Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1905-12-02
The Doctors wife
~ MISS N. e. BRADDoN


the March winds were blcaker and more
pitiless than usual. Isabel went across
the meadows where the hedge rows were
putting forth tmid little buds to be nip.
ped by the chill breezes. and where here
and there a violet made a tiny speck of
purple on the grassy bank. Mr.. Lans.
dell was standing on the bridge when
Isabel approached the familiar trysting
place, and turned with smile to greet
her.
II am going to the city, Isabel" he
said. after standing by Mrs. Gilbert for
some time. staring silently at the water;
IL am going tomorrow morning"
Going away" cried the doctors wife.
piteously; "ah. knew you would go
away again. and I shall never see you
more" She claspcd her hands In her
sudden terror. and looked at him with
world of sorrow R,d reproach In her
pale face. II knew that it would he SOL"
she repeated. ~ dreamed the other night
that you had gone away. aud | came
here. and, oh. II seemed such a dreadful
way to come. and kept taking the
wrong turnings. and going through the
wrong meadows: and when | came, there
was only some one--somc stranger--who
told me that you had gone. and would
never come back"
But 1sabel--my--love-my darling"
the tender epithets did not startle her.
she was 50 absorbed by the fear Of los.
ing the god Of her idolatry---"I am only
going to town for a day or two to see my
lawyer---tO make ARA MISUNDERSTANDING
mcnts Of vital Importance should be
4 A. la,
CURED the smallest hazard by delay ing
them an hour. You don't understand
these sort Of things. Isabel; but trust
me. and believe that your welfare Is
denrer to mo than my own. must 60
TO town: but l shall only be gone day
or two-two days at the most-perhap s
only one. And when I come back. lizzie.
I shall have something that involves all
the happiness Of my future life. win
you meet me here two days hcnce--on
Wednesday at 3 o'clockf You will.
won't you. Isabel? This shall he the
last time. 1sabel-the last time I will
ask you to incur humiliation for me.
nenccforward we will hold our heads
high. my love; for a. least there shall be
no falsehood In our lives"
Mrs. Gilbert stared at Roland 1.ans.
dell In utter bewildcrment. She was al.
most stiticd by mingled grief and indig.
| nation.
II did not think you were ashamed ia
meet me here sometimes" she sobbed
out: you asked me to come. ] did not
think that you were Inundated by talk.
Ing to me-l--"
"Why. Ixxic-lsabel darling" cried
Roland. "can you misunderstood me NJ
uttcrlyf Ashamed to meet yOu-asham.
cd Of your society! Can you doubt whn,
would have happened had come home
a year earlier than II was my ill.fOrtunt
TO come? Can you doubt for moment
that I would have chosen you for my
wife out Of all the women In the uni
verse. and that my highest pride would
have been tho right to call you by tina,
dear namei"
| Isabel Gilbert was not q woman Of thu
world. A perfect happiness had come t.
her-thc happiness Of being beloved by
the right object Of her ilolatry: nothing
could add to that perfection: the cur
was full to the very brim. filed will
an incxha ustible draught Of Joy and Do
light.
Mr.. Lansdcli stopped to shake hand,
| with Isabel when they came to the gate
leading into the Graybr road.
"Good.bye." he said. softly; goodbye
until Wednesday. Isabel. Isabel-wha,
a pretty name It isl You have no Other
Christian namew
"Oh, no."
"Oniy Isabei-Isabsl Gilbert. Good
bye"
lie opened the gate. and stood watch
ing the doctors wife as she passed ou
of the meadow. and walked ut u rapit
pace toward the town. A man passe,
along the road az Mr.. Lansdeli stood
there, aud looked at him. a. no wen
by. and then turned and looked aftel
Isabel.
Raymond II right. them" thought Ro
land; "they have begun to stare ant
chatter already. My poor darling. hence
forward II 10 my duty to protect 20,
from such 40 these"
Mrs. Gilbert went home to her hus
band. and sat opposite to him at dinner
a. usual; but ROland's words. dimly q
she had comprehended their meaning
had In some manner Influenced her. To-
she blushed when George asked he
where she had been that cold afternoon
HE will marry Gwendoline." Isabe
thought In a sudden access Of despair
land that IL what no II going to tell M
on Wednesday. He was different to-da!
from what he has been since he CAM
back to Mordred. And yet--and yet
And yet what? Isabel tried In vain 4
fathom the meaning of all Roland Lans
dell's wild talk-now earnestly grave
now suddenly reckless--one moment full
Of hope, and the next tinctured with de
spair. What was this simple youni
novel reader to make Of man Of tn
world, who was eager to defy the world
and know exactly what a terrible worl,
1t was that he was about to defy?