Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1900-11-24
CHAPTER VI.

Alone In her chamber sat Irene st.
Mare. She was one Of the fairest of tLe
fair of Vera Cruz .and many a crown
of beauty's winning had been placed upon
her brow. She was nineteen years Of
age. and from her mother she had inner
tied the pure blood Of CASTLE. She was
rather slight In frame. but by no means
too much so; to have added one span to
her height. or one degree to her size,
would have surely distracted from the
perfect symmetry of her form. Her hair
was Of a rich, dark brown, and her eyes
Of that dark, soft hazel which possesses
all the vivacity Of the jctty black, with
nll the mild responsiveness Of the deep,
liquid blue. AS she sat now by the open
window. gazing vacantly out through the
vines that clustered thickly about the
| easement. her full, fair bosom rose and
fell as though the thoughts that moved
within were Of more than ordinary mo.
mcnt. The sun was just sinking. and as
| the last shadows of day heightened out
| into oblivion, the door Of her room was
| opened and her father entered. lie gazed
| upon her fer moments without speak
| ing. and then he moved to her side and
imprinted u kiss upon her check. She
| started as though some small vcnonous
insect had fallen there. Why that quick
shuddcr should have come she could not
tell-the emotion was an instructive one
"a quick movement of her own soul
and she almost wondered at 1t herself.
"Ircnc,' spoke st. Marc, taking u seat
near his daughter. ''wcre you aware that
| Tudel had returned!"
| "ics, Cassandra told me he had come"
| sand suppose you will be ready to re.
ccive him when he shall call upon you?"
IL suppose shall be obliged to see him,
senor."
"Ah. do you still cherish that old hat.
rcd?"
you can call 1t old or not, just as you
please. 1t is my hatred of all things
evil that leads me to dcspise Jliok Tu.
del"
bah! Why will you go so directly mt
work to make yourself miserable, my
child! You must marry with him, and
there should BE- an end Of your hatred;
for by hating him longer, you only SOW
the seeds of your own misery. DO you
not understand it!'
Surely, scnor, l am not 80 blind as not
to see that my hatred of the man will
cause me misery IL he Is to be my hus-
band. But you cannot say that the pow.
or Of banishing the evil lies with me-"
why not, pray"
Go put your hand into the blazing
fire. and see IL you can withstand the
pain by loving the fire."
But my hand was made to be destroy.
ed by fire."
"Ay--and so was my soul made to be
miserable In its forced contact with evil.
I can hardly yet believe that Jilok Tudel
will be forced upon me-"
Take care, Irene. do not allow such
a feeling to creep into your bosom. for
You must be that mans wife. Remenl.
Dor. this Is planned beyond all power Of
redemption"
To this the maiden made no reply, and
after a while her father added:
II simply came TO inform you that
Tudel had come. and thus prepare you
Tor his reception. For the rest your OWE
Judgment will dictate"
With these words st. Mare arose and
left the room. Irene had already prayed
to him enough; she had been upon hes
knees often before him In earnest suppl
cation that this fatal marriage might bS
put away; but he had only maintained a
stern refusal, and she would ask him NO
more. Why she should thus he sacrificed
to a bloody pirate she could not imagine
At times she tried to hope that her faith
or could not mean It, but this did not
avail her. for she never knew him to
triAe. She could only think that some
stern, dark fate had arisen to drag he's
on, and that her father was but one Of
Its tools. And lately she had thought AZ
little Of that father as possible; there was
q chilly sensation In her soul whenevel
she held his name IN her thoughts, and q
dim. unspeakable dread dwelt with heI
when she askpl hersclf vhy this waa N