The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-01-16
HE KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
BY ANTHONY TRoLLoPE.
CHAPTER Xxx.
Continued.

When the letter was handed to Mrs.
Treyelyan, she at once took it with her
mn to her own room, so that she might
he alone when she read it. The hand
writing was quite familiar to her, and
she did not choose that even her sister
should see it. She had told herselftwen
ty times over, that, while living atNun-
combe Putney, she was not living under
the guardianship of Mrs. Stanbury. She
would consent to live under the
guardianship of no one, as her hus-
band did MT choose to remain with
her and protect her She had done no
wreng, and she would submit to no
other authority than that of her legal
lsrd and master. Nor, according to her
views of her own position, was it in his
power to depute that authority to OH
ers. He had caused the separation,
and now she must be the sole judge of
her own actions. In itself, correspond
ence between her and her fathers old
friend was in no degree criminal, or even
faulty. There was no reason, moral, So
cial. or religious, why an old man, over
6fty. who had known her all her life,
should not write to her. But yet she
could not say aloud before Mrs. Stan
bury, and Priscilla, and her sister, that
she had received letter from Colonel
Osborne. She felt that the color had
come to her check, and that she could
not even walk out of the room as though |
the letter had been a matter of indiaer-
ence to her.
And would it have been n matter of |
indifference to heri Mrs. Trevelyan |
was certainly not in love with Colonel
Osborne. She was not more 50 now
than she had been when her fathers
friend, purpoSely dressed for the occa-
sion, had helped her in the veStry Of the
church in which she was married, aud
had given her blessing, which was
then intended to Ue semi paternal AS
FROM an Old man to yOang woman.
She was not i'll love with him,-never
would be, never could be in love with
him. Reader, you may believe in her
so far as that. But where is tho woman,
who, when she is neglected, thrown
over, and suspected by the man that she
loves, will not feel the desire OF some
sympathy, some solicitude, some show
of regard from another man This wo.
mans life, too, had not hitherto been OF
such nature that the tranquility OF the
Clock House at Nuncombe Putney at
forded to her all that she desired.
She had been there now month, aud
was almost sick from the want of eX-
citement. Aud she was full OF wrath
against her husband. Why had he sent
her to break her heart in y disgraceiul
retirement, when she had never wGonged
himi From morning t" night she had
DO employment, no amusement, nothing
to satisfy her cravings. Why was she
TO be doomed TO such an existence! She
had declared that. as long as she could
have her boy with her, she would be
happy. She was allowed TO have her
boy; but she was anything bu5 happy.
When she received Colonel OSborne's
letter,-while she held il i'll her hand
still unopened, she never for moment
thought that that could make her hap
py. But there was in it something OF
excitement. And she painted the man
to herself in brighter cOlorS now than
she had ever given TO him ia her former
portraits. He cared for her. He was
gracious to her. He appreciated her
talents, her beauty, aud her conduct.
He knew that she deserved u treatment
very different from that accorded 10 her
By her husband. Why should she re-
iect the sympathy of her fathers oldest
friend, because her husband was madiy
Jealous about an old man? Her hus-
band had chosen 10 send her away, aud
to leave her, so that she must act IN
her own judgment. Acting on her own
Judgment, she read Colonel OsbOrne's
letter from first to last. She knew that
he was wrong TO speak of coming TO
NuncOmbe Putuey; but yet she thought
that she would see him. She had dim
perception that she was standing on
the edge of a precipice, on broken
ground which might fall under her
without moments warning, and yet
she would not retreat from the danger.
Ihough Colonel Osborne was wrong,
very wrong, in coming to see her, yet
she liked MIN for coming. Though she
would be half afraid to tell her news te
Mrs. Stanbury, and More Than half
afraid to tell Priscilla, yet she liked the
excitement of the fear. Nora would
scold her; but NOra's scoldinr Cha
thought she could answer. And tbaH
it was not the fact that Colonel o..
borne was coming down to Devonshire
to see her. He was coming as far as
Lessboro' to see his friend at Cockchaf-
fiugton. Aud when at LesSboro', was it
likely that he should leave the neigh
borhood without seeing the daughter of
his old allyi And why should he do so'
Vas he to be unnatural in his conduct,
uncivil, and unfriendly, because Mr..
Trevelyan had been foolish, suspicious,
and insanei
So arguing with herself, she answer
ed Colonel Osborne's letter before she
had spoken on the subject to any one in
the house, and this was her answer:
I