The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-04-01

LIN AAGAA NACN0NN
air.
"Oh. nv lady, not to>night-and the frost
in the air. and the park as dark as Egypt, Sill
Roy would be very much vexed, my lady"
Lady Fairfax passed out OF the dressing
room into the dTawiHg-rOoms, where the All
was filed with summer warmth-and the per
fume of newly-cut roses and helitrope, which
filed the vases on mantel and bracket, while
the waxed lights shone softly along the walls.
/ A low. clear fire burned in the CRATE, and
Lady Fairfax stood an instant, gazing into Its
red embers.
"Grifiths, 4" 10 the Old butler, who at that mo-
ment made his appearance to light the cor
ridor, sis the drawing-roOm clock right?"
''My lady, it is eight ~o'clock-will it please
your ladyship TO have dinner served? l think
my master must have been unexpectedly de-
tanned.
81 will wait for TROY"
Ladv Fairfax's tone was so decisive, that
Grifiths left the remonstrance he was pre-
pared to hazard entirely unspoken, and re-
tired with N obsequious-
"AsyOu please. my lady y
Left to herself, Lady Fairfax took up a
book and began to read, but her thoughts
wandered away from the printed pages, and
she found it impossible to govern her atten-
ton.
Half an hour afterward Wharton came in
with a little tray, containing a few choice
m~orsels, which she had carefully culled out
with special eye to her mistress tastes.
81 told you I would await Sir Roy's com
ing, Wharton said Lady Fairfax, somewhat
sharply.
Eyes, my lady-and to be sure he can't be
long Il coming now; but itisn't well for you
to be so long without eating. Try a bit OF
the broiied BIRDS wing, nv lads, and a drop
of soup, and then you can have your dinner
with Sir Roy afterwards, just the ame."
Lady Fairfax could not help smiling as she
took the w~ineglass from Mrs. Wharton's
hand, and slipped a little OF the crimson
fluid. .
You all treat me like a child, Wharton, "
she said, "tbat must be coaxed and humored
into obedience"
"No, my lady, certainly not" said Whar-
ton d~eferentially, ''but any one will tel you
that & long fast inst noways good Tor the
stomach, and if Sir Roy should be detained
away all night"
"He will not be-" said his wife, positively.
ssNo. nv lady to be sure not, but then
there's no telling nothing about hours when
it's business that's III the question, and Sir
Roy III be all the better pleased when he
hears you've eaten a morsel, my lady,"
And Lady Fairfax, accustomed to be doml-
neered over in a mild way by Wharton, ate
and drank, with a docile obedience to orders.
The clock struck nine, ssWharton was re-
placing the dishes Of painted china on the
tray, preparatory to removing them-and,
breaking suddenly and sharply on the sltvery
chime of the little bell. another sound made
Lady Fairfax start to her feet, with a white
face. and clasped hands-the report OF a
gunl
. s'Wharton, she cried, ''What is that? what
can have happened?'
"Dear me, my lady," answered Wharton,
philosophically, SITS nothing on earth but
them wearyIng poacheTs again. / don'tknoW
what Morrison IS about, not to keep a sharper
eye on 'eml"
LADY Fairfax went to the window and
strained her eyes over the moonlit slopes OF
the lawn.
cts no use lookin', my lady," said Whar-
ton, ''they're down In the woods, and You
can't see 4 thing. Sir Roy viii be ~dreadtul!y
put out when he knows the old business e
goin' on again. I don't see the use Of paying
a lot of game-keepers, for my part II they
don't do no goodl"
And Wharton carried her tray out sgain,
after she had seen her mistress safely seated
once more in the satin-cushiOned chair by
the coral-red shine of the fire.
s'Bless and save my SOUL" calculated Mrs.
Wharton as she opened the door, and 3 little
Scotch terrier rushed in; site Sir Roy's little
Fido. And what can have sent him back here,
without his master? Here, FIdo, Fido-whats
come to the animal?"
For, instead of responding to her call with
his usual jealous delight, the dog skulked
past her, with a low howl, and ran down
stairsl o.
6'WeII. never - cried Mrs. Wharton.
She was advancing to close the door, when
a white figure glided out Of the dark obscure
ty of q cluster of weeping frs, and stood
shivering in the square of moonlight on the
stone pavement, directly in front OF the door
way.
"Whv. it's Mary Owenson !" cried GIrs.
Wharton, recognizing the pale, drawn face OF
- ~ AnNnw- ~ h-Hn no
Won here at this time of night, Mary? Come
in-you're as cold as ice, and you tremble hEe
a leaf. And-bless me !" cried Ire. Wharton.
recolling with a shudder, "yOur hands and
vour dress are smeared with blood! Them
poaching fellows hain't hurt you, have they !
or did YOU slip down OF tie icel Speak,
child, can't you, and tell me what happened
you ~
Mary Owenson stared vaguely at Mrs.
Wharton, as il she were looking nto space.
"NothIng has happened" she answered,
speaking i. a strange, unnatural voice. 1T
was Gods justice-and I was only the tool IN
His handst'
about 2" shrillv demanded Mrs. Wharton.
DO come in, and don't stand Ike a luny-
though. to be sure" aided MTs. Wharton,
balf to herself, 81 hadn't ought to be cross
with her, and she half frantic, as one may
say, with her trouble"
Mary Owsnson made no opposition to the
gentle force with which Mrs. Wharton drew
her in but as she entered the lighted hall
she looked down at her crimsOned fingers
and b~edabbled dress with 4 shudder.
'sBIood!" she muttered vacantly, ''bloOdl
It's as 1t should be-blood for blOOdl Ne
as Mrs. Wharton was leading her toward the
door of the servants hall, 4 won't go IN Tor
all the people TO stare at me, and ask me
uue-tions, and whisper among themselves, as
if was mad. 1 think l be going q she
added in q half whisper, which chilled the
very blood of the lady maid; but l won't
be stared att Not yet, at %least!"
taThen come into my rCOm-thaFs a good
creature coaxsd Mrs. Wharton.
"WhO are you 2" demanded Mary, looking
at her with q vacant gaze. "Oh, l remember
now-and l remember why l came. l wanted
'em to know how it came about. The bloody
cross, you know-they'l find it On his fore
headi"
ssWhose forehead?" Y ,laimed Mrs. Whar-
ton, fairly maZed and bewildered. "Who'l
find it? Mary OwensOn, you are crazy, sure
enough
The poor young thing nodded her head.
81 know it, /" she said; but it was that drove
me madl 1 had all my senses until he came
riding down the hill, as gay and gallant as If
a mans life wasn't on his SOUL Well, well,
it's e~venhanded justice, after all-they can't
complaint"
Il DSHGN6. NuOubAb AE6s hudIbOu, bnO
poachers have frightened her ont of the little
wits she had left after her man diedl I must
inst make her as comfortable as ] can, and
tomorrow her folks II come mt fetch her
homel"
She drew forward a chair for Mary Owen
son, and had turned to go for some warming
and stimulating draught to the servants hall
when the sound of hurried footsteps and
many voices in the great vestibule beyond,
attracted her attention.
Lady Fairfax had heard the unaccustomed
tumult and confusion, also, breaking in upon
the quiet thread of her thoughts. She sat an
instant listening, with her heart beating
somewhat faster than Its ordinary wont, and
then rose to her feet, and was hurrying to the
door, when it flew suddenly open, and Mrs.
Wharton rushed in, with q face as white as
her apron.
Lady Fairfax stopped short, at the sight Of
that death-psle face,
''Whirton, - she cried, what has happen
ed ? Why dc ecu look so pale?"
tNothing, M lady-Dothing," gasped the
maid, painting for breath, and striving to force
the eemblance of IN unconcerned smile to
her lips. "Only il you would please to go
back"
'sWhat for ?' Lady Fairfax looked at Whar-
ton with vague distIust. "Sir Roy is not at
home. Wharton, and must see what the mat
ter Is !"
She was passing her maid, when Wharton
stretched out both her hands with a cry OF
terIOrl -.
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