Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-09-03

Yet the keen eQge OF suspicion nad
entered her heart, as he had said
fight against it as she would, yet she
was tortured with nervous fears and
dire forebodings, and for days she
could think of nothing else.
When Richard was b. her side, and
she could look into his clear, truthful
eyes, hear his frank, hearty tones,
and feel the protection of his love, all
her confidence returned, and she
would upbraid herself severely for hel
distrust.
But when alone in the solitude of
her own room, those ominous words
! Of ADDISON Cheetham's haunted her
continually. This vague, intangible
something at which he had limited
this suspicion Of evil and dishonor,
assumed such monster proportions
that she trembled with fear, notwith-
standing her repeated resolves to
think no more Of the matter.
But she could not help thinking of
it. She grew irritable and nervous;
every sound startled her, every word
annoyed her. Her Indignation against
the author of all this misery grew
stronger and stronger. She almost
hated herself because he had dared to
address her in that familiar and
odious manner. She felt degraded,
dishonored that she had been obliged
to stand and listen to the wild and
passionate words which he had poured,
like melted lava, into her ears.
For several days she avoided him;
she did not once address him, except
courtesy when in the presence of her
lover But his manner toward her
was unchanged; he observed the same
outward decorum, the same admiring
Difference and respect which he had
always accorded her, and no one would
have dreamed of the wild passion
which was consuming his very vitals,
as he thus schooled himself to await
patiently the advance which, sooner or
later, he knew she must make.
Only in one way did he give any
sign that he remembered their
stormy interview. There was in his
eyes, whenever they encountered hers,
sort of intense look, a transfxing
power, that pierced her like an arrow,
and told her that he had not yet done
with her.
Many a time Pearle longed to throw
herself on her lovers breast and pour
out her consuming fears to him-tell
him of the insult that had been offered
her, and claim his authority to send
him away, but something always held
her back, sealing her lips and making
her ashamed to give utterance to her
trouble.
She knew that Richard had un
limited confidence in his friend-he
believed him to be all, and more, than
he protested; and if she should de-
nounce him now, she would bring
great unhappiness upon him who was
as dear as her own life to her. besides
causing perhaps a great deal of ex-
element and comment among their
numerous guests, and it was so near
the time for the wedding that she
could not bear the thought of creating
any unnecessary disturbance.
On the day following the interview
already described between the lovers,
all this tumult and secret fear on the
part Of Pearle was brought to a crisis.
Richard was obliged to make trip
to London upon important business,
and would not return until some
time in the afternoon. Her brother
and his wife and guests were all to
spend the day with Lord and Lady
Cumbermede at an archery party,
while she was obliged to remain at
home to give directions to a London
milliner who had been engaged to
drape the wedding dress and vail,
and arrange a few other things which
only her tasteful fingers were deemed
capable of doing.
She wandered from room to room,
feeling sad, lonely, and miserable.
Again and again she reviewed in her
mind the interview she had had with
Adison Cheetham in the grove, dwell
ing upon his ominous words, and mag
nifying them until it seemed as if
some terrible specter Of the past was
about to rise up and destroy both
herself and Richard.
'I shall go wild if I endure this
suspense longer; it is better to face
the worst than to bear this un-
certainty" she said, before the day
was half spent. eff he really i'm
AGNES that he has discovered some
thing against Richard, it may be some
mistake which I can set right Why
did not I think of this before? The
idea that my true and noble lover can
have done anything from the con-
sequences of which I should need to
will see him, have the matter all ex-
planned, and then I shall have some
peace again. she argued, with feverish
cheeks, as she sat down to her writing
desk, and, with nervous and trembling
fingers, dashed off a few words requir-
ing ADDISON Cheetham's immediate
presence which she at once dis