Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1900-04-05
TOM she began. coldly.

On, yes, you understand me perfectly.
Give: me my letters, Miss Neyill; you
have no doubt read them all,' and she
laughed harshly and sneeriDgly.
Mrs. kynaston, you are laboring I'M
der some delusion," said Vera, quietly; Il
nave no letters of yours, and if had"
with ring of utter contempt, Il should
not be likely to have opened them"
/. You are saying what is false" cried
Helen, angrily. How can you dare to
deny it? You know you have got them,
| you are here to give them to Maurice,
knowing that they win ruin me. You
shall not give them to him. | have come
to take them from you--I will have
! them
| II do not even know what you are
| speaking about" answered Vera. "Why
should want to ruin you, if, indeed, such
thing is to be doney'
Don't imagine you can put me off with
empty words, cried Helen, wildly. She
made step forward; her white hands
clinched themselves together with a rea-
sonless fury; she was as white as the
crescent moon that rose beyond the trees.
Give me my letters-the letters you
are waiting here to give to my husband, ;"
1 she cried
Mrs. Kynaston, do not be so angry"
said Vera, becoming almost beWildered
by her violence; "you are really mistak-
en-pray calm yourself. / have no let
tiers; what was going to giveNyour hus-
band was only little parcel from man
/ who is abroad-he is foreigner. | do
not think it is Of the slightest Importance
to anybody. have nor opened it, have
no idea what it contains, and your hus-
| band himself said it was nothing-only
l have promised to give it him alone; it
| was whim of the little Frenchman who
| intrusted me with it, and who, l must
| honestly tell, l believe to have been half
mad"
! Mrs. Kynaston was looking at her fix
| eddy; her anger seemed to have died
away.
YES" she said, sit was Monsieur d Ar
blet who gave them to you"
That was his name, D'Arblet. l did
not like the man; but he bothered me
until I foolishly undertook his commits
sion''
Miss Nevill!'' cried Helen, suddenly,
''give that parcel to me. entreat you. !"
II am very sorry, Mrs. Kynaston; l
cannot possibly do so.'
| ooh, yes, you can-you WILL said
Helen, imploringly. what can it mat
ter to you now? 1t is / who am his
wife; you cannot get any good out Of a
mere empty revenge. Why should you
spoil my chance of winning his heart? |
know we'll enough that he loves you,
but"
Mrs. kynaston, pray, pray recoilect
yourself; do not say such words to me!,
cried Vera, deeply distressed.
"Why should / not say them! You
and I know well enough that it is true.
I hate you, am jealous of you, for |
know that my husband loves you; and
yet, if you will only give me that parcel,
I will forgive you'll will try to live at
peace with you'll will even pray and
strive for your happiness! Let me have
a chance Of making him love me-"
"For heavens sake, Mrs. Kynaston, do
not say these things to met cried Vera.
She was crimson with pain and shame,
and shocked beyond measure that his
wife should be so lost to all decency and
self respect as to speak so openly of her
husbands love for herself. Il will not
and cannot listen to your
'You will not give it to me" There
| was a sudden change in Helen's voice
she pleaded no longer.
No. certainly not"
''And that is your last word?'
eyes"
There was a silence. Helen looked
away over the water toward the fir trees.
She was PALE but very quiet; all her an
CRY agitation seemed to have died away.
| Vera stood a little beneath her on the
lowest step. close down to the water; she
held the little parcel that was the object
of the dispute in her hands, and was look
ing at it with an expression of deep an
noyance; she was wishing heartily that
she had never seen either it or the wretch
ed little Frenchman who had insisted up
on confiding it to her care.
Not sound-only once the faint cry OF
some wild animal in the far-off woods,
and the futter Of a night-moth on the
wing. Helen's face was turned eastward
toward the fast-fading evening glow.
What is it that sends the curse of Cain
into the human heart?
Did some foul and evil thing, wander
ing homeless around that fatal spot, enter
then and there, unbidden. into her jeal-
i GUS soul? Or had the evil spirit been
always there within her, only hiding
it's time to burst forth in all its naked
and hideous horror!
Heaven only knows.
how lovely they are. / am going back
to dance; want wafer lily
/ Vera looked up startled. The sudden
change of manner and the familiar men
ton of her name struck her as strange.
Helen was leaning toward her, all flushed
and eager, pointing with her glistening,
| jeweled fingers over the water.
Don't you see how white they are,
and how they CLEAN in the moonlight like
silver? Would not one of them look love-
~ in my hair?''
81 do not think can reach them, said
| Vera, slowly. She was puzzled and half
frightened by the quick, feverish words
and manner.
..Yes, yes, your arms are long-much
| longer than mine; YOU can reach them
very we'll See, / will hold the sleeve of
| your dress like this; it is very strong. /
can hold you quite safely. Kneel down
and reach out for it. Vera. Do, please |
want it so much. There is one so close
| there inst beyond YOUR hand Stoop over