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

their luncheon somewhere in the parkT
Mrs. Succurden looked suspicious and
doubtful; tourists were her detestatlon.
''Mr. Desmond is a friend of mine,
added Gertrude; Il am sure he Woui0
allow me-
''Of course. ma am, that makes dl1-
ference" replied Mrs. Succurden more
graeiously; mot that there's much to De
seen, and the house has been so long
empty-still, if you would care to see II,
ladies'"
The ladies did care to see it, and
promptly descended. As Mrs. Succurden
had told them, there was little or moth
ing to be seen in the interior OF hep-
pington Hail. There were handsome
suites of rooms opening one out OF the
other, few family portraits of doubtful
merit, a good deal Of old china stored
away behind glass doored cabinets IN
such heaps that it could hardly be seen,
and miscellaneous furniture that was old
fashioned without being in any way
beautiful.
''This was Mr. Brian's own room,
said Mrs. Succurden; ''the only time ne
stayed here he lived here entirely. be
was here for three weeks after his poor
uncle's funeral, and that is all the time
he has ever stayed at Keppington since
he became its master" And then the
old woman sighed. "Eh, dear! it's a
sad house now, when one comes to re-
member the past, when all the young
ones were about and there was noise and
laughter from morning till night; but it's
no wonder he hates it now, poor fellow,
no wonder"
''Why does he hate it, Mrs. Succur>
deng" asked Gertrude.
And then Felicia at the window asked
question, too. SIS that the church
down there among the treesT'
Eyes, MISS" replied the housekeeper,
''that is the church, and that yonder is
the gable of the vicarage. All! and that
is a changed house, too, nowadays! a
stranger there with a sickly wife and
tribe of noisy children-so different"
Meanwhile Gertrude leaned her elbow
upon the mantel shelf; before her was
a picture frame of dark wood with closed
doors shut to with a tiny gilded key.
Something, she knew not what, made
her suddenly inquisitive concerning this
frame. She glanced round; Mrs. Sue
curden and Felicia stood with their backs
to her, looking out of windows; she turn
ed the tiny key quickly and opened Its
doors. Before her was a painted minla-
ture of a young girl in riding habit
wearing an oId-fashioned felt hat with
a birds wing at the side; the face was
exceedingly beautiful, the eyes large and
dark, the fea lures regular, the lips full
and very sweet, and hair too was dark,
and the figure appeared to be tall and
perfectly symmetrical.
'"That is Miss Gray" said the voice
of the housekeeper behind her. Ger
trude started and shut to the little door
almost guiltily.
But before they left the little study,
Felicia lingering behind had time to
make one or two private observations.
do you think" she whispered to
Gertrude while they waited at the open
doorway that led into the gardens, when
Mrs Succurden had gone in quest of the
man who was to take her place as
cicerone; ''do you think that there is
Mr. Succurden about, Gertrude?"
Impossible to say-whyy
Because somebody has been sitting in
that room, am convinced just before
we went into it. Did you notice the
newspaper on the floor? and a pen in the
inkstand was wet. and the blotting book
was awry, and, oh, my dear, didn't you
notice the strongest smell of smoke"
"Well, thought l did. certainly. Very
likely some man servant, who appropri-
ates his masters sitting room. Hush,
here comes the old lady. When do you
expect Mr.. Desmond and his bride back,
Mrs. Succurden?'
II doubt if Mr.. Brian will ever bring
her here to this house, ma'am, and in
any case they are abroad for a year, I
hear. If you will walk out into the gar
dens, ladies. the head gardener will meet
you outside
Ito be continued)