The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1900-09-01

2
r,HApT'l-E]R !. fCorr1rurn ~


sf e was early IN March when Constance
/ perceived, or fancied she perceived, q
marked alteration IN the demeanor of
her brot d law. He was not less
I kind, and his fraternal attentions were
rendered freely and cordially as ever.
but he was less gay, and was ad dicted
TO hts of q distraction profo und ali All
y though apparently not sad, While his
7.absence from the family circle, ith-25
ont apology, became so common mn y That TT It
ceased to provoke \ Harriet's frivolous 8
wonder, and to disapp oint Mr.. w th he
y Constance had never complained Of or
remarked upon this. But her mind
i was tossed night and day upon a tu--
multuous tide Of conf ectures, she would
,fain have termed apprehe ions, rath-
+er than hopes. Up to this date she had
4 believed her love and her misery to be
7unshared and unsupported by him had
reiterated, in her fimsy self deception,
Thanksgiving tchoKed by tears that she
was the only sufferer from her wretch.
!. ed folly. Did she grow suddenly cruel
and base the moment when the thought
that the error was mutual y aWoke
raptures, the remembrance Of the suf-
rfering he must also taste had not the
)wer to still ?Was the ssalve to her self
1espect supplied by the discovery that
her divinity was fallible man, impo-
tent to resist the subtle temptation that
had overcome her prejudicess and sense
.o1 right, worth the price paid for it? a
new terror, more sweet than any joy
she had ever known, soon laid hold
sof her. 1t was idle to ignore the fact
that Edward furtively, but persistent
5ly, sought a private interview with her.
She might disregard his beseeching
glances, affect to misunderstood his
signals and his uttered hints, might
4 GEEK, In constant ministrations to her
husbands wants and Whims, to guard
herself, and to forget these omens OF a
nearing crisis. But she compreh ended
his designs; marked with a thrill, that
was the opposite to pain, his chagrin
sat his failure, and the augmented rest
lessness of his mien, betokening per-
solexity and desire. What was to be the
end Of this pursuit, and her evasion of
fk, when her own heart was the; temp
I ter's strongest ally? She dared not
hear him say that she was dear to
him as he had long been to her. Know
ling, as she did that she ought to spurn
him from her $atsthe remotest appro ZACH
ito this theme, she was never able ito
say with an honest purp oses that she
was likely to do it. IfSshe doubted his
attentions, she doubted herself yet
more. ], h I'd % o. Is .s
/ ''John,," she called through the front
window, where are you, going What
brought you here ~ s ....zg 81 + +.
d .eMr. Edward told me to call for him
at 4 o'clock, ma'am., ! thought he had
4 spoken to you about Il, 3, was the re-
spectful rejoinder. sS.. s55a n IA @
There was no immediate reply, and
he checked his horses to inquire. + 4. ::
d Twill II go back, ma'm?" fs@4 4 r. ]
mo; go on stis;r1 e E11 H.
She threw herself upon the back seat
again, with throbbing pulses and a
feeling that she had spoken the SEN
,tence which was to decide her fate for
time and for eternity. Heaven help me
Ito stand fastr' the tongue essayed to
Say, and while the heart was melting
into tenderness and vibrating with ex-
pectation. NH "a SsS i vi Mi %s$ :, a&.s
It lacked ten minutes Of the appoint
led hour when they reached the office,
but Edward stood upon the door step,
hat and gloves on. :.> a. I"sss. ss2 ~.
| cit is, good in you to submit SO quietly
TO my smeddling," he began, by the
time he was seated. "But have some
thing to say to YOU, a story to tell
which can keep no longer. You must
have seen, although you have seemed
not to do so, how I@have logged your
steps for some weeks past, in the hope
yof stealing an opportunity for confess
usfon. have sometimes Yentured to
believe that your Woman's wit and
woman's heart had penetrated my Sc
cret; that what entered so largely into
my thoughts and motives, made up SO
much of my life, could not remain hid
den from your eyes. I wanted to tell
you Of it long ago, dear Connie, but
the recollection of what was due to
another withheld me, while I was Yet
uncertain that my love was returned
& 4 had SO little reason for hope, although
4 hope has never tagged mine is a san
s44guine nature. you 5know--7that i hest.
I ttated to speak openly. 4. Now that I can
A Heel firm ground under my feet, ny
4 Happiness is mixed with much alloy.
must either take from one who is q
hopeless invalid the i,ablest and most
lovely nurse that ever man had; !. con
denim him, whose claim the world would
declare to be superior to mine, to lone
Illness and sorrow, Or consent to a sea:
Eson Of dreary waiting before / car
|call my darling my own. Do you won.
e der that thoughts such as hese have
preyed upon my spirits; racked rs ne
with anxiety, even in the blessed houl
y Eof assurance that my devotion was no
wasted ~ &.
q CHAPTER XI.
Al ,ss ] + 4 SVEN ! g 70
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