The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-02-25


come closer TO me?"
We walked to his side, . ID Lady Narga-
ret stopped her head.
Then, to try to see y)u; and ask
your charity for the few days l have to
live.
Lady Margaret kept her hand on my
arm and looked at the sick man kindly
His features we're as perfect as q statues :;
his face might have served as q model for
q young Apollo The whole countenance
was of that godlike character which be-
longs to such ideas-sO bold, sweet and
free, without touch of the coarse or rude;
it was like the assertion Of 4 superior na-
ture that could neither be understood nor
restrained. l felt surprised st the con-
temptation of such living beauty; and yet
there was q ghastlineSs when the smile
died away, which separated this sick
man from the strong and healthy living
souls that were now standing about us.
How can l help you?" said Lady Mar
garet.
"By saying thai, when l am dying, If
you are sent for, you will come"
Not till them" she said, softly.
Gas you please" he answered ard then
again there was that free smile on his face
which had so greatly struck me at first.
Il was grsndly beautiful, 40 doubt, but,
nevertheless, it was smile that had in it
more power than pleasantness.
When the day was spent, and the last
of the crowd were gone, | found Lady
Margaret sitting alone in the library. The
door was open and the windows also.
She was sitting still and thoughtful, in the
cool freshness of the evening air
"Where is your mother, dear Mary 2"
she asked.
| said, "She walked home hours ago.
She has sent the pony carriage for me-"
ooh" said Lady Margaret, that will
suit me exactly Send your servant back
on foot, and then you, Mary, can take me
a drive"
81 should like it very much," | answer
ed. "But L shall not know how to get
home. am not allowed to drive by my
self by the road, and am afraid to take
Robin by the deer park: they jump out
and startle him so"
"Never mind; 1 will send yoa home, Or
take you. Only stay with ne now, and
take me drive"
1t was odd to hear Lady Margaret so
positive l thought. But | was glad to do
as she said, and l dld it. The pony car.
riage came, and Lady Margaret and /
drove away. When we got to the lodge
gates she said:-
Drive to Mrs. Bonds, my DEAR"
"Lady Margaret y
"Yes; | must see that man again.
can't get over what-what-wha felt
Mary and this delicious air cooIs me-
Drive on, Mary"
felt vexed, surprised, cory. To blame
Lady Margaret, even to doubt Lady Mar.
garet, was a new sensation but drove
on silently in the direction of the Crown
and Salmon"
"There we arel' she cried, with consid
erable excitement in hcl voice. "Dnn'i
be unnatural, Mary. You can't speak"
q don't like being here" said.
She touched my arm and made me look
at her. Her beauty was heightened so by
what she had in her mind that she quite
dazzled me.
"YOu must neither think nor speak,
she said al feel sure, that very won
derful thing is going to happen to-tC
me-" And then she got ont of the car
riage and went straight into the house.
L stayed IN the carriage waiting. The
river murmured away. Young men who
had come for few days fishing strollcd
about talking of the river, the weather
and the weight of the salmon. Half az
hour passed, and then Lady Margaret
came back with face, the odd excitement
OF which she could not conceal
"GO to your own home, now, Mary. L
is too late for anything else" So drove
to our entrace gate, when Lady Margare
got out, and walked straight across tht
park toward the Court, only saying
"Tbank you, dear; good night" looked
after her. felt as if there was something
wrorg. l did not like the unnaturally
strong interest my perfect Lady Margare
had shown in this beautiful stranger.
dlsllked her whole manner so much
felt it to be so unaccOuntablc that KEEP
all about it secret from my mother.
Days and weeks passed. Lady Marga
ret had sent two medical men, at differen
times, to see the sick man, but no entreat
les of Mrs. Bond, nor Of her husband
could make him see either of them Mrs
Bond said that he must die. Lady Mar
garet sent all manner of dainties to tn
inn from the Court, which the sick NAL
appeared to relish exceedingly.
This man then became the chief interes
OF our lives He would sit in his arn
chair by the riverside, refusing to speak t.
any one except Lady Margaret. All eye
and mouths were open to watch and re
port proceedings. Lady Margaret was wit
him daily-once, twice day; and whe
he was worse for few days, she RENAME
and waited on him like servant.
How things grew worse until they as
sumed unpleasant dimensions, need nc
say. But Lady Margaret's perfection frs
grew dim, and then withered away. A
1 last my mother cautioned me that it was
matter on which l had better not speak
and then / wept bitter tears.
Down, down, down, in popular opinion
went Lady Margaret. The whole countr
heard, talked, wondered and, for the mos
part, condemned. At last my mothC
spoke to her.
".Oyes," she said, standing up in ou
morning room. q know people dislik
my having taken to sick-nursing." An
she laughed a hard laugh, such as we ha
never heard from her before. Then sh
stopped suddenly and wiped her eye
which were full of tears. 81 cannot hel
it," she said. az must go there. | cann(
keep away. II would kill the poor ere;
ture if did"
Indeed, indeed you ought" pleade
my mother
"I can't" she repeated, almost angrily
"will you believe me if say l 'cont
Then she walked out of the room. b,
in another moment she came back agai
She kissed my mother, looking with sa,
entreating eyes into her face You wi
always stand by me-" she said. "Tl
Royds have always been faithful to Il
Court. You will always make Mary thin
well of me ?" Then she broke out in gre'
excitement-"But,i in the name of Heave
what have / done? Are we never to Wis