Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1900-08-18

then they talked little more cheerfully
about what they would do when the
money was at their command.
That same evening Felix came home
looking slightly preoccupied. He had
seen one Of their oldest clients go into
George Malcolm's Office, and the vicar of
the parish, the Rev. Daniel Hunter, had
passed him with the coolest of bows. He
also had an impression that there was
something wrong. He could tell neither
what IL was nor why II was.
Felix thought that there would be time
to walk over to The Lines. He had
very beautiful book that he had bought
for Violet, and he wanted to give 1t to
her.
II struck him, when he entered the
drawing room Of The Lines, that the
three assembled there had been speaking
Of him, their greeting was so awkward.
so constrained, 10 unlike the genial, kind
" rcception that had always been given
to him hitherto. Mrs. Hayc held out her
hand TO him, but her eyes fell, and her
husbands half.murmured words were In.
audible: Violet looked embarrassed; and
for the first time under that hospitable
roof the young lover felt III ut ease.
Wnen ne ulu Tue NOiuiuc vi the touie,
Mr.. Haye took 1t up.
This must have cost something" he
said, "for It Is very handsome. 1t would
be better to save money than to spend It
we none Of US know when the evil day
may come"
II do not fear evil days." remarked
Felix, with oil the sauguine hope Of q
young man.
"The wisest among us may expect
them" said Mr.. Haye, briefly.
When he had said eoodn night to the
two seniors and asked Violet II she would
walk to the gate with him, Mrs. Haye
interposed.
ut IL too cold" she said. "violet has
been complaining Of headache all day;
she must not 20 out"
| And the tone was so decided. so stern,
that Felix could not oppose Mrs. Haye.
He held ViOlet's hand one minute In his
he tried to look into the depths Of her
beautiful eyes, but they dropped from
his, and he could not see them. He left
her with few whispered words, feeling
more unhappy than he had ever felt be-
fore.
For the first time he noticed that night
look Of anxiety on his fathers face
Nor was the mystery lessened when on
the day following Mrs. Lonsdalc, going
on her daily round Of shopping, met the
wears wife, Mrs. Hunter, who stopped
to speak to her.
"This Is a very sad affair, Mrs. Ions
dale" she said; md Kate, looking at her
asked quietly what affair she meant. She
looked 10 entirely unconscious that the
i vico "a xvifo Orna aurnrtaad
"Have you heard no bad news of-of-
any one?" she asked; and Kate answer
cd:
mo"
Then Mrs. Hunter related some triAinJ
little story; and even rs she related !,
Kate told herself that she was inventinl
It. With her honest, straightforward
eyes she looked at the Wears lady.
"You are not telling me what was II
your mind when you first spoke to me.
she said. What were you thinking Of
Mrs. Hunteri"
But Mrs. Hunter, after laughingly par
rying the remark, hastily said good.morn
Ing In q very embarrassed fashion, and
walked away.
Mrs. Lonsdale went home with ter
rife sense Of foreboding. Her pretty
house seemed almost to Cypress her. Sh,
wished that she had not burdened herself
with a nursery gOverness; as for the new
silk dress, II no longer gave her the leas
pleasure. What was this cloud hangin,
over her husband and her children? Wa
It only nervous fancy, or was there evi
looming In the distancef
She was soon to know; and when sh,
did know II proved to be even greater
than she feared.