The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1852-09-02

while under her protection. l will tell
DIR. Fitzpatrick, too, to look in on you
every day. If you could have but borne
the journey, We would all have gone to-
gether; but shall hasten back. Good
by, my love, l must be off tonight, and
will not disturb you. Goodbye, Cert
rude, take care of your aunt"
cit was, indeed, with considerable
disinclination that Colonel Butler left
his family, even for very hasty journey
to Dublin, as he could scarcely do SO
with security but his part of the coun-
try was comparatively peaceful, and his
presence at the Four Courts was abso-
lutely necessary to prove transaction
in which his brother-in-law, Captain
Devenant's name and fortune were i'm
Iplicated. Unfortunately, Mrs. Butler,
always in delicate health, had from the
agitation of the perilous scenes around
her, become SO very weak that her re-
moval was positively impossible, and the
Colonel had no resource but to trust in
Providence, and the problematical fdel-
Iity of his servants. These latter, he
believed, were firmly attached to him,
Especially his butler, Kelly, but still he
felt great uneasness at SO entirely con-
fiding his family to his care. Neither
he nor Gertrude were disposed to meet
sorrow half way, and, therefore, they
each endeavored to persuade themselves
that there really was no cause for fear.
The Colonel had now been gone few
days, and all seemed tranquil around.
DR.. Fitzpatrick, in his daily visits, gave
very satisfactory account of the neigh
borhood, and even Mrs Buffers anxious
terrors were calmed. She grew so much
better that Fitzpatrick announced his
intention of not calling the next morn.
ING, as he was particularly engaged with
a case that required his constant, un-
RENTED attsnrfoa: But, as if to pun
ish him for that determination, he had
scarcely left his patient when, with that
uncertainty so common in nervous COM
plants, she became much worse, and it
was not till quite late at night that Ger
trude could leave her bedside. She
and their English maid were unremitting
in their soothing cares, till they had the
qualification of seeing the sufferer sink
into calm sound sleep.
Gertrude then sought her own room,
and kindly dismissing her wearied at
tendant, began TO undress. 1t may
shock a romantic reader, but my poor
heroine, at length able to attend her.
self, felt overpoweringly hungry. She
had been so occupied with her aunt,
that she had eaten nothing from lunch
time, and now nature began to assert
her rights in her young and healthy
body. Unwilling to risk disturbing Mrs.
Butler, by ringing up servant, she
gathered her dressing gown around her,
and softly stealing down stairs, went
cautiously towards Kelly's pantry, where
wine and biscuits were always kept.
There was light there, and instead
of going in at once, she tapped at the
door. And he-if her suspicious were
correct, they were betrayed. She made
no remark, although the butler seemed
furred at seeing her.
"Miss Gertrude thin-is it yourself /;
will the mistress be worse 7"
och, no Kelly; my aunt is much
better. But am excessively hungry.
L fancied you were all in bed.
"And so we would be, a'am, dar-
lint. Only Andy here, that is in it, we
see, Miss Gertrude, ma'am he has hurt
his back, and l was giving him plaster
the docthor gev me. You see, Miss,
dear, I'd be proud to ask you'in, but
Andy, Miss, -"
"Never mind, Kelly; give me some
biscuits and decanter, and bring tray
to the dining-room."
is it there, Miss Gertrude : if l
might make so bould, the fire is out, and
may be we'd wake the misthress going
in. If | was to take the tray to your
own downy little room :"
every well /; only make haste, and
be very quiet as you walk along"
He quickly obeyed; but though his s
excuses were reasonable, Gertrude could
not feel satisfied. There was some
thing in his manner, in the way in which
he scrptinized her, that persuaded her I
of his untruth. She was sure he was
watching her as as they mounted the G
stairs, but she walked calmly on, and '
babe him good night in her usual man .
ner. Her extremely quick hearing was f
now sharpened by fear, and after she
had closed her dressing-room door on