Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-05-16
CHAPTER X.-(Continuedl

her clear mind, she turned instinctively
to seek sympathy in the eyes of Bruce
Conway, only to discover, with dismay,
that he was not looking at her nor the
speaker. His face was strangely white,
his eyes were looking across at the OPP
posite gallery at some one-a pretty
girl Lulu judged from the expression Ct
rapt interest he wore. Silently her glance
followed his, rowing over the sea of
faces till it found the focus of his, and
this is what she saw:
Near to, and on the right of the Re
porters' Gallery, a lady leaning forward
against the railing, her dark, passionately
mournful eyes following Paul Winans
with deep, absorbing interest. All the
faces of fair women around her paled
into insigniticance as Lulu looked at that
pale, clear profile. as classically chiseled,
as faulty faultless" as if cut in white
marble by some master hand; the vivid
line of the crimson lips, the black, arch
ed brows so clearly defined against the
pure forehead, the ripple of palegold
hair that, escaping it's jeweled comb at
the back, flowed in a cascade of bright
ness over the black velvet dress that
fitted so closely and perfectly to the full
lection of gracefulness to the watcher.
A tiny mask veil of black lace that she
wore had been pushed unconscously back
over the top of her little black velvet hat,
and so she sat in her pure, melancholy
loneliness before the eyes of the girl
who interpreted Bruce Conway's look
Alright, and knew before she asked
word that this could be no other than the
H. I'D al
upon-the fair, forsaken wife, the beau
tiful and determined recluse-Grace Wi
mans. She touched his arm with an
effort, her heart throbbing wildly, her
breath coming in a sort of gasp.
"WilI you tell me the earthly name
of the divinity who absorbs your fat
tering notice."
He started violently and looked round
like one waking from a dream. Her
voice in it's tones was much like her
brothers, and she had used almost his
very words at Ocean View when he first
saw Grace. No effort of his will could
subdue his voice into it's ordinary firm
ness, as he answered:
"Oh, that is the Hon. Mrs. Paul Wi
mans"
II could not have imagined any one so
perfectly lovely"
"Grace here's it possible?" comment
ed Mrs Conway, lifting her eye-gass to
stare across at the young wife. well,
really l wonder what has happened, ard
why she is here, and where she is stay
ing2 l must find out and call"
In which laudable desire she contin-
ued to gaze across, trying to catch the
young lady's eye; but Mrs. Winans had
neither eyes nor ears for any one but her
husband. Her whole soul was intent on
him, and when the speech game to an
end she remained in the same rapt, eager
position until, just as he was resuming
his seat amid the prolonged applause, enc
of those strange psychological impress
sions that inform one of the intense gaze
of another caused him to look up, and
his dark eyes, still blazing with eloquent
excitement, met the deep, imprisoned
gaze of her violet orbs, swimming in I'M
shed tears; he sank into his seat as if
shot.
AS for her. she started up. Mortified at
having betrayed her presence, and was
trying to jget out of the thronged gallery
when a sudden request to have the gal
leries cleared while the Senate went into
executive session set all the crowd on
their feet and moving toward the doors.
Mingling with them and quite unaccus-
toned to visiting the capitol unaccom-
panied, Grace found herself suddenly
alone, and quite lost in a maze of corri-
doris far away from the moving throng
of people. PerpleNed and frightened at
she knew not what, she hurried on, meet
ing no one of whom to learn the way out,
until as she desperately turned into yet
another long corridor she stumbled
against a gentleman coming in the cppo-
site direction. Looking up she met the
surprised eyes of Bruce Conway.
"Oh, Mr.. Conway" she almost sobbed,
81 have lost my way and cannot get out
of the capitol; will you set me right?'
Before a word had passed his lips,
while she yet stood with her dark, up
lifted, appealing eyes burning in Con-
ways soul, a quick, ringing step came
along the corridor, and Paul Winans
stood beside them, towering over both in
his kingly height and beauty. And the
untamed demon of jealous nature rose
In his eyes and shone out upon the two.
Am l to believe my eyes?' he ques-
toned, in fiery tones. Il saw you in
the gallery-here in Washington, with
out my huoWIeuSe OF consent go TO
seek you and place you under proper pro-
lection, and find you-you, my wife
clinging to this mans arm, your eyes up
lifted in such graceful alteration as
would make your fortune on the tragic
stage. 1t would seem that Mr.. Conway
has not suffered enough at my hands al
ready"
The latent nobility in Bruce Conway's
nature passed over the taunt unnoticed in
his solcitude for the yonng creature who
stood trembling between them. beloved
by each, rendered so fatally unhappy by
both.
Senator Winans," he said coldly, but
earnestly and remarkably for one of his
wa7erlng nature, there is no need for
this scene. l encountered your wife in
purely accidental manner only this mo-
ment. She could not find her way cut,
and requested me TO show her the en-
trance. She was frightened and alarmed
and had you not come up as you did. /
- hara onp,nlia1