Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1900-01-25

see how necessary it is, for he certainly
ought to do it," continued Vera. You
see I cannot help being interested in it
because Mr.. Daintree is such good
man, and has worked so hard to get up
money to begin the rest Of the church.
He had quite counted upon the chancel
being done, and now he is so much dis
appointed; but, I beg your pardon, this
cannot interest you"
But it interests me very much. Why
does not somebody put it in this light to
Sir John; he would not surely refuse.'
my brother-in-aw, Mr.. Daintree,
mean, did ask him last night, and he
would not promise to do anything"
The stranger suddenly left her side and
walked up the church by himself into the
chancel. He went straight up to the east
end and made minute examination APP
parently of the wall; after that, he came
slowly down again, looking carefully into
every corner and Granny. Vera thought
him very odd person, and wondered
what he was thinking about.
He came back to her and stood before
her looking at her for minute. And
then he made this most remarkable
speech:
eff you were to ask Sir John Kynaston
this he would restore the chancel!' he
said.
For half a second Vera stared at him
in blank amazement. Then she turned
haughtily round, and flushed holly with
angry indignation.
There is nothing more to see in the
church," she said, shortly, and walked
straight out of it.
The stranger had followed her; when
they reached the churchyard he said to
her, quite humbly:
II beg your pardon, Miss Nevill: how
unlucky | am to have made you angry,
to begin with"
Vera looked at him in establishment.
How did he know her name; who was
he? Then, before she could answer him,
she saw her brother-in-law over the pal
ing of the vicarage garden. The stran-
ger saw him, too. and lifted his hat to
her.
Good BY" he said, rather hastily; 81
did not mean to offend you; don't be an
CRY about it." and. before she could say
word, he turned quickly down the
churchyard and was gone.
Vera" said Eustace Daintree, com
ing leisurely up to her, chow on earth do
you come to be talking to Sir John?"
"Who was it?" cried Vera, aghast.
''Why, Sir John Kynaston, to be sure.
Did you not know it was he?"
She was thunderstruck. Are you quite
sure?" she faltered.
why, of course! / saw him only last
night, you know. What did he say to
you, Vera? How came you to be talking
to him?" pursued her brother-in-law
II only let him into the church. / did
not know who he was. l told him the
chancel ought to be restored-by him
self"
Eustace Daintree looked dismayed.
How very unfortunate! 1t will, per-
haps. make him still more decided to do
nothing"
Vera smiled little to herself IT hope
not, Eustace," was all she said But al
though she said no word Of it to him.
she knew at her heart that his chancel
would be restored for him.
Late that night Vera sat alone by her
fireside, and thought over her mornings
adventure; and once again she said to
herself, with a little regretful sigh,
Whose, then, was the photograph ~
But she put the thought away from her.
After all. she said to herself, it made
no difference. He was still Sir John
Kynaston of Kynaston Hall, and just as
well worth a woman's while to marry.
She had made some mistake, that was
ALL and the real Sir John was not the
least romantic or interesting to look at,
but Kynaston Hall belonged to him. all
the same.
A week later Sir John Kynaston sat
alone by his library after breakfast, and
owned to himself that he had fallen
hopelessly and helplessly in love with
Vera Nevill
This was all the more remarkable be-
cause Sir John was not very young
man, and that he was, moreover, not of
a nature to do things rashly or impul-
sively.
He had come down to Kynaston to
hunt; but hitherto hunting had been very
little in his thoughts. He had been down
to thesvicarage once or twice; he had met
her once in the lanes. and he had longed
for a glimpse of her daily; as vet he had
done nothing else. He opened his letters
on this particular morning slowly and
abstractedly.
There was one from his brother "I
wish you would ask me down to Kynas-
ton for a week or two. old fellow. I
should like glimpse of the old country
Write and tell me If l shall come down
on Monday"
This letter Sir John did pay attention
to. He rose hastily, as though not a mo-
ment was to be lost, and answered it:
Dear Maurice-I can't possibly have
you down here yet. My plans are very
uncertain, and if you are going to take
your leave after Christmas you had far
better not go away from your work now.
Ii / am still here in January. shall be
delighted if you will come down"
He was happier when he had written
and directed his letter
II must be alone just now he muir
INJURED. 81 could not bear Maurice's
chatter--it would jar upon me-
CHAPTER v.
About three miles from Hyde Park
Corner, somewhere among the crossroads
between Mortlake and Kew, there stands
a rambling, old-fashioned house known
as Walpole Lodge, within about four
ocroc ~ 0arf5on surrounded bv a., very