Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-05-27
CHAPTER ".

8tOOms one cOuI0 NOT ny 1rOm tne DpOts
che could only clutch the box that she
held In both hands.
There was q movement In the boat
house, and, despite her terror, Mabel was
new conscious that there were two figures
inside the rough shelter. Something ter.
fible must be concealed. she thought, for
why should her father, Q county gentle
man, be here when be had given out to
everyone that he was going abroadf
The affrishted girl could only strain
eyes and ears, waiting for what might
come next; and then she heard the man
who was with her father speak.
Il tell you what Il Il, Charlford," hs
began, when the other interrupted him
vehemently.
"Are you not mad to address me BY that
uameT said be. II am 'F'ilton' to you
and to everybody until I take up my ordi.
nary life again."
"Oh," responded bis companion, with q
strange laugh, "'F'ilton' or 'Charlford'-
Il doesn't matter here-the moon and the
beetles are our only listeners. 80 come
along. Capital rendezvous this place
makes--so quiet and removed from dan.
serl Goodnight. Elton. We part here,
I suppose"
Certainly; and shall not linses I
promise you. The morning will see me
miles away. will 80 at once-you fol.
low"
And without more leave.takins they
separated.
Mabel trembled violently and shrank
back into the gloom behind the boat house
when she perceived the figure Of her faith.
or emerge from the shelter. A broad.
brimmed hat was slouched over bic face,
and, creeping out from the shadow Of The
boat house with stealthy step, like thief
In the night. be passed into the meadow,
where he skulked along In the darkest
Darts till he was lost to view.
IL was some few minutes before the BE-
wildered girl recollected that she had lost
time on her errand, and that even now Il
might b. too late for her to re-enter her
uncle's house without demanding admis.
sion-and this she dared not do.
II must cit In the summer house TIL
morning; must hide there" she thought,
distressfully. "The maids must be made
to think that I went out early before
breakfast, and must 20 In with my
hands full Of flowers. Nobody W" guess
that have been out all night"
But, alas! she had not yet gained the
shelter Of the summer house. Her heart
was struck with new pang a. she heard
. smothered exclamation from the man
who had been with her father 10 the boat
house, and whose form she now dimly
perceived come into view. She had for
the instant forgotten him In the intensity
Of her fear at her fathers proximity; now
the nearness Of this new danger over.
whelmed her.
Where could she hide from the mans
eyesf What could she answer II he Der.
ceived her and questioned her? To the
affrighted girl be appeared to be q des-
perado ready to stab any listener. How
frightful to imagine such q man % this
her fathers friend!
She had dropped down upon the grass,
crouchips on one side Of Q bush-it was
the only hiding place left her.
The man emerged from the boat house.
and, standing win bis back to Mabel,
appeared to look anxiously In the direction
Of the flower garden.
How long will she keep me waitinsY'
be muttered; and be was 20 near to the
spot where Mabel was crouching that she
heard the words distinctly.
She3 Whom could this man b walt.
Ing for? But this Mabel cared not to
know-her whole desire was to steal away.
Once more within her uncle's grounds,
she could In some measure feel safe.
"Ah, here she comes! Now for the
proper amount Of well.feigned alteration,
10 exchange for which I shall get help
that she little dreams Of. Charlford will
not quite guess who our messenger 10 to
be! IA. hav
A. be concluded bic soliloquy, be moved
away. and Mabel, stiff with crouching in
. constrained position, overwhelmed with
an agony Of terror lest she should b Der.
ceived. too blinded by fear to consider the
step she was takins--nor indeed had she
time-rushed into the shelter Of the boat
house. For there was door at the side,
OF which she was well aware, and which
was SOW open. BY Il access could b.
gained to Q small room In which were Q
chair. Q table and . cupboard.
Hardly had she reached this when che
recognized her mistake. Approaching
footsteps and voices sounded on her ear
thoas Of man and woman; and they
were coming into the boat house-therc.
Whom she herself had taken shelter!
Quickened BY terror. she remembeed
the loas cupboard situated near the e.
trance. and, cropping. fortunately took
hold OF the open door with her trembling
hands. To step within and to pull Il near
" close 20 % to hide herself from thee
intruders was the work Of moment.
She was none too soon In seeking this
place Of refuge. for the man and the
woman were fairly within the boat house
now, and he was leading her to the seat
close to the cupboard.
my darling. such moment % this II
worth q years common existence. Your
sweet presence trans6gures my life!
dream OF you by night, muse on you b.
day! This alone gives me courage to bear
our continued separation"
"Oh. Horace" said the woman's voice.
with fervor, "believe that my love Tor
you equals yours for me"
Mabel almost betrayed herself-uearly
cried out that she was therefor the wom-
an who had thus expressed her devotion
to this stranger was no other than her
eldest sister Caroline. who was always
40 proud and cold. who held herself alo0f
from her younger sisters and from Dick,
and set herself up as pattern OF perfec-
ton! She to meet stranger secretly at
this hour, and In this place!
Mabel l0nged to cry out: "Caroline, Car.
oline, what are you doingT' But fear
held her spellbOund-the cry she attempt.
ed to utter died away on her lips-and
then cold dread entirely overmastered her,
and she remained silent, motionless, only
longing to get away.
Horace" murmured Caroline, ''you
love me too well! Would that for your
dear sake ] was indeed as perfect as you
think mel"
ssVnu ara mora than r,orfoct ,nv ,,~o