Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1899-11-09

low voice, Disguised with himself for nut-
ting the question, yet quite unable to re-
slst the pleasing incense that the loking
OF woman is to him.
She lifts up pair Of flaming. blazing
eyes, and he knows at once that he has
needlessly brought himself to the very
brink of a volcano.
DO l care for you as did, George
Do you ask that? Cannot you see, can
not you tell-oh! cannot you feel that
love like mine ripens with time; that
hour by hour, day by day, week by week,
ay, year by year, it grows and grows un-
til at last it swallows up every other
thlng-hate, bitterness, revenge; sense
of duty, horror Of wrong; it makes one
selfish, wicked, cruel as the grave; it is
a heaven in itself, but the breast it dwells
in is he'll! 1t is with such love that
| love your
But, Bella, am another woman's
husband now, and that fact should make
you try to forget what has been and to
reconcile yourself to what must be-" he
says, remembering the good little pre-
cepts of his youth, but from which he
has sadly departed.
What must be?" she answers, what
must be? George, have you and I lived
so long in our world and have to learn
yet that duty follows inclination and not
inclination duty? The compact 1 want
to make is this will behave as well as
the most stiff and starch spinster would
approve of-before people, so that when
we are alone you will be as you were
before, George--before Lady Ennisford
came between you and me!'
He feels that it is unloyal to listen to
Bella's expressions of love, but he is
helpless. Bella has it on the cards to
| turn the home which promises an Eden
into hell, by revealing to his wife's ears
that unlucky past which he would not
willingly undo. So he resolves to tenn
porize.
well see, Bella" he says, scorning
himself the while. eff you are really
nice and civil to Lady Ennisford, and
make her like you, perhaps you will find
that am not quite such an icicle as you
think Men often try and resist tempta-
| ton. Sometimes they succeed. / am
afraid | am not more immaculate than
other fellows!' and he half signs, half
smiles. But, Bella, about that photo
of me, which you have stuck up in your
room. What did you tell Lady Ennisford
about it?"
81 merely said I wished to hang it op-
posite my bed, as I had been accustomed
to see it every morning and night, the
first and last thing"
"What thing to tell a fellows wife"
"Why? 1t was the truth, and nothing
but the truth; but you need not trouble
yourself, as / see you are doing; my
avowal did not affect her bit. She
simply glanced at the photo, remarked
it was good likeness, and went on chat
ting about Indifferent things"
! Ibid you tell Lady Ennisford you had
sent me that Photograph
"WhenY'
"Just after your marriage"
He looks at her steadily, and she re-
turns the gaze, then her eyes turn away,
and he knows she has begun her evil
work already.
CHAPTER VI.
Lady Ennisford occupies her usual seat
beside little Lord Chester's cot. Her
face is q little paler than usual, and con-
siderably troubled, but her eyes are tear
less; she has begun to leave off those
childless fits of weeping, which leave
traces in unbecoming red about her lids.
"Not well to-day, darlingw Lord Ennis
| ford asks, in CHEEKY voice, STOPPING and
planting warmer salute than usual on
his wife's forehead.
She looks up at him with decided vol
umes Of reproach in her glance, but they
are mingled with a vast yearning and
usefulness which, denude them Of all
that might be aggravating, and taking his
hand meekly she kisses 1t.
Eyes! I am pretty well, Ennisford,"
she answers, in low, depressed tone
| "but-"
| A sudden nervousness rushes over her.
She is one of those rare women who
would bear an immense deal In prefer
ence to raising domestic storm. Seeing
her hesitation, he rushes bravely to the
point at once.
"Speak out, Frances! for goodness sake
don't smolder-pour out the walls of your
wrath, and relieve your feelings It's
Iabout that stupid photograph, Of course!
sent for Bella, and found out what had
passed, and there is really not vestige
Of reason for you to bother yourself
about such nonsense!
81 have tried to get it out of my head,
George; but can't!' she murmurs, like
La child. in a helpless, hopeless sort or
voice, which is evidently having strug-
gle with a ball in the throat. Why
-
didn't you tell me you were going to send
l;t9 and so soon after our marriage, tool
eWhy didn't tell you? Because wom-
en- are SO confoundedly unreasonable, as
a rule! When we first married, of course,
III aid not know if you were like the rest
Of them, and Bella bothered so for one
THAT. to get rid of her opportunities, !
sent it."
II should not have been annoyed BY
her having it, but it makes me miserable
70 think that you could not confide in me,
land that perhaps-you are capable Of de
l-deceiying me!' she says, with Q little
gasn. II could not deceive you, George,
in the littlest, littlest triae-not II my life
depended on it! and nobody could have
made me believe that you would say OF
do anything that you were not quite will
ling to tell mel
Il IL VNn