The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1882-10-07
CHAPTER XIII.

1EII ALL.
Lord Oldentowers's return was Of no i'm
mediate profit to Friar's Cross, the smoking
of an additional chimney or two in his lonely
Old mansion being the only sign visible for
many weeks of the masters presence under
his ancestral roof-wecks passed in consid-
cradle suspense and anxiety by the Ettls
widow and her brother, who were nourish-
ing the hope of being permitted to renew
the very slight acquaintance they enjoyed
with the little noblemar, and of doing their
best to cheer his solitude and assuage his
grief, as soon as he should emerge from his
obstinate seclusion-weeks of the keenest,
subtlest pain and pleasure to poor Marjory,
who was now in regular receipt of Hum
phreys letters, which were given up to her
almost unread by Floss to be devoured in
secret, worshipped and answered in her
pupils name.
Such manly, tender, loyal letters they
were-letters that the noblest woman in the
land might have been proud to receive!
And the child to whom they were sent used
to yawn over them, fling them aside and
laugh at their earnest, beautiful confess
slOns.
1T is because they are written to me-"
Marjory would argue, proudly. ''They are
sent from his soul to mine, though he will
never know it."
And, when sometimes conscience would
family prick her in the midst of her feverish
delight, she would declare that there was no
wrong done to Floss, who was merely made
to appear more womanly, more faithful,
more what her lover wished her to prove
nor to Humphrey, since he already credited
his childish sweetheart with all the virtues
as well as with all the beauty under the
sun.
''And I have only this one joy in the
world, the girl pleaded many time in an
swer to the haunting voice that whispered
In her reluctant ear during the long, wake
full nights which were beginning to rob her
eyes of their clearness and her cheeks of
their bloom. 'It hurts no one but myself.
The shame, the repentance, and the desoia-
ton will only touch me when the time
comes. Don't ask me to give up my one
delight just yet! These letters make him
SO happy-I know they do! Can't 1 read
it in his answers? And no one thinks of
his happiness but me, or can find a moment
in which to regret him. Leave me these
few months longer while he is away, and,
when he comes back, he will find only Floss
to meet him. shall be gone before he ar
rives"
| Meanwhile Mrs. Dering had no leisure in
which to notice how thin, pale and nervous
her young governess had been looking of
late. She saw that Miss Sebright's duties
were scrupulously performed, and that Floss
was improving daily in her manners and
temper, as well as in music and German;
and, seeing this, the little widow was salts
| fed.
We're there not things of far more absorb
/ ing interest to attend to than lonely girls
struggle between right and wrong, between
love and duty?
At any moment, almost, Lord Oldentow-
ers might get tired Of the lugubrious exist
ence he was leading, and, remembering the
pleasant evening he had spent six months
before at Gable End, might desire repeti-
ton of its pleasures.
But the days and weeks passed by, and
nothing further was heard or seen of the
widowed nobleman. He did not attend the
village church; he was not to be met with
by the ladies from Gable End in any Of
their walks and drives. The little widow
suggested to her brother that the unfortu-
nate young man must be composing an epi-
taph for his wife, and added that it would
not be bad idea to set fire to Oldentowers
some night, SO as to force him out of his
den.
The young man himself, meanwhile, was
totally unconscious of the interest taken il
his movements and desired nothing but te
be left in peace.
His coming home had been made doubly
sad by the changes that had taken place
during his absence at Wintersloe. The
shadow of fate seemed to be brooding oye1
all his native place. The chill March winds
echoed with the lost voices, music ant
laughter of his youth; the nights were
long dreams of vanished happiness ant
ightness of heart, such as the young maj
believed he should never know again.
At first he thought of following Hum
phrey Lamont to America He had beel
looking forward to his friends companion
ship, now that they were to be made neigh
bors. and even that solace was denied him
But the listlessness that had taken posses
sion of him, blotted the idea from his mind
and the gray March days went by and foun,
MIN still walking aimlessly about his park
with half dozen dogs at his heels, or mop
ing over pipe by his study fire without an.
thought of change.
People said to each other that the youn
widower's grief was quite touching, espec;
ally when it was remembered that poo
) Lady Oldentowers had been such a con