Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1905-08-25


''Laybourne-Laybou Where have
I heard that name?" murmured Felicia
to herself. "And they were married at
Frierly. The late Prof. Laybourne's
only daughter. Why, of course, it must
be the same girl. Oh, poor, poor Roy!"
and she, too, dashed down the paper i'm
patiently.
"Roy being the schoolboy cousin they
wanted you to marry? inquired Ger
trude But why poor Roy? And what
can he have to do with Brian Desmond's
marriageY
"Oh, never mind, never mind, replied
Felicia, almost angrily, retreating sud-
denly back into the room behind her.
She was genuinely sorry, and angry, too;
with the girl who perhaps had broken
her faith to Roy to marry Desmond.
But Rqy's love affairs did not interest
Mrs. Talbot; she was thinking of other
things.
''Then 1 suppose he married her either
out of pity or because he did not know
what else to do with her. Mark my
words, Felicia, that marriage will be an
unhappy one"
II don't see how you can tell that"
not love her! he has had past, that
man, a grand passion in his life, which
is by no means dead. I don't know
what it is, but it is certain that little
Miss Laybourne has nothing to do with
it. Brian Desmond's life is not over
yet; he is a long way from the blessed
condition of callous Indifference to the
reopening of an old wound that Is the
nearest approach to happiness for which
some of US can ever hope. You will see
that he will live to break his wifes
heart yet if she loves him and to wish
himself dead and buried, too"
Gertrude Talbot flung back her hand
some head and laughed, showing all her
white teeth and fourishing about her
hands with a free, careless abandon OF
action, till all the rows of little gold
bangles on her wrists jingled merrily
upon her hands.
What are we going to do to-day, my
dear?' she cried gayly. This dead
alive place is becoming almost too much
for my strength of mind; the sands are
infested with babies and the cliffs are
hot and blazing. What possible enter
tainment can you suggest for the day
Tor a woman of intelligent aspirations
and a temperament that positively col
lapses without the stimulus of novelty
and excitement?
Il am at my wits ends. Suppose we
send for the waiter:' suggested Felicia.
The bell was rung, and the waiter
shortly appeared.
Waiter" said Mrs. Talbot, 1--WE want
something to do; how do people as a
rule amuse themselves when they come
down here to stay, when they are tired
of looking at the sea and of sitting on
the beach?''
Thus appealed to, Caleb Griggs
scratched his head. pushed out his lower
lip and pondered deeply.
''Ah, yesv' he exclaimed suddenly;
there is a house, fine house, too
not an old house-but a very nice place
with a good park. It's a long way from
here, certainly good ten mile or more
but then the horse could be put up for
an hour, while the ladies walked about
the park, and the family is away, so that
no doubt the housekeeper could be in
duced to show two ladies over it, and if
they would like to take their lunch in
q basket"
''The very thing. the very thing!' cried
Mrs. Talbot, excitedly; 1--WE will go there
What is the name of this place, and who
does it belong top
Its called Keppington Hall, ma'am
and it belongs to a family of the name
of Desmond. The present owner he amt
been there much; but did hear as how
he was lately married and is to bring
his lady home soon"
Gertrude glanced at Felicia significant
ly.
"Order the fly at once" she said to
the man, land we will go and put our
things on. 1t really is a wonderful piece
of luck; of all places on earth Brian
Desmond's house is the one | most wish
to inspect just now, and / had no idea
it was within reach of SmacktOn. | al
ways think there must be some reason
why he never goes there: he succeeded
his uncle, you know, three years ago.
There was horrible railway accident to
the Flying Dutchman, you remember,
daresay. Lots of people were smashed
and old Mr.. Desmond and both his sons
wee killed; it was awful, of course for
them, but capital thing for Brian. who
was poor as a rat before that; but it has
always passed my comprehension why
he has never lived at this place: perhaps
we shall hear something from the house
keeper l shall tip her well and see if
we can pick up anything
CHAPTER MI.
Keppington Hall stood half way up
upon the southern slope of a range of
round-topped moorland hills that frown-
ed gloomily down upon it from above,
and fiat-terraced gardens, well laid out
and we'll kept surrounding it: but upon
the slopes above the solid white stone
building, the trees became sparser and
were more stunted in form and height
till at last they melted away altogether
among heather. and clumps of grey rock
into the sterner landscape of the moors
overhead.
The woman at the lodge, upon Mrs.
Talbot's request that they might be per-
mitted to go over the house and to eat
their luncheon in some corner of the