Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-04-24

Ii the marriage was true one and Matte
wife at all, what was she but deserted wife
for the rest OF her days?
Drew after a time, either goaded to the step
by his sisters loud-voiced arguments, or promp-
ted TO it by his own sense of what was due to
Matte, not only took pains to ascertain that
pains Of searching for and finding the address
OF Adam Armitage in London. By that time
Matte had fully made up her mind that her
husband had, after all, sailed with the expedi-
ton. and that his letters to herself had either
m1scarrfed or been intercepted. She was ready
to make up her mind to any thing rather than TO
admit the faintest suggestion that he was false
to her and TO himSelf-to the high standard that
she knew. and that the farmer knew, was the
one by which Adam measured men and things
and his own life and conduct. 1t was strange
how this girl and her former master both trust
ed Adam In the lace OF his inexplicaole silence;
In the face OF even more OminOuS discovery
made by Drew when in town-the discovery that
he had never mentioned Mattie's name to his
mother, or alluded to Matte at all. AS for ADAM
Mrs. Armitage had declared he was not with
her then, and that she could not give an ad-
dress that would find him; an assertion that
confirmed Matte in the idea that he had started
on those far-away travels he had so often spoken
OF to her.
AS autumn passed and the evenings grew
chill with the breath of the coming winter
Mattie's health seemed to fail. The deep
melancholy that oppressed her threate led 10
break the springs of life. In order to escape
from Mrs. Bankes, the girl took TO lonely
Wander1ngS over the Downs; Wanderiny5 th at
always ended at Stonedene; until, with the In
stinct of a wounded animal that seeks to endure
its pain alone, or from the everpreSenJ recol-
lection OF the last words OF Adam, when he had
said it was by the way of Stonedene that he
would return, she besought the farmer to send
away the woman In charge of the house and al
low her to take her place. From the day OF her
marriage, merrily at first and as though half
amused at her rise In life, bat later 10 the
hope OF giving her such comfort as might
come from showing his own trustin ADAM Drew
had been particular In addressing her By her
new title. Matte was as much sOothed by this
behavior as she was ruffied by the opposite con-
duct OF Mrs. Bankes. certain little dignity
or demeanOr grew upon young Mrs. Armitage.
who yet insisted upon earning her own bread,
since Adams wife must not be dependent upon
the charity of even so good friend as The
farmer.
Drew yielded to the wish of the wife, whose
heart was breaking with the pain of absence,
and the mystery OF silence. and Matte, on this
fOggy day had already lived months at Some
Adam.
The fog increased instead Of diminishing with
the approach of evening Drew could not see
his own house until he was close to it; as he had
remarked, the mystery OF Mattie'S affairs was
not more fmpenetrable than the veil hiding all
natural objects just then. When he had put
up the horse and gone in to tea, Mrs. Bankes, as
She hustled about, preparing the meal that Mat
ties deft little fingers had been wont to set out
with so much quietness as wei as celebrity. did
not not fan a. to greet him with the question, WELL
'She" had TO come mean Matte in the vocab-
ulary OF the farmer and his sister.
About as usual in health Drew replied,
lifting the now five year-old Harry to his knee;
''but troubled In mind; though, to be sure, that
IS as usual, too"
'she is out of her mind" exclaimed Mrs.
Bankes, 1rritably. She had been fond of Mat
tie, and not Indifferent to the value OF so fine
subject for gossip as the stolen marriage and
the disappearance of the bridegroom; but Mrs.
Bankes had long ago wearied OF the state Of
affairs and wished for some change in them:
for something new to talk about. 'Mattie is
out Of her mind" she repeated. Every one but
yourself knows that; and If you do not know
it, ii is only because you are as mad as she is
or any one might think so from the way you 90
on
Nay, nay" said Drew, gently. as the but
ter-dish was set upon the table with vehe-
mence that made the teacups rattle. There
are no signs Of madness about Mattie-unlesS
you call her trust in her husband by so hard a
name.n
patience with him. nor with you either AS If it
was not a common tale enough. 1t would be
better to persuade the girl to come home and
get 70 work again, than to encourage her in her
fancieS, While You pay another servant here
and times so hard as they are.''
on. that is just my LUCK" observed Drew,
Luck! don't talk to me of fll-luck, when io is
and always has been, nothing but the weak
mindedness OF helping other folks that ought to
stand alone" Mrs; Bankes did not allude,
her brother had helped her. 'If you minded
only your own concerns, you'd be a lucky man
enough. You are not fool enough TO suppose
Stonedene viii let as long as Mattie's there, /
hope. Fetch her home, and don't go calling her
Maam' and making believe to see things as
she sees them"
ITS no make believe on my part. 1 can't
bring myself to think i'll of man who showed
me SO much OF his mind as Mr.. Armitage did.
don't say can understand or can even give
guess at what has happened, but do say | am
certain 1t can be explained. To be sure. it NAV
be as Matte fears, and he may be dead; and if
So we shall never have the explanation. Still
| judge him. as his wife does, by what know
MIN TO be at heart-and that is good man, if
ever there was One:''
Stuff cried Eliza, fairly losing her temper
i Judge people by their actions. What else
can one go by? Handsome is as handsome does
/ say
q was thinking to day the farmer we 1T on
softly passing his broad palm over the blond
head OF the child upon his knee: 50 was think
Ing as came along OF how it stands written:
He that loveth not his brother whom he hath
seen. how can he love God whom he hath not
SEEM" And it may be true also that we can
Ut properly trustin heaven ii we have no trust
at all In man-1n good men, / mean"
1T is to be hoped you know what you mean
Tor don't, snapped Eliza, who, not in the habit
OF bringing heaven into her own conversation,
was uncomfortable when her brother did so.
duling the week gathered no more dust upon its
red cover than the Bibles OF most busy people
do. When she had that book in her hand and
her best bonnet on her head on Sunday after
noon Eliza BankeS considered herself as re
HgiOuS woman as need be. She had small
patience with her brothers trick of dragging
religion into all the affairs OF daily life. Mr..
AImitage used to do the same, and he certainly
had proved himself not better, but much worse,
than the generality OF men,"
You should beetir yourself Mrs. Bankes
continued. '.YOu should do something instead
OF sitting down to trust in the goodness OF a
man whose actions prove him a Villain"
WHAT can dO?" said the farmer, recapitu-
lating, more for his own momentary Satisfdc-
tion than in answer to his sister, the little he
had already done, that little being all that ap-
peared to him feasible. II went to London;
Mrs. Armitage was on the eve of journey;
went a second time. to find her gone and the
establishment broken up. proud woman she
seemed; a woman who always held her head
high, | should say; no wonder my errand dis
pleased Kerr
''Stuck up, fine Madame.' cried Eliza. reach
ing down pile of Old delf plates from the
dresser. ga fine time Matte would have had
OF 1t among them-nOt that it makes the case
any the better for the man who played her
false"
AT that instant the shadowy form OF some one
going round to the front door passed the WIN
dow, against which the fog pressed closely.
Drew set little Harry On his feet and rose
slowly, listening with intentneSS and q sur
prised look that made his sister ask what allied
him.
Rover-the dog does not bark: wholly the
10 mo Ca1f ri.,@