Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1911-06-30

Tausig did not doubt his sincerity.
To Steele's relief his prolonged alb
sence of the day before had passed
junnoticed; at least, Mrs. Steele made
no comment. But, as he rose from
the breakfast table he felt that the
moment for an explanation was at
hand. Her eye was upon him, and he
was fain to avoid 1t.
81 am sorry, DEAR he said, uneasily,
''but / must go downtown again today.
II have to consult with Morton" He
| named his lawyer. It was not strictly
untrue; he did mean to see Morton.
for q minute or two. II he found time.
"You have sold your seat?" she
asked, abruptly.
| I-er-Hunt was not ready yester-
day. It'll be settled in day or So"
| AS yet he shrank from the lie direct,
but the following day new subter-
fuge must be invented; he dared not
tell her the truth.
ST find" he said glibly-having
thought 1t out beforehand, during a
sleepless portion of the night-"that
I will have to spend several days
perhaps week-at the Office. A mat
| ter has cropped up requiring my at
| tention.''
Il understood that Mr.. Hunt had ar.
ranged everything by your instruc-
tions, using your power of attorney"
st had-er-forgotten this matter
due to my illness perhaps"
How would 1t work out? Steele
failed to foresee. The reformed tip
pier had broken the pledge.
| A week passed. The issue grew, be-
came as wall between the man and
the woman. Finally it might no
longer be evaded. :
'Im involved in the market" he
told her, surlily. with a logged air.
"Jim!' ~
He cringed.
Ell can't help it, Sara-it's be-
yond helping now. I'm sorry, but !
saw the chance, thought, to make a
few thousands and"
"But, JIM" He looked quickly
away from the pain in her eyes; he
would not have witnessed it, knowing
that he had caused it, for worlds.
But, Jim, you-you gave me Your
world" .ss:z,s>sA+' ~Tsss 49, & 20
81 know, IL He floundered mis-.
erably Alder her accusing gaze. "But
! y can't be helped. In a few days-a
Week, at the outside-I hope to have
1t all fixed. And that will be the end.
Sara!"
She did not answer; Steele's primal
impression was that she was refusing
to listen. Then he saw that she was,
for the instant, unable to give him her
attention sE.:ss -
She had pushed baek her chair, as
though intending to rise; on the con-
trary, she seemed held down, as
though by an invisible hand-strug-
Cling vainly. She had turned from
him, averting her face; Steele could
see no more than the full curve Of her
cheek; and that whitened to a pallor
beneath his gaze. Unconsciously her
left hand went toward the region OF
her heart, clutching at the folds of her
morning gown.
Steele hurried toward her.
"Sara!" he cried second time. lis
is it your heart, dear-the old
trouble?"
His voice seemed to rouse her; the
hand dropped to her side, she sat up
determinedly in her chair, then warned
him away from her with little,
weary gesture. Steele bent toward
her in an agony Of solicitude.
"The old heart trouble?" he de-
manded. But she refused to credit him
with the anxiety with which his tone
was charged
eyes," she said, family. "It-it's
gone, now. I am all right"
'Tll send for Doctor Dexter, at
once" he proposed.
'It is unnecessary She rose, cold
ly ignoring his proffered arm. He fol-
| lowed her toward the door. "He was
here yesterday. / tell you-it is moth
ing. Now, go on-go to the office. /
am all right"
| "But-"
&C.," she insisted, drearily. Don't
pretend to worry about me. I"
"But I will not go!" he cried. "At
least, until I know"
1T is getting late,' she reminded
him. quietly. ''The exchange opens
within an hour. You had best go at
once. Don't think of me-think of the
money you have involved.
He had no answer. 1t was true
he had no choice but to consider the
money: his presence upon the floor at
the opening was an imperative neces-
sity. While he hesitated, considering
| that phase of the case, she brushed
| past him and left the room. Steele
started after her, paused, reconsidered
and left the house, muttering to
| himself
Where before he had gone to the
| market as man desiring stimulant,
| now he plunged into the turmoil on
| the floor as he would have swallowed
an oplate; it would deaden his sensi-
bilities, help him to forget her. face as
she had last looked upon him.