The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-01-21

Drew. after a time, either gOaded to the
step by his sisters loud-voiced arguments,
or prompted to it 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
London. 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 discov-
ery that he had never mentioned Matties
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 address that would
find him an assertion that confirmed Mat
tie 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 coming winter,
Mattie's health seemed to fail The deep
melancholy that oppressed her threatened
to break the springs of life. In order to
escape from Mrs. Banks the girl took to
lonely wanderings over the Downs wan
derings that always ended at Stonedene
until. with the instinct of a wounded AMI
NAL that seeks to endure its pain alone, or
from the ever present recollection OF the
last words of Adam, when he had SAID 1t
was by way of Stonedene that he would re-
turn, she besought the farmer to send away
the woman in charge of the house and al
low her totake 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 increased instead Of diminishing
with the approach of evening. Drew
could not see his own house until he was
close to it F.; as he had remarked. the mys-
terv Of Matties affairs was not more I'M
penetrable than the veil hiding all natural
objects Just then When he had put up
the horse and gone in to tea Mrs. Banks,
as she hustled about. preparing the meal
that Mattie's deft little fingers had been
wont 10 set out with 20 much quietness as
well as celebrity. did not fail to greet him
with the question well. how i she
She had come to mean Matte in the
vocabulary Of the farmer and has sister.
About a usual in health, Drew replied.
lifting the 5-year-old Harry to his knee
but troubled in mind though 10 be sure.
that Is as usual, too.
-She Is out Of her mind exclaimed
Mrs Banks irritably.
Every one but yourself knows that and
if yon do not know it, it Is only because
you are as mad as she is--or anyone might
think 80 from the way you 90 on
NAY, nav. said Drew gently. as the
dish was set upon the table with vehemcnce
that made the teacups rattle. There are
no signs Of madness about Mnttie-uuloss
You call her trust in her husband by 50 hard
a name
Husband a pretty husband indeed
I've no patience with him. nor with You,
either. As if il was not common talk
enough II would be better to persuade
the Girl 10 come home and get 20 work
again than to encourage her in her iancies,
while You pay another servant here-aud
times 50 hard as they are.
Il was thinking to-day, the farmer went
on, softly passing his broad palm over the
blonde head Of the child upon his knee, II
was thinking as / came along Of how il
stands written He that loveth not his
brother whom he hath sen, how can he
love God whom be hath not seen
At that instant the shadowy form Of
some one going around 70 the front door,
passed the window. against which the fog
pressed closely Drew set little Harry on
his feet and rose slowly. listening with in
tentness and a surprised look tina; made his
sister ask what allied him.
'Royer-the dog does not bark Who
by the mercy Of Heaven, il Is the man him
selfr cried Drew, as the door opened with
a suddenness that caused Mrs Bsnks TO
drop the plates on the brick floor For
Adam Armitage stood upon the threshold
Adam, pale and worn, a shadow Of his for
mer self, but himself unmistakably.
Adam looked around the room as though
seeking some one, smiled in his old fashion
at Harry, gave half curious, half indifTer-
ent glance to Eliza Bankes, and then turned
to the farmer
Drew, he said simply, where Is my
wife p
"sIss. Armitage is waiting for you AT
Stonedene, sir there was some talk Of yonr
coming back that way
waiting Adam threw up his hands
with passionate gesture: -what can she
have thought p
..She has thought you were gone after
all upon that voyage, and that your letters
had miscarried. Sometimes she has thought
that you were dead, Mr.. Arnitage, but
never ' Drew broke off and held out
his hand. 1--WE knew You could explain
what has happened, sir, he concluded.
Adam drew his own hand across his eyes,
in the way man might do who has lately
been reused from a bad dream and has
some trouble to collect his thoughts
That has happened, he said, (which,
if it had not beiallen me myself and be-
come part of my own experience, should
find it difficult to believe possible. \
strange thing has happened, and yet -
here the old smile they remembered 50
wen broke slowly like light over his face
..and yet thing not more strange, as the
world goes, than that you-I say nothing
of Mattie-but that you should have trusted
me throughout. l detected no mistrust in
your voice, no doubt in your eyes, not even
when they first met mine just now. They
call mine a rare case, friend they might
say the same of your belief in me- But
Stonedene did you say? Walk with me
there and hear my tale as we go p
This evening; and in the mist and
you sir, looking far from well, began Eliza
Banks. aNIattie has waited so long al
ready that one night more viii make but
little difference"
Zone night, one hour more than | can
help will make all the difference between
willful wrong and a misfortune that has
fallen on both alike, said Adam. He
would not be dissuaded from setting out at
once, and in another minute the two men
were pursuing their way through the driy
ing midst, Adam talking as they went.
After parting from Matte he had taken
train to London, where arriving in due