The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-01-23

pdmour, p1nOur, PGHeour." There is no
Disgusting it-something in this disclosure
made me excessively angry: Was | angry
with Miss Melbury? or with Mr.. Sax? or
with myself? think it must have peen
with myself.
Finding that had nothing to say on my
side, Mrs. Fosdyke looked at her watch, and
remembered her domestic duties. To my
relief, our interview came to an end.
81 have a dinner-party to-day" she said,
ssand have not seen the housekeeper yet
Make yourself beautiful, Miss Morris, and
join us in the drawing-room after dinner"
CHAPTER v.
wore my best dress; and, in all my life
before, | never took such pains with my
hair. Nobody will be foolish enough, l
hope, to suppose that did this on Mr.. Sax's
account How could possibly care about
man who was little better than stranger
to me? No! the person I dressed at was
Miss Melbury.
She gave me look as modestly placed
myself in corner, which amply rewarded
me for the time spent on my toilette. The
gentlemen came in. | looked at Mr. Sax
(mere curiosity uuder shelter of my fan.
His appearance was greatly improved by ev-
ening dress. He discovered me in my cor
ner, and seemed doubtful whether to APP
proach me or not l was reminded OF our
first odd meeting; and / could not help smil-
ing as called it to mind. Did he presume
to think that / was encouraging him2 Be-
fore could decide that question, he took the
vacant place on the sofa. In any other man
after what had passed in the morning
this would have been an audacious proceed
ing. He looked so painfully embarrassed,
that it became species of Christian duty to
pity him.
as he had said it at Sandwich.
Ipeeped round the corner of my fan at
Miss Melbury. She was looking at us. l
shook hands with Mr.. Sax.
ssWhat sort Of sensation is it," he asked,
sswhen you shake hands with man whom
you hate?"
II really can't tell you," answered limo
Gently; 81 have never done such thing"
"You wouldn't lunch with me at Sand
wich,' he protested; sand, after the hum
blest apology on my part, you won't forgive
me for what did this morning. DO you
expect me to believe that am not the spec
ial object of your antipathyp l wish / had
gets angry when he is treated cruelty and
doesn't deserve it. You don't understand
| that, dare say"
ooh, yes, do. l heard what you said
| about me to Mrs. Fosdyke, and heard you
bang the door when you got out of my way"
He received this reply with every appear
| ance of satisfaction. $50 you listened, did
you? Pm glad to hear that"
"Why?'
ssIt shows YOU take some interest in me,
| after all.''
| Throughout this frivolous talk Il only ven
| ture to report it because itshows that l bore
| nomalice on my side) Miss Melbury was LOOK
| ing at us like the basilisk of the ancients.
| She owned to being on the wrong side OF
| thirty; and she had little money-but these
were surely no reasons why she should
| glare at poor governess. Had some secret
understanding of the tender sort been al
ready established between Mr.. Sax and her,
self? She provoked me into trying to find
out-especially as the last words he had
| said offered me the opportunity.
81 can prove that feel a sincere interest
in you,o resumed. 81 can resign you to a
| lady who has far better claim to your at
tention than mine. You are neglectlng her
shamefully.'
He stared at me with an appearance of
bewilderment, which seemed to imply that
the attachment was only on the lady's side,
SO far. 1t was, of course, impossible to
mention names merely turned my eyes in
the right direction. He looked where /
looked-aud his shyness revealed itself, in
spite of his resolution to conceal it. His
face flushed he looked mortified and sur
prised. Miss Melbury could endure it no
longer She rose, took song from the mu-
sic-stand, and approached us.
II am going, to sing she said, handing
| the music to him. "Please turn over for
me, Mr.. Sax"
sure that observed him correctly. It mat
tiers little With or without hesitation he
followed her to the piano.
Miss Melbury sang-with perfect selfpos-
session, and an immense. compass OF voice.
A gentleman near me said she ought to be
on the stage. I thought SO too Big as it
was, our drawing-room was not large enough
for her. The gentleman sang next. No
voice at all--but so sweet, such true feeling!
I turned over the leaves for him. A dear
old lady, sitting near the piano, entered in
to conversation with me. She spoke of the
great singers at the beginning of the present
century. Mr.. Sax lowered about, with Miss
Melbury's eye on him. I was so entranced
by the anecdotes of my venerable friend,
that / could take no notice of Mr.. Sax. La
ter, when the dinner-party was over, and we
were retiring for the night, he still lowered
about, and ended in offering me bedroom
candle. 1 Immediately handed it to Miss
Melbury. Really a most enjoyable evening!
CHAPTER VI.
The next morning, we were startled by an
extraordinary proceeding on the part OF one
of the guests Mr.. Sax had left Carsham
Hall, by the first train-nobody knew why.
Nature has laid-so, at least, philosophers
say-some heavy burdens upon women.
Do those learned persons include in their
list the burden of Mysteries? Ii so, cor
daily agree with them. 1t is hardly worth
speaking of in my case a constitutional out
break in the solitude of my own room, treat
ed with eau-de-cologne and water, and quite
forgotten afterward in the absorbing employ
ment of education. My favorite pupil, Fred
DIV, had been up earlier than the rest of us
breathing the morning air in the fruit-gar-
den. He had seen Mr.. Sax, and had asked
when he was coming back again. And Mr..
Sax had said, 81 shall be back again next
MONTH" dear little Freddy)
In the meantime, we, in the schooroom,
had prospect before us of a dull time in an
empty house. The remaining guests were
to 60 away at the end of the week, their
hostess being engaged to pay visit to some
old friends in Scotland.
During the next three or four days, though
| was often alone with Mrs. Fosdyke, she
never said one word on the subject of Mr..
Sax. Once or twice caught her looking at
me with that unendurably significant smile
of hers. Miss Melbury was equally unpleas-
ant 10 another way. When we accidentally
met on the stairs, her black eyes shot at me
passing glances of hatred and scorn. Did
these two ladies presume to think?
No; abstained from completing that in
quiry at the time, and I abstain from COM
pleting it here.
The end of the week came, and and the
children were left alone at Carsham Hall.
I took advantage of the leisure hours at
my disposal to write to Sir Gerard; respect
fully inquiring after his health, and inform
ing him that had been again most fortu-
nate in my engagement as governess. By
return post an answer arrived. l eagerly
opened it. The first lines informed me of
Sir Gerard Royland's death.
The letter dropped from my hand. look
ed at my little enamelled cross. 1t is not
for me to say what / felt. Think of all that
owed TO him; and remember how lonely
my lot was in the world. gave the chill
dren holiday; it was only the truth to tell
them that was not well.
How long an interval passed before l
could call to mind that had only read the
first lines of the letter, l am not able to say.
When / did take it, was surprised to see
that the writing covered two pages. Begin
ming again where had left off, my head, in
moment more, began to swim. A horrid
fear overpowered me that might not be in
L ....l 1,o1 fret