Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-06-12
CHAPTER XVII,

memory, or, perchance, remOrse.
CHAPTER XVII.
Mrs. Winans sat in her dressing room
before the mirror in the sOftest of easy
chairs, the daintlest of dressing gowns,
under the s.killful hands of Norah, whom
she had retained as her personal attend
ant.
| 1t was a chilly night in November,
but a soft warmth pervaded the rooms,
which were heated by stoves in the base
ment of the house, and the light and
fragrance and beauty within seemed even
more delightful by contrast with the cold
winds that whistled sharply and sullenly
without. A look of sadness was notice
able on Norah's rosy face as with gentle
touches she brushed out the long curls
of Grace's hair that crinkled and waved
in spite of all effort to straighten it.
"Norah," Mrs. Winans had said, a
moment before, sit is the fifteenth day
of November-do you recollect? Little
! Paul-dear little baby-is two years old
tonight"
And sure did not recollect?" answer
ed Norah, brushing away a quick-start-
ing tear; but did not speak of it to you
hoping it had escaped your own mem
ory."
"As if l could forget" murmured
Grace, looking down, and beginning to
slip the diamond ring that blazed on her
taper finger nervously off and on; "as if
l could forget"
Its so strange he can't be found"
unused Norah, keeping time to her words
with the brush that she was plying on
| = I,,J,
ward offered by his father for his restora-
tiOn-forty thousand dollars-why that's
a fortune itself Mrs. Winans, have you
heard nothing of the matter lately?"
Miss Clendenon received letter from
her brother yesterday-she came around
to tell me this morning--in which he
stated there was positively not the slight
est clue yet. The suppositon is that
oh, Norah, think of tits that my little
boy is dead Captain Clendenon is COM
ing home by Christmas-he has been in
Europe ever since February, now, and
even he, hopeful rs he was, has given
up the search in vain!"
And your husband, ma'am? Has he
also given up the search? Is he, too,
coming home?" asked Norah, cautiously
He has put the whole affair in the
up six months longer; then if unsuccess-
full to be abandoned as hopeless. Cap
tain Clendenon has the management of
his business affairs. and will take charge
of this as of the other. Senator Winans
himself, Norah, has gone over to Paris
to France"
ITO France" Norah echoes in sur
prise, why, there is war there
iS
the low reply. my husband is by birth a
Louisianian, Norah. and partly, believe,
of French extraction-his whole sympa-
thies are with that nation. He has join
ed the French army and is gone to fight
the Germans. Now, finish my hair,
please, and you can go. 1t is almost
eleven o'clock"
Silently Norah obeys, gathering up the
shining mass in her hands, and twisting
it into a FURNISHED coil at the back of
the small head, where she confines it
with diminutive silver comb. Then
with a wistful sigh, and plying back
ward glance, she says goodnight and
Grace is left alone.
Alone! how cruelty alone. All her
lifetime row 1t seems to her she will be
thus solitary. She leans her small head
|
whose wondrous beauty is reflected there
in the mirror, and 4 light, scornful smile
curves her lips. Rising suddenly, she
threw up the window and looked out into
the night A gust of cold wind and rain
blew into her face She faced it mo-
ment, then shutting down the window
and dropping the crimson curtains to-
gethcr, passed into her sleeping apart
mcnt. But she could not rest. Her
downy pillow might have been a bed of
thorns. She rose, and gliding across the
floor and. pausi1g one moment in grave
irresolution, put her hand on the sliding
door of the adjoining nursery, pushed it
open and entered by the light that
streamed from her own apartment.
All was still and silent here. Shadows
lay on everything as heavy as those that
clouded her life. She stood gazing mute
ly around her for an instant; then, with
low, smothered sob of agony, rushed
forward, and pushing up the sweeping
Nalenciennes canopy of the rosewood crib
that stood in the center of the room, bur
led her face in the small pillow that still
held the impress of a baby's head.
Then silence fell. Some women carry
beneath calm, perhaps smiling. face
words or tears The acme of human
suffering brushes. paralyzeS some hearts
into terrible silence. 1t was thus with
Grace. Her sorrow had sunk to the bot
tom of the sea of anguish, so deep that
not a ripple on the surface, not a spark
ling drop, leaped up to show where it
fell.
Where shall l turn?' she asked her
self, rising, as with folded arms she pac-
ed the floor with rapid steps, keeping
time to the falling rain outside that pour
! ed in swift torrents as though the heart
of heaven were breaking in tears DER
the fallen earth" Human love. human
ties seemed lost to her, earth offered no
refuge from her suffering. Poor. wrong
ed and tortured young spirit. breathing
in bondage but to bear the ills she never
wrought"-where could she turn but to