Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-04-18
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CHAPTER V.

Bed sleep with a vague presentiment of
Impending evil She heard the small
clock on the mantel Ginning seven, and
looked about her half bewildered. The
shaded taper burned family in the room,
and the gray morning light stole dimly
through the closed shutters and lace cur
gains. Her baby lay on her arm, sleep
ing sweetly in his warm, white nest. She
raised her head little, only to sink back
Yearly with n dull, fevered throbbiny
~ her temples. and sharp panG Of re-
Enemhraucc
size will come presently" she wills
peced to herself. "but | wonder where
Ae Isl and as she bent over little Paul,
laying her round. white arm on the pill
bo1, the sharp edge OF the note graznd
her yelvet-like skin. She looked ut it,
shrinking, afraid then. with terrible
effort over herself. her trembling hand
fCok it up, her shady, violet eyes ran
SHer the contents:
Oh. Grace" it read, you know that
1 adore you-tOo well. too we'll. for
cannot bear to live with you and know
IlTs your heart-the heart l thought SO
nholiy and entirely mine-has ever held
She image of another! You should have
old me Of this before we married. You
Bronged me bitterly, Oracle, but [ will
sut upbraid you. Still, until [ can learn
10 curb this jealous passion of mine,
will not. cannot remain where you are.
q should only render you misera BILE. You
snd my boy will remain III my homie
remember. command this-and You will
draw on my banker as usual for what
SINUS you may need or want. / do not
limit you in anything, my wife. my own
tdoi5zed Wife-please yourself in all
shiugs, do as you like. and try to be con-
sent and happy. If | can ever overcome
shIS jealous madncsS-can ever reconcile
myself TO knowing that | was second in
stead of first in your pure heart, [ will
c"rne to you, but not till then. Try to
oe happy with our little boy. and forgive
your own erring, unhappy
PAUL"
White and still as marble. the deserted
wife sat holding that mad note in her
aand, looking before her into vacancy.
l.0veless. specchless. A terrible, over
"heIming sense of her desolation rushed
spon her; but strangely enough, her first
$houghts were not of her husband in his
Jealous grief, but of herself-of the scan
ana che disgrace, the nine-days' wonder
Shat would follow oil this. She knew
aer husband well enough to know that
once his mad resolve was taken it would
&c adhered to. He was no Bruce Con
say with wavering. doubling will, that
could be blown aside by passing breeze.
firm. proud, sensitive. but unbending 9s
sE3gmant. was Paul Winans when once
aSS resolution was taken.
a dumb horror settled on her soul as
she realized the meaning of his letter. He
hiamed her as having willfuiy deceived
asEH. She had not meant to do so: she
aad not thought it a matter of any mo-
a1sent to Paul Winans whether or not
sac had loved before she met him. Other
men would not have cared-why should
aeE He had not questioned her, had
&Eken her past for granted. How could
she tell him of that unsought, scorned.
neglected love that had darkly Swallowed
asRC JOY of her young girlhood? He was
unjust to her. She felt it keenly in the
midst of her sufferings
4 hundred conflicting emotions surged
Maliy through her as she sat there, no.
tsoftiess and pale, until moment after mo-
saessS went 10y, and the Overtaxed BRAIN
S3o ovcrwrought heart gave way, and
5aesScd uuconSCl0uSneSS stole upon her
Nsth her hands folded loosely in her lap
oTsr that cruel note, sharp despair
Swallowed forth in that lovely face, the
stately head fell forward and rested
heavily on the pillow beside the child
Sorah found her thus when the cooling
solce of the awakened babe reached Ter
EARS IN the nursery. His pretty black
eyes were sparkling with gIee, his rosy
sips prattled baby nothings, his dilnplad,
white fingers were twisted in the bright
&urls of his mothers hair as they swept
sa1ur;antly over the pillow.
She came back to life with a gasoing
sigh, as Norah dashed a shower of ice
S:rter into her face. opened her eyes,
saId. Don't, Norah, don'tr and drifted
Sack to the realms of Inconsistencies:
and so deep WAS the swoOn that this time
all Che reStoratiycs of the frightened
Nocah failed for Il long time of any effect
The day passed quietly away. She
A8a bEletiy explained to the curious SER
warts that their master had been called
stt by an emergency that required his alb
aeRce from home. She did not know at
what time he would return-he did not
snow himself yet In the meantime all
Sousd go on in the house as usual. And
@Sfh this miserable subterfuge, for which
at'c dcspised herself, the young wife tried
ass shield her husbands name from the
skavp arrows. of censure.
9w0 or three visitors were announced
sssnt evening. but she quietly declined see
Sog company. She was not patient, nor
y@e impatient. y dull. reckless endur-
s@ee uphrld her in that and succeeding
Says Of waiting that passed the same.
She heard nothing from her husbatsl. She
spstSt her time altogether with her little
stsrss never seeing company nor going out
sSEeu Norah took the child out for his
Ssity airing and ride through the fresh
Sw, she whiled away the time till his re-
sHs" hy reckless playing on the grand
sssssse or organ, in the elegant drawing
sNesns She couG not settle herself to
seaong. sewing " any other feminine en-
Steyment She filed up the great blank
wat had come into her life as best she
Sssig1at with the sublime creations of the
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