Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1869-01-21

CHAPTER Xi.--A MESSAGE ny WIRE,

y. r..
CHAPTER Ni.-A MESSAGE ny WIRE
The l.. NJ. train. on certain autumn
afternoon, hal just len kingsthorpe
Station a little roadside place sjN miles
from Normaniort, and Ahcl Garrod.
the clerk in charge, was setting off home
q ten. when hr was summoned bac',
into Nj. office IN thc tinkling VI thc
tclegragh-bcll; having -ignallcd the
sending that he was in attend
ance- hc proceeded. word fbr word. M
take down The following message
From Marie. London, to Henri Dn-
plcssiS. Lilac Lodge, near kin1 -thorpc
Station. our address Is know to M.
| shall reach kingst'orpc hv the after
noon train to-inorrow W Wcinc~ Law.
Meet me there withou, fail" When
the message was completed, Abel pro-
ceeded % copy il out IN his hest hand.
tiI stfiintat h tt7th ttdt5T4Fs III, lii 4en, anl
one Of tho printed forms supplied him
for u-e on such occasions. which hc
Then pnt into au envelope addressed tr
Mr. Duplc>-is and leaving thc station
IN charg. OF lin Finch. AN old -tiif-
jointed porter, who. with himself, made
thorpe, he crossed the line and the
patch Of graycllv road hcvond il, and
loungcl slowly through hi- little gar
den. ami So into the house. whore he
found the table laid out ready for tea,
and III wife busily employed cutting
bread AMI butter.
I'm thinking of walking 4. far as
Lilac Lodge after tea. mis~i,," said
Abel Nv gotten q message bv wire
for Mr.. Duplessis."
"A message for Mr.. Duplcssis : said
Jane Garrod slowly and wondcringlv,
pausing with the knife in one hand and
the bread in the other land what is
the message, Abel, my man."
Abel. with a little polnposity ot tone,
repeated it to her. word for word.
"A strange message-a very strange
message r. said Jane Garrod musing-
ly. $50 this Marie" comes by the
four O'Clock train Tomorrow, does she !:
Wen, | shall hc there I'd see her when
She arrives. And look YOU here. Abel ;
watch Mr.. Duplessis closely when he
reads the message, and try - find out
from his looks whether he Is pleased
with it or not.-And now make haste
with your tea, and then set OFF. would
give something to bc hy when he re-
ceives it,"
Jane Garrod was spare and rather
>harp-tcaturcd woman, about fifty year,
old-a woman singularly silent and un-
demonstrativc. but observant i'll her
own quiet way; self-contained, brood
those impassive faces that give no clue
to the feelings at work beneath them.
Although she had never had any pre-
tension to good looks. she held her sim
ple-hearted husband with n chain far
stronger than any mere smiles Of beau
tv could have woven round him; but
her rule was a mild one. and Abel had
the good sense to feel and acknowledge
her superiority. and was. | am inclined
to think. rather proud than otherwise
of the bonds that held him prisoner.
AS soon AS Abel had finished his
hasty tea. he put on his best hat and
coat. and taking Il stout stick i'll his
hand. set ont on his walk to Lilac
Lodge. The distance by road was four
good miles but Abel knew all the short
cuts through by-lains and fields. and
round by the corner Of kirkbarrow
Plantation, and SO brought down the
distance to three miles. and accom-
plished his walk easily under the hour.
1t was quite dark by the time be got
back home, and he found his wife sit
ting with unlighted candle waiting his
return, and. contrary to her usual prac-
tice. not busy either sewing or knit
ting. She turned on him, as he entered
the room. with a degree of animation
foreign to her usual reticence. well,
what news? she asked. How did Mr..
Duplessis take the message'
s.He took it in his hand how else !?
anewered the matter-of-fact Abel, as
he prepared to put away his best coat
and resume his old one.
Jane smothered the impatient eX-
claimation that rose to her lips, and