In spir-
itual things, ID our counselor and guide.