Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1900-06-23
CHAPTER VIII.

Next morning the two friends parted;
Jack was bound for Lincolnshire; God
frey's destination was his own home.
They babe one another good.by ut Stat
ford, and by four o'clock In the afternoon
Godfrey reached his journeys end. and
In a few hours more had returned to his
ordinary life, to his study and his books,
to the compa nionship Of his mother and
of Margaret.
1t was only a month since he had left
them, yet how long ago II seemed! He
sat In the drawing room after dinner, and
talked to Mrs. Helstone and his cousin,
and told them about his holiday, and the
Beresfords. or course he had good deal
to say about the Bcresfords, and Mrs.
Helstone was curious, and asked a good
many questions. Perhaps she wondered
whether her son had escaped from the
society Of SO many girls with his heart
| whole.
II was pleasant enough for him to sit
| talking to his mother and Margaret
| again, but even while he talked a face
| that was neither Of theirs was haunting
his memory, and stirring his heart with
feelings Of which a month ago he had
known nothing. He mentioned JOanne's
name. but having said her name he hard.
Is spoke OF her again. He talked the
most Of Lillian and Edith and Clara. lie
praised Lillian's beauty. but almost in the
same breath In which he spoke Of her
lovely face he also spoke of Mr. Francis,
and how she was TO be married to him
before the end OF the year. "Ics, jeanne
Is pretty. too" he merely said once, "but
no one would think Of comparing her with
Lillian, or with the eldest OF the Arthur
| Bcresfords."
After few days had passed his ignor.
ancc as to all that jeanne might b. 10.
ing. or what might be happening to her,
began to fret him terribly, and his own
forced inaction, too, became very hard to
bear. When a fortnight had gone by he
invented some excuse for writing to Vic
tor. The boy was fond OF reading. aud
he bcthought him Of sending him some
book, and with the book he also wrote
a letter, In which he asked generally af
ter the welfare Of the family. and II his
father and sister had returned home.
His little gift, he argued, would insure
an answer. and In two days the answer
came--a boyish. brief epistlc. but con.
tanning the information Godfrey desired.
'rhe governor came home last week."
Victor wrote. but nobody. knows when
jeanne will come. Aunt Russell cant
do without her, l suppose. She's better,
thougl-Aunt Russell. ! mcan-and not
going to die. mother says"
The tidings did not amount to much,
but Godfrey kept the lads letter In his
pocket aud read It q dozen times.
Very soon after this he began to settle
In his mind that In week or two more
he would 20 TO town and see her. He
had taken care to note down Mrs. Rus.
sells address when he had had Joannc's
letter In his possession; he began to fig.
urc himself now as going TO her aunt's
house and asking for her. lie would ask
for her. and send up his card. and she
would come to him In a little while. with
that bright look Of quick inquiry on her
face that he knew 50 wcll--Of quick In.
quiry. OF half expectancy, and, might
be not hope, OF welcome too?
For, without any cOnccit, he thought
she would be glad to see him. Her life
In Mrs. Russcll's sick room. he argued,
could not be so cheerful but what a
change from 1t might naturally enough
please her, and he was connected In her
mind. even II she should have no more
than u common liking for him, with hap
py days and with her own people. She
would see him willingly. he confidently
thought, and would tell him frankly that
she was glad he had come.
And then? Godfrey's Imagination paus.
cd u little at this point. afraid OF daring
too much ut once. Even ut that first
interview with her he knew that the
question he was longing to ask her would
be on his lips, but whether or not he
should ask 1t then he could not tell. lie
must read her face before he could re.
solve upon that, he thought.
~ never had a cold like this before In
my life." thought Godfrey in the middle
OF that night, when he awOke with his
head on fire, and pain in his throat that
seemed almost to choke him.
He slept II little, and then, when the
time for rising came, he rose, pcrsuad
ing himself that he should he better on,
OF bed. and went down stairs and Joined
the others.
u have had stupid. fcvcrish night.
he said to his mother. as he greeted her
lie drank some coffee. and then retired
10 his study, and there, an hour aftsr
ward, Margaret found him. lying on IL,
sofa with u flushed face.
She had come to his room to ask how
; he was, and the sight of him brought M
anxious look to her pale eyes.
TO be cOntinued)