Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1903-09-18

CHAPTER XII.-lContinued.l

In the dimness of the shadowy hall
after the outer glare she scarcely no
1iced the form that doomed before her
until two arms encircled her and she felt
herself drawn into her fathers embrace.
claire, my darling childw exclaimed
abe old man fervently; how happy, how
unutterably happy I am to-day! DIR.
Gresham has just left your mother. He
Mas made q thorough examination and is
entirely satisfied with her condition. A
great change has taken place in her,
(which he assures me will be permanent"
Claire struggled out of that fond en-
Brace, and stared at her father in amaze
aent.
What do you mean?" she faltered;
'Ncan it be that mothers life was in
aangerW
1--WE have purposely kept you in ignor-
rance of the facts" was the smiling re-
ply; ''but now that all danger is past,
gan speak frankly. Yes; we entertained
the gravest fears for your poor mothers
Gfe. Gresham warned me that our mis-
rraSle poverty was killing her by inches"
killing herv gasped the GIRL kill
Eng my mother"
Yes, my child; and her salvation is
due to the thought of your marriage, of
your happiness-to this respite of peace
and comfort"
Claire turned away with a CHASTITY pal
Cor oyerspreading her countenance, which
Rhe dim light of the hall served to con-
zeal; and staggering towards the stair
ease she supported herself for moment
upon the newel-post.
"Aerciful heaven" she thought, her
brain in dizzy, sckening whirl; "my
.So tn
the misery of poverty, and that will kill
my mother. Father, if | have been of
advantage to you, do me favor in re-
kurnw She paused an instant for breath,
and then went on swiftly: when Mr..
tCourtlandt asks for me, beg him to ex-
cuse me; say that l am overcome with
Misunderstanding you choose, so long
as | do not see him until tomorrow.
Father, will you do this for me-"
Certainly my child" was the sur
prsed rejoinder; you shall not be dis
turbed to-day l promise you. But,
Claire" he added hastily as she seized
abe stair rail and sprang up a few steps,
'Claire, there is something it is our duty
to inform you of to-day!'
Yes, yes; l known she painted, Slanc-
iug back at his anxious face; you mean
the poor little child whom we have to
recognize. l agree to il; l will receive
him whenever Mr.. Courtlandt sees fit to
bring him to me-"
And as if patience and fortitude had
alike departed, she fed up the staircase
and vanished in her chamber, locking the
door behind her.
No less mystified than relieved. Philip
Burgess gazed after the white robe with
Sts huttering violet ribbons until it was
2ost to view.
she knows ALP he muttered; "who
could have told her?"
In spite of the innumerable questions
with which he was piled concerning
Glaire's mysterious disappearance, the
old man was rs good as his word, and
insisted upon his daughter being left I'M
disturbed.
All that day and until the following
morning-Claire's wedding mon--peace
and quiet reigned throughout the Bur
CESS mansion. 1t was not until Martha
Dunn entered her young mistress cham
Der at 8 o'clock that the very shadows
that lurked in the radiant sunlight were
startled by the tidings that she brought
down to Philip Burgess
Send for the doctor.. cried the faith
full creature; Miss Claire is i'll, very i'll
and looks as if she were DYING
1t was no cxaggeration Poor Claire
Rad passed night the horrors of which
muss ever remain n secret with her, so
that when the dawn broke it found her in
great exhaustion.
Gresham, upon his arrival, added fuel
10 the FIRE of excitement by stating that
Claire might be able to be dressed and
stand long enough to be married in the
house, but he should forbid her making
ahe. exertion of going to church, rs she
might expire on the way TO Lucian
Eourtlandt, who drove hastily over upon
the receipt of the startling tidings, the
willy doctor said:
''It will be just as we'll, perhaps, for
you to make no public parade of the cere
many, since l ann informed that your
Mrst wifenintends to be present"
Sylphide-here." gasped Courtlandt,
IN dismay.
''She is staying at the village inn under
She name of Mrs. Hastings. SO the soon
or and more quietly the affair is gotten
over the better