The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1875-08-04

might say next.
Perhaps Margrave has been i'll" said
the old Baronet; "he told me when he
went to Switzerland, that he was leaving
England because he required change of
air and scene"
"Ill T. said the Government clerk. "Ah,
to be sure; never thought of that. He
might have been ill., It's difficult, some
times, to draw the line between a guilty
conscience and the liver complaint. Per-
haps it was only his liver, after all. But
you don't think" he said, appealingly, re-
turning to his original idea, you don't
think that he has committed a murder,
and buried the body in Verulam Build
ings-do you? That would account for
his going to Switzerland, you know; for
he couldn't possibly stop with the body
could he?"
"You'd better ask him the question
yousself, Fred" said Sir Lionel, laughing;
''if everybody had as good conscience
as Horace Margrave, the world would be
better stocked than it is with honorable
men. Horace is noblehearted fellow;
I've known him from a boy. He's a
glorious fellow"
"And crack shot," said young mill
tary man, with his mouth full OF buttered
toast and anchovy paste.
"And first-rate billiard player" adj
ded his next neighbor, busy carving a
ham.
"And one of the cleverest men in the
law" said a grave old gentleman, senten-
tiously.
Extremely handsome" faultered one
young lady.
"And then, how accomplished r ven-
tured another.
Then you don't think, really now,
that he has committed a murder, and
buried the body in his chambers2,' asked
the Whitehall employe, putting the ques-
tion to the company generally.
In the dusk o: that autumnal evening,
Ellinor Dalton sat alone in tiny draws
ing>room leading out of the great saloon,
which was a long room, with six windows
and two fireplaces, and with great many
very Indifferent pictures in extremely
handsome frames
This tiny drawing-room was favorite
retreat Of Ellinor's. 1t was luxuriously
furnished, and it communicated, by a
halfglass door, shrouded by heavy amber
damask curtains, with large couserva-
tory. which opened on to the terrace walk
that ran along one side Of the house.
Here she sat in the dusky light, pensive
and thoughtful, on the evening alter her
husbands departure. The gentlemen
were all in the billiard-room, hard at
work with balls and cues, trying to settle
some disputed wager before the half>hour
bell rang TO summon them to their Dress
Ing-rooms. The ladies were already at
their toilettes; and Ellinor, who had
dressed earlier than usual, was quite
| alone. 1t was too dark for her to read or
work, and she was too weary and listless
to ring for lamps; so she sat with her
hands lying idly in her lap, bordering
upon what had been said at the break
fast table of her some time guardian,
Horace Msrgrave.
Suddenly footstep behind her, falling
softly on the thick carpet; reused her
from her reverie, and she looked up with
startled glance at the glass over the low
chimney-piece
In the dim freight she saw reflected in
the shadovy depths of the mirror, the
haggard and altered face OF her guardian b,
Horace Margrave.
He wore loose heavy great-coat, and
his hat in his hand. He had evidently
only just arrived,
He drew back on seeing EIlinor, but a;
she turned round to speak to him, the
freight behind her left her face in the
shadow, and he did not recognize her.
Il beg your pardon, he said, "for dis.
turbing you. 1 have been looking every
where for Sir Lionel"
"Mr. Margravel Don't you know me
1t is I-Ellinor =
His hat fell from his slender hand, and
he leaned against a high-backed easy
chair for support.
"Ellinor-Mrs. Dalton-you here
I-l-heard you were in Paris, or
should never-that is-I---"
For the first time in her life Ellino
Dalton saw Horace Margrave SO agitated
that the stony mask of elegant indifier
ence and gentlemanly sang. Goid, which
he ordinarily wore. entirely dropped away
and left him-himself.
"Mr. Margrave," she said, anxiously
you are annoyed at seeing me here
Oh, how altered you are They wer
right IN what they said this morning
You are indeed altered, you must hav
been very mr.
Horace Margrave was himself agai
by this time; he picked up his hat, an
dropping lazily into the easy>chair, SAID
Yes; | have had rather severe al
Observation-Disclosures doctors, i
fact, were SO puzzled as to what the