Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-01-17

bell quilted the room as Sarah entered
softly, but not so softly az to escape the
quick ears of the grandmother.
''Sally-what dreadful time you have
beenr' said Mrs. Eastbell.
II have been talking to Tom"
"You will have years to talk to him
may be only with you few more days.
It's awfully firing, this up and down
stairs business. Not half as comfortable
as at st. Oswald's after all. wish that
I had never left the place."
"You are tired tonight, and desoon-
dent, that's all. VIII you try and rest
now?"
"Rest in this house, Sally" cried the
old lady ironically, there isn't much
chance Of that, with people tearing up
and down stairs at all hours, and the
servants banging shutters and locking
doors as if we were in a prison. Somebody
came into my room last night, blunder-
ing, but l could not find out who 1t was.
Into your room?" asked Sarah, very
anxiously now, where was Hartley!
II packed her off two days ago. She
snorted in her sleep like horse. want
rest, child, not the noise Of steam en-
CINE in my ears
''You are too old to rest alone-you
cannot lock your door even," said Sarah.
II must come back as in the old days.
grandmamma, if you send Hartley away
Why shouldn't have my little crib III one
corner of this great room, as when you
and / were sharing life together in ST.
Oswald's?'
You're mighty anxious about me, -
said Mrs. Eastbell fretfully, land yet
you have flounced yourself off for three
days, and without rhyme or reason
81 was anxious about Reuben Culwick
i could not rest longer without seeing
him. He is very poor, grandmother,
said Sarah; she has been very unlucky
in life. l found him in a back room in
| Drury I4ane-a half-staryed, haggard-
looking man, borne down by the disap-
| pointments of his life. This was Reu-
ben Culwick-in whose house we are
who was once our friend when we were
Door and low-who saved me when had
not power to help myself This is the
man forever foremost in my thoughts.
Why should l hide it from myself or
your
She buried her head in the bedclothes,
and the shriveled hand stole forth and
rested on the flowing mass of raven hair
there.
Don't go on so, SALLY won't forget
him. l promised long ago that l would
never forget Reuben Culwick didn't /?
I'll keep my word. AS soon as ever /
am strong enough the will we talked
about shall be prepared"
Sarah passed from the room, and stood
rejecting on the sheep's-skin mat out
- 40 &la A a
distance attracted her attention, and
seemed to shape her motives, for she
beckoned to her cautiously, and even went
a few steps toward her.
''You should not have left your mistress
whilst [ was away" Sarah said reproach-
fully; "she is too old to be left Watch
this room till l return, and see that no
one disturbs my grandmother by passing
noisily along the corridor"
Sarah left Miss Hartley to marvel a
little at the instructions which she had
received, and went thoughtfully down
stairs, pausing now and then to consider
the new position of affairs. She passed
into the garden. She was hot and fever
ish and the night was close. In the cool
| fresh air she might be able to shape out
better, clearer course, if the current Of
events should turn against her and her
project for Toms departure from Sedge
Hill. She had grown very much afraid
of him, of late days; she had lost every
atom of confidence; and the man whom
| he had brought iNto the house had been
well-known character in Potter's Court,
| for whom the police had made inquiries
during her short stay there.
| She had left the house some hundred
yards when footsteps on the gravel path
arrested her attention. and checked her
further progress. They were coming
slowly toward her-and she shranl1 at
once into the shadow of the trees, with
the instinct to be unperceived and watch
| full. Trouble had come thickly in her
way, and she must fight against it as best
she might.
There were two persons advancing in
her direction-who could they be, at that
hour of the night, but Thomas Eastbell
and Peterson, plotting together against
the peace of Sedge Hill? They were soon
close upon her; they could have heard
her loud breathing had they listened; but
| they were deep in conversation, and I'M
mindful of a watcher. The path was
broad and white, and their figures were
easily distinguishable, striking at Sarah
| Eastbell's heart with a new surprise and
an awful sense of treachery. They were
those of Captain Peterson and Mary
| Holland!-the former talking in low
and energetic manner; the other listening
with her gaze directed to the ground, and
with her hands clasped on the bosom of
her dress. There was Il light gauze scarf
on Mary Hollands head, and the ends
| tuttered in the night. breeze as she pass
| ed by. There was not word which
| Sarah could catch att was a new phase
of mystery for which she was not pre-
| pared, which seemed to place her very
much alone in the world after the dis
covery.
When they were in advance of her,
Sarah stole from her hiding place and
| proceeded in their direction, keeping to
the shadow of the trees. She paused
before entering upon the broad and open
| space of ground in front of the house
where they were standing, and whore
| Captain Peterson was still debating with
| the silent woman still looking on the
ground. She watched them separate
without a glance toward each other, the
man entering the picture gallery through
I tho hoy-wiudOu and Mary Holland rIro-