The Penn's Grove record., 1884-10-11

81 lAdl ullil lAbhAh - JIM - @
heavy fashion. but Grace turned pale
aud FAINT, thinking her secret was ont,
and she drove home we'll nigh hysleric
with terror.
She did not see Rosy to speak to after
this fOr tllree months. Sometimes, as
she drove through the village with her
tenderly-nurtured boy, lying on the lap
of his new nurse on the front carriage
seat, sae caught sight of the poor abau-
doned mite PLAYING in the mad of the
road with unwashed children, aud once
size saw Rosy with her little head band
aged up in brown paper, and looking
pallid and i'll as it 81 had had a fall.
Yet the mother dared not alight to
fOndle her child, because Of the gaping
clowns who We're near. All this was
! horrible, and the secret tOrmentS told
on Grace's health, 80 that her husband
grew uneasy about her, and talked OF
taking her on a tour to the South Of
| Europa proposal which only made
her worse. Meanwhile the mlsbehay-
ioF of the Tooses was growing o and
more scandalous, 50 that, worried by
the complaints of the police, Mr.. De
Roy and his brother magistrates had at
last to take a seveTe resolution. They
determined that Richard ToOse'S Ii
cense should not be renewed at the
next sessions. Roland announced this
purpose to his wife one day at lunch
con, adding considerably that he did
not intend TO cast of the couple. II
think of giving t hem money to emf
gratC to Australia - he said "Richard
is a strong fellow, and will do well on
a sheep farm"
stTo Australia - echoei Grace in
CONSERVATION DO you mean that
they should stay there all their lives ?"
"Why not ? They have come utterly
to grief in this country, and may get a
fresh start out there"
"And Rosy ?" Grace was about to
say. but checked herself. Her child
was about to be taken away from her,
probably for ever, and she dared not
say a word to save it. The poor little
wait seemed doomed, anyhow, to a life
of neglect, for even If it remained in
England with the ToOses what chance
was there that these lost people would
give it a fitting education I No more
shocking dilemma ever stared a mother
In the face and Grace could only re-
fleet, as she wrung her hands, that the
r%etributton for sin, though it may be
DELAYED, comes with a crushing force.
Roland went off to his study to write
some letters, and Grace repaired to the
drawing-roOm, where she sank moan
ing into a chair she dared not eyen
cry, lest her husband coming in should
ask what allied her. She could only
| stare with haggard eyes through the
windows on to the park, where the yell
low autumn leaves were lttering the
grass, soaked with rains from a leaden
sky.
Suddenly she saw the dismal figures
of Richard Toose aud his wife coming
| over the lawn S de by side. Martha was
crying Richard, g~esticulating with a
big umbrella, appeared to be scolding
her. 1t WAS evident that the pair were
| going to the Hall to try and propitiate
MI. De Roy about the license. And so
it proved, fol they presently rang at the
door and were ushered by the servant
into the magistrates study. Hereon
Grace's heart leaped. Anything was
bet ter than the unknown, and
the unhappy mother hoped for
a moment that the Tooses might
obtain their pardon and tuln over a new
leaf. So she waited with anxious throbs
in her bosom.
She waited a quarter OF an hour
then another-then ten minutes more,
when all at once a hideouS fear made
her spring up what if the ToOses
should try to coerce Mr.. De Roy by
telling him of the secret in his wife's
life and demanding hush money? Grace
tottered into the hall and heard a sound
of loud voices. Curiosity prompted
her to listen, but as the words reached
her indistinctly, she stole on tiptoe to a
room that adjoined the 8, udy, and was
only separated from it by a door-cur
tain. She arrived just at the end of a
loud alteration in which Richard, his
wife, and Mr., De Roy were all three
taking part at the top of their voices.
Hitherto the Tooses had apparently
mad no intention of b~etraying Grace,
but the secret came out IN an Outburst
of Richards wrath.
"Well, squire, OF want a thousand
pounds, or ON let all the village know
that your lady was married afore she
took you, and that our orphan Rosy is
her child"
What ?" Numbered Roland and it
was evident that he had made a threat
ening gesture, for Richard shouted
Hands OFF, squire oi be only tellln
Zee the truth ASK moi old ooman."
''It'strue. squire, -" screamed Martha,
thus interpolated ; land it's tonne zee
knowed it, for oi woan't keep the child
no longer
speak, then" said Roland hoarsely
Shut speak low. and conceal nothing"
Grace fell Oh her knees, She was
like a passenger on board a ship which
is going TO wreck-honor, happiness,
her very life were all going 10 be dashed
to pieces She could not hear what
was being said and perhaps she lost
Consciousness for a time, for when she
could next hear, the confession had all
ueeu made /; and it was her husband
who was speaking, sadly and gravely (:
SAY nothing to a soul about this and
you shall be we'll paid" he said to
Richard loose. 'lf You speak 20 3
shall not have i penny Now go"
A few minutes later Roland had lett
the i!all in his dog-carl, and half an
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