Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-04-05

uVptUEeu tnp trees. lie cTleu uiouu
as she went. uttering every implorng
word of which he could think as she went
away. with the sound of those terrible
cries ringing in her ears.
CHAPTER NX11.
Back through the sunlight and gloom.
through the tangled brake and the ferns,
through the great forest aisles to the
beaten track of the woods. once more UNI
der the blue sky with the fragrant air
whispering round hcr--an altered wom-
an. There was little trace in this bag
gard face of the duchess; all the cxquis-
lite coloring had faded. the lips were
white. the wde-opcn eyes had fright.
encd. startled look, the dainty bloom ana
the freshness. the youth, the brightness
had gone. leaving it like a stone mask.
She entered the house by the pretty
side door In the rose garden. Almost the
first person she met was the duke, VINO
had returned from the shooting party.
She avertcd her face lest, seeing 1t, he
should mistake II for the face OF the
dead.
Irene. my darling!' he cried. where
have you been? Your dress Is covered
with dust and grass
Her heart almost stood still at the
words. The pale face Of the wounded
man seemed to float before her, his voice
to iii her ears. Then she remembered
that she must be herself, that she must
| speak and act naturally, or he would
| suspect-suspect. lnvoluntarily she rails
cd her white hands and looked at them
to see IL red stain was on them.
Her husband saw the curious gesture,
and, not dreaming Of its cause. said to
her:
"Are your hands dusty? We had no
dust at Durnton-it has been u very
pleasant day."
She mastered herself so far as to
speak, but her voice was quite unlike any
other sound; the horror Of the scene was
on her yet.
II have been wandering about the
grounds" she said. II had a headache
and could not talk
He looked at her and cried ont In gen.
uinc alarm.
"You do look III. Irene; you must rest
an hour before dinner. 1t Is nearly five
now"
| Five! And she had left the wood Mt
three. All, then, two hours of this NOR
| tai agony were over-two long, cruel.
drcary hours.
Have all the party returned?" she
asked.
"All but Sir Hubert" he replied.
"Lady Estmere seems anxious about
him."
She could not help the horrible blanch-
ing of her face or the shaking OF her
hands.
''lIe did not go with u.s." continued the
duke. He followed us to Durnton;
strange to say, we saw nothing Of him.
One of the keepers passed him In what Is
called the Lower Woods, and no one
has seen him since. Without doubt he
has made up a capital bag"
She knew that 1t was a mistake; no
keeper could have seen him, for the best
! OF all reasons-he was not there. The
keeper must have seen someone else
whom he mistook for Sir Hubert. She
saw at Ocnce and quickly how the mis-
take would benefit her.
She went away, smiling to herself with
bitter scorn, but she could not endure her
terrible burden. from the horrible tragedy
lonely room: she must go down to the
ladies' and talk to them-anything 10
make her forget, anything to take her
thoughts from the grcensward and Its
terrible burden, from the horrible ira
gcdy, on which the sun was shining.
She met Lady Estmere In the hall, who
went up to her with wistful face.
Duchess. she said, II was looking for
you. ! want q few words OF comfort
about my husband. Sir Hubert"
what about himf' she asked. her lips
burning. and 50 still she could hardly
articulate.
"He followed the dukes party to Durn
ton, and none Of them has seen him.
am afraid he has missed his way.
would give all l have In this world to
see him just at this moment-l would
indeed. You always comfort everyone
comfort me-"
She tried to laugh. but the sound was
, horrible, even to herself.
"What comfort do you want? Are you
so love sick that IL your husband be- q
few minutes late You must fancy al
kinds OF evil things have happened Il
, him?"
Lady Estmere looked up In wonder.
"How strange your voice is. surel!
, you are not WELL
II am quite well; and am inclined Il
! think that You are fanciful," she said.
II hope l am, duchess, for ! feel reall,
, unhappy about my husband. ! had 1
| strange feeling. a strange presentiment
when he was going away as though som'
evil was hanging over him."
"You are not WE'LL" said the duchess
"thOse fancies often come when one feel
, weak and languid."
, The dinner bell rang, the duchess gath
cred up her dress of blue velvet, with IT.
rich, trailing lace and diamond Orna
ments.
!. They talked much of Sir Hubert dur
ing dinner, perhaps out of pity for tn,
pale face OF his young wife,
: They laughed at the idea that anything
! had happened to him; perhaps carrie,
4 away by love of sport he had gone fur
|, Their into the wood aud SO had MISE,
!. them; but that he should be lost was al
!. nonsense. He would be here soon, laugh
ing at his misadventure.
4 Ladies' left the table, the gentlemen
, drew their chairs nearer together, tn
a daylight faded out of the skies, and We
4 he had not returned; but they did no
Q begin to feel really uneasy until II
!, o'clock had struck and there was no sigI
!. Of him:
0 CHAPTER XXIIl.
As the evening wore on and the beauti
q full face of the young wife grew pale, tn
D gentlemen did their best to sustain thei
courage. Such things often happen, the.