The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-07-03
CHAPTER LXXU.

THE DELIVERY OF THE LAMB.
1t is hoped that certain quarter of
lamb will not have been forgotten,-a
quarter of lamb that was sent as a
peace offering from Exeter to Nuneombe
Putney by the hands of Miss Stanbury's
Martha, not with purposes of corrup-
ton, not intended to buy back the al
legiance of Dorothy, folded delieately
nd temptingly in one of the best table
napkins with no idea of bribery, but
sent as presents used to be sent of old
in the trains of great ambassadors as
signs of friendship and marks of true
respect. Miss Stanbury was, no doubt,
most anxious that her niece should re-
turn to her, but was not herself low
spirited enough to conceive that quar-
ter of lamb could be efficacious in pro-
curing such return. If it might be that
Dorothy's heart could be touched by
mention of the WEAKNESS of her aunt's
solitary life; and if therefore, she would
return, it would be very well; but it
could not be well SO, unless the offer
should come from Dorothy herself. All
of which Martha had been made to I'M
derstand by her mistress, considerable
ingenuity having been exercised in the
matter on each side.
On her arrival at Lissboro', Martha
had hired fly, and been driven out to
Nuncombe Putney, but she felt, she
knew not why, dislike to be taken in
her carriage to the door of the cottage;
and was put down in the middle of the
village, from whence she walked out to
Mrs. Stanbury's abode with tho basket
upon her arm. 1t was a good halt-mlle,
and the lamb was heavy, for Miss Stan
bury had suggested that bottle Of
sherry should be put in under Their nap
lkin,-and Martha was becoming tired
of her burden when,-whom should she
see on the road before her but Brooke
Burgess As she said herself afterwards,
it Immediately occurred to her "that all
the fat was in the fire." Here had this
young man come down, gaping through
Exeter, without even visit to Miss
Stanbury, and had clandestinely sought
out the young woman whom he wasn't
to marry; and here was the young wo.
man herself flying IL \ b'ssh might ruin
wheN , OH Martha entertained sacred,
C .i!.n4, overcoming feeling about her
MISTRESS will. That she was to have
something herself she supposed, and her
anxiety was not on that score; but she
had heard SO much about it, had rea-
lized SO fully the great power which
Miss Stanbury possessed, and had had
her own feeling so rudely invaded by
alterations in Miss Stsnbury's plans,
that she had come to entertain an idea
that all persons around her should con-
tinually bear that will in their memory.
Hugh had undoubtedly been her favor
ite, and, could Martha have dictated the
will herself, she would still have made
Hugh the heir; but she had realized the
| resolution of her mistress so far as to
confess that the bulk of the property
was to 60 back to Burgess; but there
were very many Burgesses; and here
was the one who had been selected fly
ing in the very face of the testatrix 7
What was to be douei Were she to GO
back and not tell her mistress that she
had seen Brooke Burgess at Nuncombe,
then-should the fact be found out
would the devoted anger Of Miss Stan
bury fall upon her own head. 1t would
be absolutely necessary that she should
tell the story, let the consequences be
what they might; but the consequences,
probably, would DO very dreadful. "Mr.
Brooke, that is sent you % she said, as
she came up to him, putting her bas
ket down in the middle of the dssty
road.
"Then who can it be9" said Brooke,
giving her his hand to shake.
"But what do bring you here, Mr..
Brookef Goodness me, what will the
missus say"
al shall make that all straight. Pm
going back to Exeter tomorrow
Then there were many questions and
many answers. He was sojourning
at Mrs. Crocket's, aud had been there
for the last two days. Dear, dear,
DEAR" she said over and over again.
"Deary me, deary me" and then she
asked him whether it was "all along
of Miss Dorothy" that he had come. OF
course, it was along of Miss Dorothy.
Brooke made no secret about it. He
had come down to see Dorothy's mother
and sister, and to say q bit of his own
mind about future affairs,-and to see
the beauties of the country When he
talked about the beauties of the country,
Martha looked at him as the people Of
Llssboro and Nuncombe Putney should
nave looked at Colonel Osborne, when
ne talked vi the church porch at Cock
ehafhngton. Beauties of the countries.
MT brooke,-you ought to be ashamed
OF yourself" said Martha.
"Bnt l ain't,-the least in the world y
said Brooke. "'i'N'
Then Martha took up her basket and
went on to the cottage, which had bean
close in sight during their Conversation
in the wood. She felt angry with Dor.
othy. In such matters, a woman i al
ways angry with the woman, who has
probably been quite passive, and raraIv |
with the man, who is ever the real tron:
sressor. Having a man down after her
at Nuncombe Putney! 1t had never
struck Martha as very horrible that
Brooke Burgess should feel in love with
Dorothy in the city; but this meeting, in
the remotenesstof the country, out of
sight even of the village, was almost
indecent; and all, too, with Miss Stan
bury's will just, as one might say on the
balance! Dorothy oaght to have buried
herself rather than have allowed Brooke
to see her at Nuncombe Putney; and
Dorothy's mother and Priscilla must be
worse. She trudges on, however, with
her lamb, and soon found herself in the
presence of the three ladies.
What Martha said DorOthy.