Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1905-11-25
CHAPTER Nv.

Mr.. and Mrs. Gilbert went TO church
arm.in.arm, az usual. on the morning
after the picnic; Sigismund stayed Mt
home TO sketch. The day was very fine
"A real summer day. with n blazing sun
md "a cloudless blue sky. The sunshine
seemed like a good omen. Mrs. Gilbert
thought. as she dressed herself In the
white muslin robe that she was to wear
at Morired.
She was thinking Of the wonderful hap
pincss that lay before her--an evening
| among pictures and dollhouse flowers and
marble busts and trailing silken curtains,
and with gllmpses Of moonlit expanse
Of lawn and shrubbcry glancing through
| every open window. when a bell rang
loud and shrill In her eur. and looking
round suddenly. she saw man In iiv.
cry standing outside the garden gate.
The doctors wife turned the key In the
lock and opened the gate: but the man
only wanted to deliver a letter.
"From Mr.. Lansdell. ma'am," he said.
She read II very hurriedly twice. and
then all ut once comprehended that Ro.
land was goipg away for some years.
forcver--it was oil the same thing; and
that she would never. never, never, never
the word seemed to repeat itself In
her brain like the dreadful Changing Of
a bcll--never see him again!
She knew thnt Sigismund was looking
at her. and asking her some question
about the contents Of the letter. "What
did I.ansdell say? was Il a put.off, or
whatr Mr.. Smith demanded: but Isabel
did not answer him. She handed him
the open letter. and then. suddenly turn.
ing from him. run Into the house. up.
stairs into her room. She locked the
door. flung herself face downward upon
the bed, and wept as woman wccps In
the first great agony Of her life The
sound Of those passionate sobs was stlfcd
by the pillows amidst which her face was
buried. but the anguish Of them shook
her from head to foot. II was very
wicked to have thought Of him no much,
to have loved him No dearly. The pun.
lshment Of her sin came to her all ut
once. and was very bitter.
Mr.. Gilbert went upstairs by and by,
and finding the door Of her chamber
locked, knocked on tho panel. and asked
Isabel II she did not mean to 70 TO
church. But she told him she had q
dreadful headache. and wanted to stay
ut home.
Mrs. Gilbert got up by and by. when
the western sky was all one lurld glow
Of light and color. She got up beca use
there was little peace for q weary spirit
In that chamber. to the door Of which
some considerats creature came every
half hour or 10 TO ask Isabel II her
head was any better by this time. II she
would have q cup Of tea, II she would
come downstairs and lie on the sofa. and
to torment her with many other thought.
full inquiries Of the like nature. She
was not to he alone witt. her great sor.
row. Sooner or later she must 20 out
and begin life again. and face the blank
world In which he was not. Better.
since II must he 30. that she should begin
her dreary task ut once. She bathed her
face and head. she plated her long black
hair before the little glass, behind which
the lurid skies glared redly ut her. All.
J how often In the sunny morning she bad
stood before that shabby. old-fashioned
glass thinking Of him. and the chance
J of meeting him beside the mill stream.
under the Pickering shadows Of the oak
leaves at Thurston Crag! And now II
was all over, and she would never. never.
never. never see him again.
, She went downstairs by and by. In the
dusk, with her face as white as the tun.
, bled muslin that hung about her In limI
: and fabby folds. She went down into
the little parlOr. where George and Sigs.
: mund were waiting for tea.
She told them that her head was bet.
ter: and then began to make the tea
scOoping up vague quantities Of congo
and gunpowder with the little silver
I scallop-shell which had belonged to Mrs
Gilbcrt's grandmother.
but you've been crying, lizzie"
George exclaimed, presently, for Mrs
Gilhert's eyal!ds looked red and swollen
In the light of the candles.
"Yes. my head was So bad 1t made
me cry; but please don't ask me any
more about it." Isabel pleaded. pitcously
II suppose 1t was the p--picnc"-sht
, , nearly broke down upon the word. re-
membering how good he had been to heI
all through that happy day-"yesterday
+, that made me ILL.,"
~ dare say 1t was that lobster salad
Mr.. Gilbert answered brlskly. II ought
|. to have told you not to eat It,"
Sigismund Smith watches his hostess
with grave countenauce, while SHE
: poured out the tea and handed the cup'
= right and left. Poor Isabel managed Il
all with tOlerable steadiness; and then
. when the miserable task was over, she
" sat by the window alone, staring blankly
!, out at the dusty shrubs distinct In thu
n moonlight.
CHAPTER XVI