Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-05-20
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER I.
"Dick, Dick, where are you? See II I
Win ever lend you another book Of mine!
You promised you would keep II only
three days at the very longest, and now.
Just when have q nice half.hour oil to
myself--"
Hush, Mabv said Dick, emerging
from the shelter Of curtained recess In
The old-fashioncd sitting room. "The
patef Is just outside with Uncle John,
and, II they get hold Of me, l shall be
sent OF with some message half dosen
miles away. As for your book, have left
II In the library; that Ii the reason did
not get It for you. 30 you see you must
watt"
'.rhe libraryv echoed NAB. ruefully.
wei. ! will try to slip In. But listen!
Father IL coming out Of the library now.
and Uncle John with him. shall get the
book after air.
The girl whispered the last sentence
plainly audible outside In the corridor
uncle. She hesitated no longer, but went
swiftly and lightly by a side door whence
she could gain access to the library.
NAB lost not a moment In locating her
story book. She had hastily clutclied her
treasure. and was about to fly back again.
when the door was reOpencd, and. to her
alright, her father, followed By Uncle
John, came back. A few words. however.
from the former treasured her, making
her decide to remain behind the shelter Of
the curtain, and not to betray her pres
ence.
YES" said her father, "here II In, John.
! always know your stick from mine by
this mark on the knob. Come along! We
viii start at once, and you will return
With me and dine and Sleep"
~ suppose must" replied the other.
I'VE shall hardly Be back before seven
o'clock"
''No," said MAIDS father: then. lowering
his voice cautiously. be added another
sentence which made Nab feel uncom.
Portable. "Shut the door. John: want to
cay another word to you before we start.
This letter II on my mind. After all. as
you say, II IL risky to carry such . secret
about with one. and We must read II
through together before We destroy IT,"
II should think so!' interrupted Uncle
John.
80 will put II In here" continued
Mab's father, opening q tiny drawer In
his large writing table.
'That will be safer" remarked his
brother. But where are your keys? You
would surely never leave such paper
IN drawer which was not locked. even
for q momenty"
II must have left them on the toilet
table," was the reply. a. the speaker has.
lily closed the narrow drawer after throw
Ing the letter inside. "Well, will fetch
the keys ut once. just to case your mind;
but I con assure you that neither the
Girls nor Dick would venture to open any
OF the drawers In my writing table. They
stand In too much awe Of me; and It II
we'll that It II so-the faiutest suspicion
Of what this letter contains would raise
hornets nest about your ears and mine,
and Dick would have no mercy! No, no;
that secret must be forever hidden. You
call me a careless man, hut think
have kept It well concealed oil these
years."
"Great heavens, the merest whisper
would be destruction" cried Uncle John.
In horror.
"well, you know what care have aI.
ways used, and that lately have insisted
man. That puts me at ease about this
letter. None Of the servants would bc
likely to decipher II. even II II were drop.
ped; but We will read II over together, and
then destroy II. But bark! That 10 sure
" Lord Fallerton's voice! TIE footman
has shown him into the drawing room.
must 20 and see him."
Just then the door Of the library opened,
and q f00tman announced to his master
that Lord Fallerton was In the drawing
room, or else perhaps Mr.. ChaFlford might
have thrust the paper into his pocket. Az
II was, he allowed the servant to hold
open the door for his exit and that Of bis
brother, after which the trembling Nab
was left alone.
She was by this time wrought up TO
high pitch Of excitement. She was Dc.
voted to her elder brother Dick: she was.
besides, very young aud impulsivc, and
she fancied that her father aud her uncle
were plotting something against Dick.
There was q secret, which be was new
Or to know, which, Il he knew, be would
b angry about! All, poor boy! But she
would dare all for his sake! She would
read the paper. Yes, II was wrong to do
so-Mab felt that. even In this moment Of
excitement, but she was very impulsive.
The girl was q good German scholar; Il
would be easy enough for her to decipher
the few lines on the paper hidden within
the drawer Of her fathers writing table.
Without q moments pause for copsid.
GRAFTON, and gaining courage from the be-
lief that her father would be detained at
least half an hour by Lord Fallerton, who
was q great talker, the girl aew to the
table, snatched out the paper and dsrted
back behind the curtain to make herself
mistress Of Its contents.
Well might her hands tremble % she
was about to unfold it!-f0r Nab had new
or In oil her life been guilty Of such an &C.
ton before, and but for her love of Dick,
which had blinded her for the time, and
for her fathers sternness. she would not
have done this thing now. And, as II her
repentance was to begin Immediately,
even before she was cOgnixant Of that for
which she had risked 10 much, she heard
her fathers step, her fathers voice; and
he entered the library, followed by Lord
Fallerton, his visitor.
Half dead with fear, Nab thrust the let
ter into her pocket, 40 she covered behind
the shelter Of the curtain. She could not
Aave moved for very terror; she stood
spellbound, yet she was fully conscious Of
what was going on In the room few
PAGES from her.
And then Uncle John entered with some
keys In his hand, and, going straight to
the writing table, locked the drawer
which he supposed held the very paper
which now lay at the bottom Of Mab's