Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1900-06-02
CHAPTER n.

nOWeTss u WIS I'LL CUR
den, and the house was oid-fashioncd, too.
and not picturesque. but yet a good
house, substantial and four-square, Of fine
old red brick, nearly ovcrgrOwn with ivy.
1t was set down on a large, close-cut
lawn, the green environment giving a
pleasant, homc-like look to 1t. while
walks, shaded by many trees. stretched
out to right and left.
A bell changed loudly. and before It
ceased there came a rush of youthful feet
along the floor. all approaching the same
point from different quarters. and a sound
Of youthful votes. nll directed toward n
common center. and into a room In which
a long table was spread with cups and
sauccrs, and bread and butter. the Wears
sons and daughters presently came troop
ing-a throne Of lively youngsters, look.
ing like school let loose. except that
boys and girls were mixed together.
The mother of this motley group was
already standing In front of her own
chair, Il tall woman with quick eye, and
n manner that was more curt and decided
than her husbands; the manner Of one
| accustomed to rule. and whose hands
were too full to leave her much time for
the amenities of life.
take your places quietly, children"
she said. Felix, don't push your broth.
| or. Maudc. move your elbows of the ta-
bic. Victor, don't talk till your sister has
| said grace. NOw-father."
This was to the vicar, who, last Of the
small crowd, was entering the room with
| a leisurcly step. His wife waited till he
had taken possession of bis seat. and then
turned to n small person who was en-.
sconced In high chair Oh her left hand.
"Sny grace, Fcmie," she nude her, and
a tiny piping voice uttered a minute
Thanksgiving. And then In a moment
more the silence had ceased. and the
room had become like little Babel.
| This lasted for five minutes; but ut the
five minutes end the door opened. and
another sudden, unexpected hush fell on
| the assembly, while more than q dozen
pairs Of eyes fixed themselves ut the same
moment on Godfrey Helstone as he stood
with his figure framed In the doorway;
| he gazing at the long table, the crowd Of
| youngsters, the piles of bread and but
| ter. After few moments he saw where
| JOanne was sitting. but he found that 10
| mighty loaf was near her.
The vicar rose from his seat, and greet
cd his guest heartily.
"And so you have come! that's right
he said. II am very glad to see you.
Here's my wife. Mrs. Bcrcsford, this Is
| Mr.. HclstOne. Give him a seat beside
you. Come, clear of, my boy, and let
Mr.. Hclstone sit down. They are like a
swarm of bees, you see, sir. Little and
big, we have got them Of oil kinds. Well,
and did you keep long at your fishing
And what kind Of sport did you havcy"
| Godfrey gave his report. For a few
minutes he and the vicar kept up con-
versati0n together from their opposite
ends Of the long table--a conversation
| made possible by the silence that for a
bricfg space rclgned on either side. and
then, Us the buzz Of general talk began
agnin, he turned to Mrs. BeresfOrt, and
to a girl who, seated just opposite him,
had caught his eye almost as soon as he
had entered the room.
She was not jeanne, but some one with
fur greater prctensions to beauty than
jeanne pOssessed--a fair girl, with dark
blue eyes and golden hair. Godfrey ran
his eye along oil the other faces that
lined the table, and said TO himself en-
phatically that no other was like this one.
Was she daughter? he wondered.
He said something after little to Mrs.
Bercsford to draw the information from
her that he wanted. II met one Of your
daughters with Mr.. Bercsford this morn
Ing. ] am not sure whether 1t was your
| eldest daughter"
"Oh, no-you met Joannc." she answer.
cd. "rhis Is my eldest. Lillian" and she
motioncd to the fair-haircd girl, who smil-
ed little and looked conscious. Godfrey
thought.
This appearance OF consciousness anus.
ed him. "She Is the village beauty, I sup.
pose" he said to himself. He addressed
some remark to her the next moment, and
she answered Il with a blush.
"She Is very provincial" he thought;
but yet he followed up his first remark
with second and third.
They rose from table presently, and
the children. began to stream out Of the
room. what pretty place you have
here" Godfrey had already said to Mrs.
BercsfOrd, and so, when they were on
their feet, she asked him II he would
care to go into the garden.
'"rhe young people are always out OF
doors In this summer weather." she said.
III you will 20 out with them they will
like 1t very auckland, LILLIAN. you might
see II Mr.. Ilelstone would have some
strawberries"
so, In. two minutes more, Mr.. Helstone
was walking toward the strawberry beds,
and Lillian was by his side. Half doz.
en- at least Of the others accompanied
them also, but az It was into Lillian's
charge that Godfrey had been delivered.
he thought that he was justified In claim
Ing her attention for himself, and he ac-
cordingly walked beside her.
He rather liked his position, and yet. To
tell the truth. by the time he had reached
the strawberry beds he had begun to
have an impression that Miss Lillian's
mental gifts were not great. III she has
the beauty. suspect that some OF the
Others have the brains," he thought.
THAT bright.eyed creature that I saw
this morning. for instance. has more wit,
] should think, In her little finger than
this one has In her whole body"
And yet he could not help feeling that
Lillian was amazingly pretty. and that
ne liked his walk beside her. though she
did not say a syllable to him that was
worth listening to. nor express an opin-
Ion that II gave him any interest to hear.
ITO Ia continually