Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1899-10-05
'HAPlOT IL n. BRAErlE.

don, Lenore left the station yard won
dering why it was that earth and sky
seemed to meet-wondering why the
pavement seemed to rise, then fall-why
flashes of red mist came before her eyes;
then suddenly she ceased to wonder, and
the tired brain grew still.
Later case of a peculiar kind was
taken to the celebrated hospital Of st.
bartholomew. The police had found
woman lying in one of the wide quiet
streets leading from Piccadilly; at first
they thought it was one Of the usual
cases, and that she lay there intoxicated.
They emptied the pocket Of the dress;
there was nothing but a handkerchief,
without either monogram or initials, and
purse which held some gold and silver
There were no letters, no card case, no
single piece of paper of any kind which
could lead to her identity.
No name," thought the doctor in
charge, and then he looked at the beau
tiful white hand, on which shone two
wedding rings. "a lady, I am sure" he
added.
She was given into the charge of one
of the nurses. The verdict was soon
given:
brain fever, and very bad case"
Seeing that she was of gentle birth and
good position-so they judged from her
dress and appearance-she was placed in
one Of the private rooms. and every at
tention possible was paid to her. They
could call her by no name; the nurses
and the doctors spoke Of her always as
the lady in Number Four; then she lost
all identity, and became simply Number
Four
So Number Four struggled with the
deadly disease that held her in it's iron
grasp. But for her magnificent constitu-
ton and faultless health she must have
died AS it was, she fought on hourly,
until the thread Of life was worn so fine
that it seemed as though it must snap.
The first real glimpse Of reason that re-
turned to her was one evening, and the
sound that aroused her was the wailing
of the winter wind and the beating Of
the snow against the windows-the rush
and the whirl Of the winter storm. She
listened intently; it seemed to her that
when she had listened last surely birds
were singing in the trees and the sun
shone high in the heavens. The last
pleasant sound that she remembered was
the rustling of green leaves, as she walk
ed through the fields. Why was the
winter wind wailing now, and what did
the snow beating against the panes
mean? Surely she had not been lying
there since the green leaves fell?
The days grew into weeks, and the
fierce winter winds ceased to blow, still
she lay there, white, wan and helpless.
A strange day dawned for her at last;
the sun came shining in brightly at her
window; it was the beginning Of Febru-
airy, but it had almost the warmth of
June. The great sunbeams lay on the
floor, and her tired, blue eyes followed
them; then sIowly-so slowly, that dead
memory walked up to renewed anguish
and pain.
At last the day dawned and the hour
came when she remembered all, when
she had recalled to mind that she was
Lady Vernon, that she had fed from
her husband, Sir Cyril, because she had
discovered that he and no other had MUIR
dered Austin.
She did her best to get well, for new
thought had come to her, which made
her long to leave the hospital. 1t was
still the scarf and brooch. Those proofs
of her husbands guilt-why had she not
destroyed them? They might even yet
lead to his detection. Why had she not
DESTROYED them? Who could tell in what
fashion or in what manner they might be
discovered? A fire might destroy half
the wall in which the private cupboard
was. the room might be redecorated, and
then? Or what was more likely than Sir
Cyril in showing some one over the
house. should show them this as one Of
the greatest curiosities of the place?
| 'sWhy did I not destroy them" she said
to herself over and over again. When
T held them in my hands, why did I not
MT them into the f1amesY 1t behooved
her. if she wished to save him, to get
possession Of these things and destroy
them.
That purpose became clear and fixed in
bar mind. She would leave the chow
and when until she had grown strong
| enough to think.
Once having decided on this, she recov-
cred RAPIDLY. She was able to sit up to
aat the food and drink the wine brought
| to her.
| She sent for the house surgeon one
morning. and when he came to her she
said:
| "Doctor, I want to go away in few
DAYS, time; have business that presses
earnestly; shall be able to go, do you
/ think?
"If YOU take plenty of nourishment and
all the strengthening medicine which IS
ordered for you.
From that moment her whole energy
waa centered on the one notion, how to
get away from the hospital and how to
get into the Hall. The day came when
She thanked, with all her old grace and
gratitude, all those who had oeen klnu
r. her. and. leaving the house where she
had met with SO much real Christian
kindness. She stood once more under the
gray light of the London sky
It was spring She knew that from
the flowers in the baskets OF the mower
sellers. She saw primroses and coWsiips.
r;a,a+s and sprays of lilac-howers that
had grown miles away in the dew and
tba sunshine and the sweet, soft wind
All voices Of spring. It seemed co won
derfully strange to be out there asaln
Il - crnyaAGinN SkYs