Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-04-12
IRENE'S vow
By CHARLOTTE N. BRAEME.


remembered how often she had seen him
fondling tie animal. 1t must have gone
to the wounded. helpless man. who had
found strength to tie this round his neck,
and send him home.
Pale, GREATNESS. her heart beating al
most to suffocation. Irene listened. In
her heart she cried out that it was unfair,
Heaven had not intcrfercd to save her;
but 1t had interfcrcd to help the man who
had betrayed her. In that one minute u
hundred thoughts rushed through der
mind. and the picture that dwelt there
longest was of the dukes as he asked her
the name of the man who practiced this
vile fraud upon her-askcd her as they
were standing by the sunlit fountain III
Rome.
There was n russia great stir-a cry
She looked up. Lady Estmcrc lay faint
ing on the terrace, with u group Of clec-
triiied ladies around her, aud the gentle
men were all bending over the dog, the
duke foremost among them.
Irene" he called. excitedly, come
here"
She rose. though her limbs trembled so
that she could hardly walk. Tall. state
~. with her rich dress and trailing laces.
with her diamonds and her white face,
she hastened to him. The group Of men
made way for her.
Col. Leighton held the dog in his arms,
| and the duke held a white pocket hand'
kerchief stained with blood.
"Sce. Irene" he cried; II am sure !
am right. Sir Hubert Is lying some
| where wounded In the woods. and this
! dog has found him. lie has managed to
tie this round his neck, and send him
messenger to us
He stopped abruptly. for the CHASTITY
pallor of his wife's fac startled him.
do not be afraid, my darling" he
cried; ''hc must be living or he could not
have done this"
But in her heart she was crying out
that heaven had helped him-had taken
her vengeance from her.
| 1T must be So" THE duke Is quite
right" Messengers should be sent at
once" were the cries she heard oil round
her: and the duke opened the handker-
chief, that all might see 1t. There was
his name plainly worked in one corner
aud near the work was great crimson
stain. 1t was quite evident that some.
one had tied 1t round the dogs neck.
There was great excitement among the
group; some of the women were weeping
like children. and strong men had grown
pale. The duchess stood by. cold, silent,
motionless as stone.
The duke went mp to Lady Estmcre.
"Take courage, my dear he said, kind
ly; IL feel sure now that all will DO well
Hubert has certainly met with som,
accident. but we shall find him and bring
him home for you to nurse. Cheer ny
and get well for his sake. Irene" h,
continued. "sec, my darling, that Lady
Estmcre Is attended to-" but the duchess
stood by motionless-she neither moved
nor spoke.
Then the duke ordered all the keepers
all the men servants in the house to be
called together, and u regular. orderly
search to be instituted.
They found him, although more than
once the men, with the coOlncl at thei,
head, had been tempted to give up til,
chase.
They followed the little dog, although
It seemed useless. Sir Hubert. the.
said to each other, would never be abb,
to wander through this tangle.
But they found him. and when Col
|
like Il dead weight on his arm.
He Is dead" cried the coolncl; NV,
have come too late"
But one of the men laid his hand OF
Sir Hulbert's breast.
He Is not dead; his heart BEATS" h,
said.
The accident was patent to all-in fall
ing the trigger OF his gun had caught II
1 l. - III
contents were lodged In his side; the.
could see, also, that his ankle had beel
broken. How long, they asked each 9th
err, had he been lying here 80 crucll
wounded
He could hardly live until they rcachc
home. His face was CHASTITY white, an
his lips burned with cruel thirst. Blu
what seemed the most strange was thi
that they found on one OF his bruised
cold hands woman's wedding ring.