The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-17
Miss Trenaine went out about five min
utes ago.
CHAPTER w.
Eleanor'S Champion.

GiSduOT SnaE1piOHs
'Hargrave Denton bit his lips with vexa-
ton. His self-esteem had received an. un-
expected thrust. Surely after her word
this could only be regarded as slight.
He walked away raging. He could Ill
bear being disappointed Of anything on
which he had set his heart, and behind
this disa ppointment lurked the uncom-
Portable feeling that for no reason he had
very nearly quarrelled with his mother.
Had he not been SO absorbed with his
own feelings he might have questioned the
footman and so probably would have learnt
Of Mr.. Tremaine's seizure; but he knew
nothing Of this, and all he thought was
that Eleanor had been guilty OF an unpar-
donable act of coquetry.
The truth was DR.. Munro had noticed
the girls disturbed manner and evident
unstrung condition, attributed her pallid
cheeks and darkened eyes to anxiety con-
corning her father and want Of rest, and
had insisted upon her taking exercise In
the open air. He suggested her riding,
but she was in tune with nothing out Of
herself and preferred to walk She entered
Hyde park, making her way towards Ken
sington Gardens, where she was more like
ly to obtain the quietude of which she was
in need.
That mysterious blood-stained paper
| whether it was a shameful practical joke
or really had a sinister meaning-had
| shaken her nerves, and she was not I'M
willing to take the doctors advice
| She was thankful the paper had fallen
into her hands and had been seen by no
eyes but hers Not for worlds would she
have her father know of it, and she burnt
/ the sinister epistle, retaining only the en-
velope. 1t occurred to her that some day
the peculiar character Of the writing might
give clue to the writer.
The fresh air, the bright sun, the blue
sky, f1ecked by a. few fleecy clouds, some
what revived her. Mystery, crime threats
| had chased each other thru her brain all
night long, and seemed then hideous
realities enough, but now, In the sun
! shine with the buzz of the prosaic and
workaday world around her, they were
! but chimeras
She crossed the Serpentine bridge and
approached the more secluded part OF
kensington Gardens. She had uncon-
! sciously gone further than she intended
and, beginning to feel tired, stood fol
a moment hesitating whether to return
or not. Suddenly voice behind her said
II hope I am not in the way, Miss
Tremaine.'' -.. .... ....... ...-
She statred, turned, and saw Hargrave
Denton, whose footsteps over the soft tur
had been unheard by her. .-+
The glitter of his small dark eyes wa:
unpleasant, the tone of his voice equal.
so. His words suggested he had surprised
deeply, and the consciousness that sht
was appearing In false light before Har
grave Denton Of all men in the world
for she felt instinctively that he was on'
who would rather believe in the worse
side of things than the better-vexed he
beyond measure. She scarcely knew wha
to say. -..
'I suppose he went on, quoting hi
own words to his mother earlier In thu
dow az n.
only to be broken
! II beg your pardon" she answered, il
an embarrassed tone. Yes, I did MAX
a promise to you. Really. I quite forgot
Please forgive me-"
She quite forgot! How slight must b
the place he occupied in her mind. TIL
reflection added to his modification. H
bit his lips, and under the influence Q
l wounded vanity and jealousy his face be
3 came positively ugly.
8 "Of course I forgive you. It Is the dut
, Of man to forgive, I suppose. 1t seem
. to me women have laws of their owr
and if men only knew what they were
would save a great deal of trouble.
reckon they make these laws on the spu
\ of the moment and to suit the circum
3 stances of the case I'll.
His tone and manner were overbearint
sarcastic, almost insulting. Eleanor re
sumed her self-possession instantly.
You are talking in riddles, Mr.. Der
TOM said she, iciy. Il had better leay
Z you to solve them by yourself. am ne
in the humor." 49,.
She turned as If to retreat. He was
a her side in an instant. Tho he had Il
y his tongue say. more than he had il
= tended, and tho he was conscious he ha
- been extremely rude, his passion for h.
was none the less, and the cooler she We
. the more heated he became. The though
- flashed across his mind that II she wei
= really there in a lonely part of tt
4 gardens to meet some one was there NJ
an exquisite satisfaction in cutting o,
RI a rival, or at all events spelling the 10,
= meeting?
. You are not going like this, Eleanor
.. he exclaimed, excitedly. II have rig
: to an explanation. BY Heaven! I admi
you more than any other woman in tt
Il world But that is nothing; perhaps W
d don't care a rap about my admiratio
You promised yesterday to grant me tn
If afternoon an opportunity Of saying som
,r thing which has been near my heart +
n weeks and weeks, and, like fool, I
# lieved you meant what you said. I call
at your house at the time appointed
, find you had gone out. I need not say
was bitterly diSappOinted: but T accent