Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1866-09-07
ri istrllam 20 Ms.
The Dead Letter.
CHAPTER MI.

have said that expected Mr.. Argyll
t, offer me partnership. now that was
prepared to begin my legal career. In this
was not presuinptuous. inasmucl as he
had frequently and plainly limited his in
teution. Such an arrang mcnt would be
a desirable one for me; appreciated it,
many advantages; at the SAME time. | cx-
pccted, hy taking all the hard work npo,
myself, and by the constant of such talent
as had to the interests of the firm. to re-
pay, us far rs possible, my obligations. to
the senior member.
When we returned from New York ap,
prarcd in court with case which had
cAancel to be entrusted To me, perhaps
from the inability of my clicut to employ
an older and more expensive LAWYER. |
did well with it, aud was complmcmtcd by
several of Mr.. Ars,ll's fratcrsity upon my
success i'll handling the case. Much to my
surprise and modification, Mr.. Argyll's
congratulations were in constrained and
studied terms. He had appeared to me
more formal. less open in his manner Vi
treating me, ever since my last visit to the
city. At first thought it my fancy. or
Q used by some temporary ill-hcath, or
mental trouble. under which he might be
laboring. Day by day the impression deep
ened upon me that his feelings toward me
were not what they had been. The plain.
est proof had of thus was, that no offer of
partnership was made. was placed in Il
disagrccable situation for one Of my proud
temperament. My studies completed to
the point where admission to practices had
hccn granted. had nothing to do but con
tinuc in his office, reading; reading away
not hut that my time was most usefully
employed thus, and not that was in any
great hurry to go into business, though my
income was narrow enough, and knew
that my mother had plnchcd her domestic
arrangements to afford me that--but be-
gan to feel like an intruder. My Ostensi-
bile use of his books. office and instructions
was at an end; began to feel like hang
er on. Yet could not go away, or offer
to associate myself with others. hastily. l
felt that he ought either to put Into cxccu-
ton his implied promise, or to inform me
that he had changed his plans aud | was
tree to try elsewhere.
I Can any invalid tell me why he feels a
prcscience of the storm in his aching bones
and tlnkling nerves while the sun still
shines in a cloudlcss sky, and not one hint
ON the outward face of i.ature tells of n
change in the weather Neither can
explain the subtle influences which affect
ed me, depressing so deeply, and making
me sensible of a change in that atmosphere
of home which had broodcd for me over
the Argyll mansion. had felt this first
in the mere business air of the office grad
ually, it seemed to me, to be creeping over
the household. Mary, that sweet child of
impulse. too young to assume much digni-
ty and too truthful to disguise her innocent
face in falsehood, who had clnng to me in
this aifliction as sister clinss to an elder
brother, awakening all my tenderest i'll
stincts Of protection and indulgcnce-this
fair girl, doully dear to me as the sister Of
that other woman whom adOred, began
to put on an air of reserve toward me. She
was kind and gentle. bu: she no longer ran
to me with all those pretty demands and
complaints, those trifiing condolences, which
are SO sweet, because an evidence OF trust
and affection; sometimes caught her eyes
fixed upon me in a sad, wondering way,
which puzzled and Disconnected me; when
caught her glance, she would turn them
quickly. and blush.
could not help believing, although l
had no proof of it, that James was covert
ly working to produce an impression against
me in the family. His manner toward me
had never been so friendly when we were
alone together he grew quite confidential,
sometimes descending to small batteries,
and almost entirely neglecting the use of
those little nettles of satire with which he
once delighted in singing me whenever
any one whom l esteemed was present. l
could not pick quarrel with him. had |
desired it. Yet could not rid myself Of
the consciousness that he was undermin.
ing my footing in the home of those friends
loved best. In what manner, it was diff
ficult for me to conjecture. If he SANDER
ed my habits or associations, nothing could
be easier than for Mr.. Argyll to quietly as