The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-02-04
j BIDDEFoRD, I'D ME-, FRIDAY

trust your temper. But do trust in Rachel
still preserving, In some remote little corner 0
her heart, certain perverse weakness for you
Touch that-and trust TO the consequences 70
the fullest disclosure that can fow from wo
mans lips! The question is-how are you .
see herf" a3 a
she has been guest Of your. at this house,
answered. May venture to suggcst-if no
thing was said about me beforrhand-that
might see her heref '' ,...-.
'Coolp said Mr.. Bruff With that one wor'
of comment on the reply that hsd made =
him, he took another turn up and down th
room. ...' ifsi %. ~ =.
'In plain English he said, my house Is to b
turned into trap TO catch Rachel !, with bal
to tempt her, in the shape Of an invitation iron
my wife and daughters. II you were any bod,
else but Franklin Blake, and if this matter va
one atom less serious than II really Is, shoult
refuse pcint-blank. As things are, l firmly be
liese Rachel win live TO thank me for turning
traitor to her In my old age. Consider me you
accomplice. Rachel shall be asked to spent
the day here and you shall receive due notic'
Of it, r.rr .
'Wheni To-morrvwi' i' f f
'To-morrow WON'T give us time enough to &c
her answer. Say the day AFTER
How shall hear from you!'
Stay ut home all the morning and expect M
10 call on you y'-
I thanked him for the inestimable assistanc,
which he was rendering TO me, with the graft
tude which really felt and, declining hos
pitable invitation TO sleep that night ut Hamp
stead, returned TO my lodgings In London.
or the day that followed, have only to say
that II was the longest day Of my life. Innocen
rs knew myself TO be, certain ss was that tn
abominable imputation which rested on me mus
sooner or later be cleared off, there was never
theless a sense OF establishment In my mint
which instinctively disinclined me TO see any o
my friends We often hear (almost invariably
however, from superficial obseryers) that gull
can look like innocence. believe Il to be In
initely the truer axiom Of the two that innocenc
can look like guilt. Icauscd myself to be denied
all day, to every visitor who called and onl.
ventured out under cover Of the night. ~
The next morning Mr.. Bruf surprised mo a
the breakfsst-table. He handed me large key
and announced that he felt ashamed Of himsel
for the first time in his life. t. w.
as she coming!' ..t @. t
she Is coming to-day, to lunch and spend th,
Are Mrs. Bruf, and your daughters in tn
secreti' .-.E
Inevitably. But women, as you may hay
observed, have no principles. My family dom
feel my pangs Of conscience. The end being b
bring you and Rschel together again, my wifi
and daughters pass over the means employed h
gain IL, as composeily rs IL they were Jesuits.
Il am infinitely obliged to them. What is thi
keyi' ' '17 :.
The key of the gate in my back-gsrden wall
BE there at three this afternoon. Let yoursel
into the gsrlen, and make your way in by tn
conservatory door. Cross the small drawing
room. and open the door in front Of you whcl
leads into the musc-room. There, you viii fn,
Rachel-and find her, alone
slow can thank you y a'. b. r
Il willtell you how. Don't blame me for wha
happens aferwarl.' ...
With those words, he went out.
had many weary hours still to wait through
To while away the time, looked at my letters
Among them was n letter from Betterejgc.
Iopened II eagerly. To my surprise and dis
appointment, IL began with an apology warning
me to expect no news Of any Importance. In tn
next sentence the everlasting Ezra Jennings ap
pearcd again He had stopped Betterclge OF
the way out Of the station, and had asked VIII
was. Informed on this point, he had mentione'
having seen me to his master, Mr.. Candy. MIR
Candy hearing Of this. had himself drives
over to Betteredge, to express his regret at on
having missed each other. He had reasol
for wishing particularly to speak TO me ; ant
when was next In the neighborhood OF FriIing
hall, he begged would let him know. Apar
from q few characteristic utterances Of the Bet
teredge philosophy, this was the sum and sub
stance Of my correspondents letter. The warm
hearted. faithful old man acknowledged that b
had written mainly for the pleasure Of writinl
/ 10 me-
Icrumpled up the letter in my pocket, AM
forgot Il the moment after, In the all absorbin,
interest Of my coming interview with Rachel.
As the clock Of Hampstead church strucl
three, put Mr.. Bruf's key into the lock Of th
door In the wall. When first stepped into tn
garlen, and while was securing the door agail
on the inner side. own TO having felt certain
guilty doubtfulness about what might happei
next. I looked furtiyely ON either side of me
suspicious Of the presence OF some unexpecft'
witness in some unknown corner Of the garden
Nothing appeared, to justify my apprehen
sions. The walks were, one and all, solitudes
and the birds and the bees were the only wit
neSses.
Ipassed through the garden entered the con
servatory and crossed the small drawing room
As laid my hand on the door opposite, hear
few plaintve chords struck on the piano in th,
room within. She had often idled over the 10
strument in this way, when was staying at he
mothers house. was obliged to wait q little
to steady myself The past and the present rose
side by side, at that supreme moment-and tn