The Penn's Grove record., 1884-10-25

moreover, her nerves were in such a
condition that she felt anything would
be better for her than to stay at Tor.
wood, which had become associated
with such mournful recollections. So
the same evening, Sir Richard, his
wife, and two children, with their
nurses, started from London, %andthence
went to Dover to cross the Channel.
Before departing, Lady Lexington gave
Hannah all her spare money and some
jewels to sell, in order that she might
be able to brIbe Edward DeTmerell out
of prison. 1t was a woman's plan,
weak and wild, but both parties to 1t
were sincere in thinking it might be
executed Sir Richard had stated that
he should go to Ostend but on arriv-
ing in this town, he told his wife that
it would be better they should proceed
to B~lankenbergh, as being quieter.
The baronet received no visitors and
no English papers He had discharged
his servants and taken Belgian ones !;
only his valet, a hard-headed German,
remained with him ; and this fellow
seemed to have received orders to watch
his mistress, for Lady Lexington no.
ticed that he followed her at a distance
whenever she went out. She did not
care much about this, for she trusted
to Hannah; but three weeks passed
without her receiving a line from her
servant. Then another week went by,
and Lady Lexington, whose health bad
not been much restored by the sea-air,
could contain her Impotence no longer,
and one morning a sked her husband
abruptly when Edward Dermerell's
trial would take place. She had never
alluded to this subject nee since leav-
ing England, and nOw trembled as she
awaited her husbands answer ''Oh, it
don't come on for two MONTHS replied
the baronet coldly, land | suppose we
shall be home before then"
1t was three days after this that Lady
Lexington, having gone out for her Gus
tomary morning walk on the esplanade
alone, sat down on a form where two
English ladies were reading a newspa-
per between them. The first words
she heard them pronounce, as they made
remarks about what they read, made
her thrill from head to foot. "Would
you mind lending me that paper for a
moment, please ?" said Lady LeviDg-
ton In a broken voice. "There is a re-
port of Mr.. Dermerell's trial in it, is
there not P''
"Yes, he has been sentenced to
DEATH" answered one of the ladies
calmly.
death - exclaimed Lady Leying-
ton. and almost snatching the paper out
Of the astonished donors hand. she
rushed off with it, running down the
esplanade and tearing into her house.
Her husband was Just coming out, and
she met him in the passage "Here, see
this /" she painted, thrusting the jour
nal into his hands. "Mr. Dermerell
has been sentenced to be hanged !"
"What of it ?" asked Sir Richard,
with icy Indifference.
"But he's innocent - Dried Lady
Lexington, In despairing agitation.
Seeing the impassiyeness in her bus
bands face. she drew him by the sleeve
into the paIlor and threw herself on
her knees. Orchard, hear my confess
sion ; you may spurn me afterwards If
you like, but must speak the truth and
save this man."
my poor child, you are mad, said
the baronet, with an atfectation of kind
ness. when he had heard her first words.
"No, | am not mad hear nut to the
end - screamed the distracted woman,
clasping his knees.
mo, no, you want tending : | must
send for "a doctor" SAID Sir Richard,
and he tore himself away 80 resolutely
that his wife fell forward on the floor
and remained there with her arms out
stretched, convulsed by hysterical weep
ing.
The same evening two Belgian doc
tors certified that Lady Lexington was
suffering from hallucinations which
made them fear brain-feyer aud they
were right, for during the night the
fever declared itself.