Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-07-31
CHAPTER ".

CHAPTER ".
Four years have elapsed since the
events narrated in the preceding chap
ter, and the flight of Courtlandt and his
bride has ceased to excite comment and
gossip long since.
Already the year 1862 is pregnant
with its greatest day, Sept. %, when the
martyr President issued his immortal
proclamation declaring the freedom of
all slaves in the States and parts of
States then in rebellion.
Since that memorable night of dark
ness and storm, in October, 1858, the
| face of the mistress of Rosemont has
never once been seen upon her hereditary
estate. Having been left in competent
hands, the plantation has yielded it's ac-
customcd income, all of which has been
| transmitted through the bankers ut Mo
! bile to Lucian Courtlandt III whatever
part of tho world he CHANGED to be.
| Tor a year the young lawyer and his
beautiful wife travelled from place to
place in the Old World, following the
| fashionable season from London to st.
Petersburg, returning along the shores
of the romantic Mediterranean.
1t had been term of unalloyed delight
| to Sylphide, and when, Mt the close of the
year. lovely baby boy came to join
their party ut Nice, the young wife trem-
bed at her happiness. The horror of
her wedding night with its appalling rev
elation now seemed so far away that she
often wondered whether it had been re-
atty indeed and not the delirum of a
| fevered dream. In the peace and joy of
her maternity she persuaded herself that
cruel Fate had forgotten her, and that
| henccforth she was destined to live in
the suspicious light of favoring Fortune.
| Oscar Couramont had given no sign
| of life; perhaps he had repented; perhaps
he was dead Sylphide could afford now
to wish him no evil, since his baleful
shadow had not crossed her sun-lit path.
Of course m explanation of her in
sensible condition when found in her
chamber at Roscmont on that fatal night
was inevitable; she owed it to her hus-
band, and she gave it him according as
she thought best.
You see l scarcely know how it was"
she murmured as she lay in his arms
upon her recovery to consciousness, "but
when | entered my own room for the last
time and glanced about me upon the ia
miliar objects, it seemed as if father
came back to me from the grave, his face
wan and palld, his two eyes burning like
Goals of fire. ] was terrified, and, fall
| ing upon my knees, l besought him to
tell me in what | had offended him, but
he only shook his head and slowly van
| ished; and then l shrieked and fell faint
| ing"
Lucian Courtlandt smiled tride I'M
easily as he replied:
Il don't believe in visions myself;
| L
what out of the ordinary run of unlaid
ghosts. Were you aware that your airy
visitor wore muddy boots and a wet
| hat"
"Lucianw
at is a fact The print of his hat
has left an indelible stain upon your
sofa, and the muslin drapery of your tot
| let table is soiled and torn"
| With ready tact. Sylphde glanced up,
terror stricken into her husbands face.
Then burglars must have entered my
room while we were at church, she
| cried.
do you have burglars in this part of
the country, Sylphde?' asked Courtlandt
with an amused smile.
"Wel-if not actual burglars" was
the innocent reply, thieves at least, and
plenty of them"
'Ah. But it strikes me as a little
strange that you did not notice these
signs of disorder when you entered your
chamber"
"Now, Lucan, what an idear' she ex-
claimed; is it likely that, in the dim
candle light and considering the excite
mcnt l was lahoriug under, I should be
struck by the sight of few rain drops
| and smouch of mud? How absurd!
Why should the damage not have been
done by one of the dogs? They are fond
of me, and often come up to my ROOM"
Dogs do not climb veranda posts to
second story windows, my dear. and your
| doors were locked"
Il locked themv'
But | found your window open"
Upon hearing my approach, the dog
might have escaped by that means"
! You say the dogs are fond of you, and
| dogs in general are too intelligent to
risk any such jump as that No. my love,
| 1t was no quadruped that entered your
chamber tonight. 1t was manr'
| He felt her weight grow heavier in
his arms, but she managed to preserve
consciousness enough to falter:
What makes you think SOP
/ II have instituted a search of the
place, and have made certain discov-