Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1900-07-21
CHAPTER XVI,

CHAPTER XVI.
The weather grow very mild In Fcbru.
Gry. and In the soft carly spring days
Mr.. Dallas began to take walks about
the garden, and In these walks It rarely
happened that Rita failed to accompany
him. He would pace slowly up and down
the gravcled paths, with stick In one
hand, and with his other hand upon her
arm. take my arm" Godfrey said at
first, and once or twice Mr.. Dallas did no,
hut presently he said he found that Rita's
suited him the best. 1T IL just the
height I seem to want" he asserted, $50,
II she doesn't mind" And Of course
Rita did not mind; or, rather, she did
mind enough to be disappointed II he nc.
ccptcd any other support than hers.
The girl knew vaguely by that time
that In all her life she had never been 80
hnppy as she was now; she knew, too,
that she liked Mr.. Dallas very much In.
deed; but what their intimacy and their
mutual regard meant and was TO end In
she had not venturcd to ask herself.
But Mr.. Dallas knew where II was
leading him, at any rate. and these days
were gradually making him more serious
than his wont, and inducing many
thoughts and spcculations In him regard.
Ing an until now unexpected future. lie
was getting troubled, too, feeling that
something was going on which II was not
right should go on without Godfrey Hell.
stones knowledge. Ills conscience had
become uneasy.
So Jack passed a few uncom Portable
| days, during which he suffered good
deal. and then at last one afternoon, with
n.
his confession.
"Ive n suspicion. HclstOne, that I
shouldn't he here" he said abruptly that
day to Godfrey.
lie was sitting, as he began to speak,
In his friends study. and Rita happened
| by an unusual chance to he out Of the
way. Godfrey had been reading, and
Jack had been reading, too, but for the
| last ten minutes before he spoke he had
set his book upon his knees. and had
been gazing intentiy into the fire. cngng-
ed, to tell the truth, not without din.
Guilty, In screwing up his courage to
broach the subject OF which his mind
was full.
Godfrey looked up at Mr.. Dallas nd.
| dress.
"That's an old story. isn't it?' he said.
II thought we had dismissed it,
ITS by no means IN old story" re-.
tortcd Jack. III you'll listen to me ! mn
afraid you will find 1t very new, and
perhaps not pleasant on. ! say I'm
troubled about being herc-bccausc Of"
and here he gave u great gulp, "well-
because Of Rita"
because Of whnt?" asked Godfrey,
thinking he had not heard Alright.
"Why, are you deaf, man? Don't you
hear me say--Of RitaY' cried Jack. Civ.
Ing way to his nervousness In a shout,
the absurdity Of which 80 struck him as
he uttered It that he burst next moment
into u laugh.
Mr.. Ilelstonc looked at him In a pug
zled way.
II don't understand you." he said.
Poor Jack took up the poker, und be.
gan to hammer at the fire.
II don't know that ! understand my
self" he said. II am six-and.twenty
years older than she IL, and don't sup
pose she'd have mo, even II you didn't
object; but ] cant get her out OF my
head. that's the fact OF 1t. There now
the eats out of the bag, aud the business
il of my conscience, ut any rate" And
then, with unconscious vehcmence, III
stabbed the poker again into the middle
OF the Goals.
There was complete silence after this
speech. Godfrey sat with his eyes on his
friends face. He was 80 used to hear
Jack talk nonsense that perhaps his first
suppOsition was that he was talking non
sense now, but the look of grave and ner
vOus earnestness with which Mr.. Dallas
sat and stared into the fire made It i'm
possible for this impression TO last many
moments. When II gave way, however
Godfrey found himself almost specchlcs'
with surprise.
rs II possible you are saying this SO
riously?" were the first words he gravel!
uttered.
Seriously? Can't you see ann" sale
Jack.
sand You mean thht you care for--tha
you are-falling In love with Rita"
'l'm not falling-Im fallen" erie,
Jack. "The thing is done; it's no MS,
talking about it. I'm only thinking nov
about her, and YOU"
no be cOntinued)