Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1881-01-28

| from Matte, coniessing that she and Mr.
Armitage were married, and hoping the
| servant sent might supply her place SO thai
no one would be Inconvenience. Drew
might shake his head and look thoughtful
but Mr. Armitage was his own master, and
married country lass Besides, the deed
was done and past recall They had gone
quietly to one of the churches in the town
from whence the sound of bells fioated ur
to the farm, and had been married by special
license. Adam had taken a lodging for his
birdie, and there they passed one brief bright
week Of happiness; then one morning walk
ed quietly back together, Matte blushine
and smiling, and looking so lovely and lady.
like in u simple dress that she used to wear
before She came to the farm, that they hardly
knew her.
Adam explained that he meant to leave
his wife for two days--no more--in the care
of her old friends at the end of that time
he would return and fetch her. There were
arrangements to be made in regard to the
scientific expedition about to start immedi-
ately. 1t would sail without him now, but
it behooved him to do his best that his place
should be filled as well rs ii might be
There was also his mother TO see, and pre-.
pare for receiving Matte.
Matte walked little way with her hus.
band and Mr.Drew along the breezy uplands,
and then Adam sent her back, and FASTENED
his own steps in the direction of the little
station at the foot of the Downs When he
came again, he said, laughing, that it would
be from B-Station, and that he would
arrive in fly through the Stonedene Gate
and along the track, the only approach to a
carriage road leading to the farm
Hattie went away smiling as he meant she
should do, and only paused now and then
to look after the two men as long as they
remained in sight II was natural that she
| should feel II little afraid of this unknown
lady, Adams mother, but that fear was the
only shadow on .Matties path. 1t was an
idyl, q poem, as true love story as the
world has seen, that had written itself here
in this out-of-the way spot on the lonely
Sussex Downs,
On the third day they might look for
Adam to return, but that day passed any
many another, until the days were weeks,
and the weeks months, and he neither came
| nor wrote. Matte remembered how when
she had turned to look back for the last time
upon that homeward walk, she had seen his
figure distinct against the sky for one in
slant, and in the next lost it entirely as he
passed out Of sight over the swelling line
OF hills. Just 50 she seemed TO have lost
him in one instant out her life. And yet
she never lost faith and trust in him never
ceased to watch for his coming again
Drew, after time, goaded to the step by
his sisters loudvoiced arguments, or promp-
ted to il by his own sense of what was due
to Matte, not only took pains TO ascertain
that the marriage was real enough, but the
further pains Of searching for and finding
the address Of Adam Armitage in Lon
don 1t was strange how this girl and her
former master both trusted Adam in the
face of his inexplicable silence in the face
of even more ominous discovery made by
Drew when in town-the discovery that he
had never mentioned Matties name to his
mother, or alluded TO her at all. AS for Adam,
Mrs. Armitage had declared he was not with
her then, and that she could not give an adj
dress that would find him; an assertion that
confirmed Matte in the idea that he had
started on one Of those far-away travels he
had so often spoken Of to her.
AS autumn passed and the evenings grew
chill with the breath ofcoming winter, Mat
ties health seemed to fail. The deep mean-
cbOly that oppressed her threatened TO break
the springs Of life. In order to escape from
Mrs. Banks the girl took to lonely wander
ings over the Downs; wanderings that al.
ways ended at Stonedene; until with the in
stinct Of a wounded animal that seeks TO en-
dure its pain alone, or from the present rec
objection Of the last words of Adam when
he had said II was by way of Stonedene
that he would return she besought the
farmer 10 send away the woman in charge
ofthe house and allow her 10 take her place
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 Stonedene, on the watch always
for the coming of Adam.
The fog had increased instead Of diminish.
ing with the approach Of evening. Drew
could not see his own house until he was
close TO IL; as he had remarked, the mystery
Of Mattie's affairs was not more impenetra.
bic than the veil hiding all natural objects
just then. When he had put up the horse
and gone in 10 tea, Mrs. Banks, as she bus.
tied about, preparing the meal that Mattie's
def little fingers had been wont 10 set out
with 80 much quietncss rs well as celebrity,
did not fail TO greet him with the question :
swell how is shey'
"5he" had come 10 mean Matte In the
vocabulary Of the farmer and his sister.
"About as usual in health" Drew replied,
lifting the five-year.old Harry to his knee ,
"but troubled in mind; though 10 be sure,
that Il as usual, too"
"Shc Is out Of her mind" exclaimed Mrs.
Banks, irritably
Every one but yourself knows that and
II you do not know il, II is only because you
are as mad as she is-or any one might
think 50 from the way you go on"
NAY, nay said Drew gently, as the dish
was set upon the table with yehemence
that made the teacups rattle. "There arc no
signs Of madness about Mattie--unless you
call her trust In her husband by 80 hard a
name"
Husband pretty husband indeed. I've
no patience with him, nor with you either
As II il was not common tale enough II
would b. better TO persuade the girl 10 come
home and get 10 work again than 10 encour
age her IN her fancies, while you pay another
servant herc--and times 80 hard a. they
are"
A.. a r.