Litchfield enquirer., 1881-03-31
WHOLE No. -oOU

| It seems & vast deal more proper Sir Aus tin, that the young lady should be your con- panion than mine, was Betsy's answer. But
 what will my lady say if she finds her orders I disobeyedT
 I think. Betsy, that while your lady is i'll it | will be best not to trouble her with any kind of contradiction. You can let her suppose that
 her orders are carried out l So there was a pretty plotl My lady in bed, not allowed to hear secrets, Sir Austin master and taking his own will. When the cats away, the mice will play said Rebecca, look | ing as if she would like to dance
 S suppose you don't forget that I am the | up. l was wound up always by James Storm. Every other Monday at midday, as | regularly as every other Monday came round, ! he brought forward the low chair and stood on it to wind me. And on this Monday that l | now tell of, which was ten or eleven days af- ter the coming home of my lady, he was about to step on the wooden chair, when the kitchen door opened and Betsy stole in from my lady's room looking horribly frightened and as white as ghost | 'Oh;Jamesi On, James ? she gasped, T. I-' and then she went into fit of mysteries, sobbing one minute and laughing the next
 No-no, don't call anybody, she managed 1 to jerk out as he was turning away for assist ance. I shall be better presently. I have had shock, James; dreadful right-and dare not tell of it. rf
 But you can tell it to me Betsy No, not even you. I dare not. Oh ! she shuddered. what an awful thing, what an aw- l ful thing!' -r. There was a cupboard in the best kitchen | corner, in which Rebecca kept some cherry brandy. James got bottle of it down and | poured spoonful or two into wine glass. As Betsy slipped it she became little easier, only crying quietly.
 l I cannot explain anything, James I can't | indeed Eve got to know of most dread full secret, a fatal secret and-Oh dear, think it will kill mer she broke of. How shall live on. and keepit2' l "A fatal secret ! repeated James. Does 1t concern Sir AustinT' l It concerns us all,' she answered. trembling and shaking Oh, what are we to do! What | are we to do ' l But why can't you tell me2 We are both l gray haired now, Betsy you and 1, and we have been tender friends and companions ever | since our locks were bright and our steps elastic and ask you-why? 1 I dare not she said impressively; my lady would kill me if told. Besides, she has ] sworn me to secrecy ....-
 James was beginning to tremble too. Does l Sir Austin
 Hush cried Betsy, as chatter was heard | forget that have mentioned this, James.' 1 Why, what's the matter now?' exclaimed Rebecca, stalking in upon them in her psttens, for she was helping the scullery maid to clean. Betsy winter than her apron, and my cherry brandy got at ?
 Mrs. Betsy was feeling bit faint, said James: I reached down the cherry brandy | for her.
 l Faint and no wonder, cried Rebecca;
 'stewed up, as she is, all day amp night in my
 lady's sick room. should strike; I know | that
 | Betsy rose and left the kitchen, her steps halting. Rebecca put up the cherry brandy, and James got on the chair and wound me up | with shaking fingers. l wondered what i'll it
 was that was coming upon the house. l A day or two after this, when the window | near me stood open to the warm sunshine, happened to strike the hour-eleven-just as Sir Austin and the young lady passed, She turned her head quickly and looked in.
 What fine sound that clock has in strik- ing, so deep and melodIous,' she exclaimed l in her pretty accent that seemed to be softer ! than ours, as if 8 touch of her own sweet Ital- ian tongue mingled with it. It is fine old clock altogether observed | Sir Austin. Come in and look at it, Carlot- ta.'
 She came in through the side door with 1 ouu StOOu III lTOuI OI ule Luc being empty just then. What a lovely face it was, raised to mine.
 l 'It is too handsome to be here, she sad. I declare the case is carved ebony. It ought to be in the hall, Sir Austin 1t shall be sometime returned the master l looking down at her with the love shining in his dark blue eyes. 1t, and all things else, shall be placed whereseever you like best, | Carina'
 | A, tho,, +,,-,ol o-ro,, ~ ..o.t .;ao .e ..,,,, son flushed her cheeks. An it was easy to be seen how the wind blew. And my lady, up in her bedroom, suspected not the treason that was abroad.
 June was coming in before she quilted it, to l stir the house with her sharp commands. Her bell would ring ten times at once, the maids 1 flying all ways to answer it. Up and down, here and there and everywhere, went she, in her pink cashmere dressing gown. a fantastic l French cap upon her head that made her look all the uglier
 The day that my lady took up her place again in the drawing room after her long ill., ness-in trailing velvet dress and the rings ! glittering on her f1ngers-Sir Austin left the | Hall. News had come that something was amiss with my lady's sister -in-law. Mrs. ! Threthasis they did notknow whether it was l illness or trouble; and my lady ordered Sir | Austin off to Cornwall. I.
 
 mother2 ? he asked in Betsy's hearing, who was busy about her mistress. I cannot sec | what trouble she can have; and if it be sick | ness, can do no good in sick-room.' My | lady answered that it was necessary and he must lose no time Tn starting So he went off | in the dog cart to the station. That some evening Pheby came home. She was thin and pale, and her hair was cut short. 1 She and Betsy begin at once to hold confer ences together in whispered tones and with l grave faces It struck me that Betsy was | disclosing to her what she had not dared dis 1 close to James-the fatal secret. 1 Two days la:er the postman brought two l letters to the house; one for my lady, one for | Miss Donati, and both of them from Sir Aus. tin. What my ady's contained she and he | only knew, but when she read it she was like | mad woman. Never she screamed out, with a vehem- ence that make Pheby start, 'neverl I would l see her die first -. ... .. ..--. Sue rushed downstairs after reading the 1 letter. to the breakfast room, where Miss Donati waited. What happened none of the l servants could say; there was colnmotion in side, my lady raving, stamping and storming: and then the poor young girl, looking fright l ened to death, came running forth, all in a tremble, with wound in her cheek. 7
 'She has struck her with her heavy hand. and at times it's as sharp as 8 dagger whis- pered Pheby to the hOusekeeper. What an uncomfortable day it wasl My lady in her raging mood, the poor young for. eigner hiding her cheek and her tears in her chamber, locked in by my lady's orders, and the servants pretty nearly in rebellion. My lady was on the eve of madness, they said tsA one another; she would strike deadly blow next, and it might be to one of them
 That night there was mysterious depart l ure from the house. The closed carriage came quietly to the house at 10 o'clock, and two yelled women stole down the stairs, and were driven quietly on in 1t it was my lady's maid with prisoner in charge, Miss Donati. l For some of the servants that night there was no bed. But not on account of the de- DArture F0r a@veral dauu Tar,na C....-. L,