Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-12-14
CHAPTER X


CHAPTER \.
The morning Of the 2Sth OF April was
so fair a one that Il even rose brightly
above the grimy roofs In Great Cumber.
land Place-so fair that 1t looked with
u sunny smile even through the dim win.
dow Of that sitting room Of Helen Ar.
chcr's. In Randolph road, Kilburn; so
fair, that It was just as II should be. for
the dawn Of that impossible day which
had lived all night In Nora's dreams. And
as she misunderstanding a few stray items
Of girlish 6nery, which relieved the SOM
Der blackness Of the well.wOrn dress, and
going constantly to the windows to look
up. she sang softly to herself. In the glad.
ness Of her heart.
Nora's breath came In gasp as she
looked out. The handsome drag, with its
high, cushioned seats. the shining Of the
silver ON the harness, the liveried ser.
wants. Mr.. Poynx sitting so still, with
that dangerous collection Of rcins In his
hand and. above all, the four FESTIVE
horses with their glossy coats and arched
necks, filed Nora with q wonder Of hap
piness which actually bcnumbcd her, as
pain might have done.
Without giving any reason for his
choice Of route, Mr.. Poynx drove round
through Kew and Richmond; and, though
no rarely addressed Nora when she sat
80 utterly silent iu the intensity Of en-.
joyment, he still had ever an answer
ready for each Of those breathless Ques-
lions OF hers--an answer which taught
her something Of the spots they passed
while It seemed only Idle summer chat.
Presently the houses stood more thick
~ on the margin Of the road. then clus.
tered about q long green, across which
the horses sped among few scattered,
watching figures. And then the last coun-
try town was passed, Mark said, aud
they would soon be In Guildf0rd. Then
they turned eastward from the town, and
rolled on, down sheltered lanes and across
q baby river. to such a sweet and tran.
quill valley that It seemed as IL that world
Of London which they had left In the
morning must he In another hemisphere.
And there. before them when they stop.
ped, was an old gabled house. standing
broad and low on lawn Of smoothest,
brightest turf. and from the gate came
Wiiloughby Foster. running like boy to
Of his error the moment he found himself
attempting to reach Nora arst Of oil.
He was called from her before he had
won an answer to his cheering remark,
and then the horses were led away, the
wraps deposited In Wills rooms, and the
little party set out for the spot whe.s
they were to dine. and where Mr.. Foster
had invited other guests to meet them.
When the meal was over aud the
party dispensing. Mr.. Poynz came up to
Nora, a. she stood by one OF tho tiny
archsd windows Of the long room.
"Aiiss 1t. George" hc said, twill you
come with me for few minutes? I want
to show you the lake. They will all be
down there presently. and" he added,
following tho direction Of her eyes, "Miss
Archer has been taken possession OF, you
see. by that pleasant old lady with tho
gray curls. Come"
They went. talking merrily the while.
across q wide. sunny stretch Of grass,
and then up little wooded knoll. Hut
when they reached tho top Of this, and
Mark said. "There's the lake." they stood
quite still, to look down upon It. It lay
ON their right. In the hollow beyond this
rising ground; and on their left. facing
the water. stood q silent. uninhabited
house-s long. lofty building Of gray
stone, with pointed arches over every
ioor and window. and a tall tower at
each corner.
Nora's eyes went back again down the
gentle slope to the water, and then to
the house again; then once more to the
lake shore. fastening themselves there
upon a low, closed boat house. the Tat,
leaden roof Of which caught the sun rays
and held them hotly. Then the girls
gaze, growing more thoughtful and pux.
xled, slowly traced the path from this
little boat house to one Wide, low win.
dow, opening like a door. In the tower
nearest the lake. upon the eastern side Of
the house.
II feel as II had seen all this before"
she said. yet Of course that 10 lmpos'
sible."
"Unlcss You have seen 1t In a picture"
"A picture" she echoed. thOughtfully.
"How and where could have seen 1t In
u plcture?"
II win tell YOU" Mark said. gently. II
have brought you here on purpose to tell
you"
| w. ~ s""t WY sput Whe'V sNV ""StSAl
was taken which he had seen In Mrs.
Corr's Irish cabin. he told Nora the story
Rachel had narrated to him year be-
fore.
They walked for while in silence after
that, Nora wondering why Mr.. POynz
should have proposed this, and wondering
still more why 1t was that she felt such
deep. real interest In the story he had
told her Of Heat0n Place.
Presently. leaving the open park. they
passed through hrwood. where the bare
trees stretched like boundless vista Of
columns. Then they came out again into
Q sheltered little valley on the outskirts
Of the park, where a low, white house
lay safe from every eastern breath, and
where the buds Of dropping willow on
the lawn shons Ike emeralds against thu
dark and somber green Of the ysws. IL
stead Of walking up the lawn, Mark led
Nora. to the side Of the house, and open
% . aarrow gate among the yews. ~