Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-07-19
CHAPTER vi

CHAPTER VI.
After Henry was gone, Darlington
rode over to say goodbye to Mrs. Taze-
well before taking the train for Chicago.
She had wondered for some days at his
absence. She had missed him. Her
household interests were few, and rid
ing alone was a BORE Fairfax had no
intimates Of her own sex, and had passed
the time since Hugh's last visit reading
and yawning over a novel, taking it up
and putting it down at intervals, and
never quite sure of her place. She was
not a woman of intellectual resources.
II suppose you came to get the check
for your tobacco" she said, as he en-
tered the drawing room. Here it is:
Pay to Fairfax TazewelP-guess for how
much"
Fifteen"
"No! Seventeen hundred and eighty
three. Looks as if you might stave off
your creditors a little while longer,
doesn't it?"
$50 it Does" Hugh answered, careless
ly, folding the check in his pocketbook.
'Have you heard from your husband
lately?"
Mrs. Tazewell stared at him in sur
prise. "What an extraordinary question!
What possible interest have you in my
husbands letters?''
''Jt occurred to me it might be the pro-
per thing to ask" Hugh said, politely.
give never done it before"
"No, don't believe you have. Well,
since you ask, l have heard from him
quite lately. He is lecturing to young
men on Success in Life or 'Life's Sue
cesses,' / forget which. He has an au-
dience which he describes as the bone
and sinew of our country. [ suppose
they are greasy mechanics and over
dressed clerks. He seems to like it; l
can't for the life of me see why"
I'm afraid the general receives little
home sympathy in his philanthropic
schemes" Darlington suggested.
He expects none," answered Fairfax.
81 leave all such poses to my esteemed
niece, the daughter of the major. l be-
lieve she instructs lot of negro girls in
the usages of polite society, or has classes
in French and embroidery, l forget
which"
How has Miss Mamie Tazewell in
Cured your ladyships displeasureY'
Hugh spoke calmly, but spark Of an
ger was in his eyes.
"a dowdy little backwoods girl, with
boarding school We're de We're manners
I met her in town a few weeks ago, at a
friends house, and tried to be agreeable
to her-though I admit I hadn't recog-
nized her at first"
and she did not respond to your kind
ly patronage is, after you did see
herr" Hugh asked, blandly.
''She was extremely disagreeable, not
in what she said, but in her manner. She
was a regular penny -a-liner duchess.
What is wrong with you, Hugh? You are
very dull. l have not seen you for 4
week, and you are as prosy as caller
on day-at-home."
I've been up all night. 1t doesn't con-
duce to brilliancy."
Loyalty was a Darlington trait Hugh
felt that he owed Fairfax much. They
were intimate friends. She had sympa-
thized with him in such troubles as he
cared to share. Her companionship had
been his chief pleasure, and her house
his sanctuary when pressed by his cred
| itors Her name had covered his CON
signments of tobacco. She had never
been inquisitive about his affairs. If she
had any knowledge of his consuming pas
sion for the dollar for the dollars sake,
she made no reference to it.
Carrington's feelings towards Mrs.
| Tazewell were a curious compound He
| had spoken quite accurately when he told
! Miss Tazewell that he was fond Of her
aunt in a way. There had been few occa-
| sions when their intercourse had verged
| towards the sentimental Only once, on
| a moonlight night, with the ring of their
horses hoofs on the hard road, and the
| beauty of the softened landscape steal
ing into his heart, the thought of the
| loneliness of his own life without her
| made him forget all else. He told her
| then that he loved her. that life without
| her was not worth while. The restive-
ness of her horse had prevented other
! demonstrations. She had gently rebuked
him. but had not been offended; and their
intimacy had continued as if his wild
! words had never been spoken. They had
| been uttered on the impulse of the mo-
ment; he had had no ideas beyond the
! expression of his feeling; and he knew
! afterwards that he would have been sad
| ly embarrassed had she answered in the
| same strain.
/ Hugh, on this spring morning, watch
| ing her as she sat so cool and impassive,
with one arm leaning on her desk, began
| TO wonder If she cared for him at all. In
| her naughty beauty she seemed almost
| incapable of loving, however much she
might inspire love, and q perverse spirit