Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-05-25
CHAPTER NNl.

Inc upsnOt OF tne matter WAS tnut 6ne
proposed dcfcrring their wedding to that
indeterminate date, "the day John and
Hetty marry" to which Uncle David
readily acceded, with a sly smile, having
reasons Of his own for believing that
that event would not be far Off.
Hetty's heart would have been lighter
that Saturday night could she have shra-
ed Uncle David's confidence In the I'M
mediate future, but the outlook did not,
as she viewed 1t, promise well. Her
mothers opposition, though less bitter
than 1t had been, was no less determined.
and was now settled upon new ground,
from which II seemed impossible to dis
lodge her. She no longer made much
OF the old feud between the Mulveils and
the Camerons, over which she used to
lash herself into a fury. Now, with u
dramatic intensity Of expression that
would have been ludicrous had II not
been so evidently In deep earnest, she
declared that 1.-The curse Of blood" lay
between Hetty and her lover and must
forever keep them apart.
"Whosc bloody" demanded Hetty.
when this astounding declaration was
first made to her.
"Simcon Mulvcil's, to be sure. Didn't
John Cameron lure him to his deathY"
Didn't he 90 to his death like fool,
chasing man he had no business to fol-
lowY'
"Yes, he had business. I sent nim."
oh! Then, II sonicDody else than
himself must be held responsible for his
fate, don't see but what you, mother.
and not John Cameron, are to blame"
That was precisely what the widows
accusing conscience said to her, notwith.
standing all her endeavors to persuade
herself that not she, but John Cameron,
had caused the constable's death, and II
was naturally exasperating to lind that
view SO readily taken by another.
"Of course, you would try to clear him,
and don't wonder at 1t, for by rights
you are as much to blame as he IL. II
you hadn't cnticed him to run away with
you, your cousin would never have had
to follow you and been led to his death.
But III not argue with you, Hetty, for
you have no right feeling for your moth.
err; but ! tell you, once for oil, and you
may as well make up your mind to It, you
shall never become the wife OF man who
has the blood OF Mulveil on his head,
and that Mulveil your own cousin. not II
he Is the last man In the wOrld.'
They had gone over that dialogue, with
more or less unimpOrtant variations and
notifications, SO many times that II
seemed as IL they were rehearsing some
thing they meant to play by aud By,
when they both were cline perfect" But
they ended 1t variOusly; sometimes one,
sometimes the other, and generally both,
became angry. On this particular even
ing, Hetty vehemently declared that
whatever her mother or anybody else
might say to the contrary, she would
marry John whenever he wanted her TO.
"HOw do you know he wants you!"
sneered the widow. "He didn', marry
you when he had chance to. Either he
didn't want you, or he hadn't the proper
spunk OF a man. Either way. l wouldn't
think much Of him IL were in your
place."
1T was a cruel thrust, but the girl par
ried 1t rs well as she could, tossing her
head with an air of Indifference and an.
swering mysteriOusly:
"rhat Is as far as you know about It.
We had good reasons. We can afford ia
wait until we are ready"
"Ah! And fine time he's having In
the city while waiting. no doubt. He
can afford to wait. It's an old girl you'll
have got to be when he troubles him.
self about you again. You needn't look
for him In hurry"
''Old McFarlane's comm up the lane,
comm a-cOurtin' man," shouted Danny,
In a sing-song tone, poking his grinnins
face In at the kitchen door.
"Get out, you shameless young villain"'
cried Mrs. Mulveil, making feint OF
throwing at his head the heavy candle
"a molds into which she had just drawn q
set OF wicks.
The lad fed, chuckling and humming;
"Comin' a-cOurtin' man," up to his gar
ret den, as the old lady sprang to her
feet. exclaiming:
''Drat the man! What does he want to
Gene here fort The idea! Come, and do