The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-08


Mrs. Smiths was not face upon which i'm.
: agne as a rule any emotion painted itself with
much vividness. 1t was dull, fat, mask like
face; but there was one feeling that upon my
entry it showed itself at all events fully capable
Of portraying, and that was astonishment
shall never forget the way in which her eyes and
mouth opened as 1 sheepishly followed my own
name into her drawing She rose from
workable at which she was sitting and
/. advanced to meet me civilly enough; but all
her face was written such an obvious expecta-
ton of hearing from my lips some immediate
explanation of this surprising visit, that not all
The shock of the discovery that. in its first par
ticular-that of the changed butler-my dream
was fulflled-could prevent my feeling covered
with confusion at my own apparent intrusive
ness.
II am afraid this is rather a late hour at which
70 call, said constrainedly-she tried to put in
faint disclaimer-'but the fact is met with
an accident ON my way My carriage broke
down in Salcote-something went wrong with
the axle-tree."
Indeed! am very sorry" perfectly politely,
but still with that undisguisable look of aston
ishment and expected explanation. 1t must be
remembered that she had been living twelve
years in the neighborhood, and that had made
mot the slightest attempt to visit her before.
sand so 1 had to wait till fly could be got
ready. which threw me later STILL" continued l
boldly.
She again repeated: 'Indeed!" and that she
was very sorry adding that the Salcote flies were
very bad ones but saw the puzzled look grow
hcuter and could follow the chain of thought
chat was running through her mind as plainly as
it had been written on a piece of paper before
me- That my carriage should have broken
down, and that yet l should have been so de-
terminedly resolved to visit her as to push on in
the teeth of circumstances in a moldy fly at 6
o'clock at night and such night, was the
I problem her total inability to solve which she
was perfectly unable to disguise, nor could I
help her.
1t was utterly impossible that could tell her
4 what motive had brought me. Had she been
another kind of woman 1 might possibly have
eonfe ssed myself to her; but being such as she
was felt that had sooner be torn inipieces by
wild horses. AS we were toilsomely trying to
keep up conversation, rendered almost impos-
sible by our relative positions, the butler en-
tered, bringing tea. AS he set down the tray
on the tea table, / could not help stealing a
sidelong glance at his face. 1t told me nothing.
had never, to my knowledge seen it before,
nor was it one that / should ever have noticed.
But then neither had seen the dream face. 1t
had been unaccountably hidden from me- AS
soon as he had left the room I said abruptly,
y $50 you have lost your old butler"
A fresh access of surprise overlook her, as
SOW How did know that they had old
butlerl
J EYES," she answered slowly, I'VE kept him as
long as we could, poor old man, because we were
30 fond of him, but he grew 80 infrm, at last,
that he had to CO."
''And your present onep
:, Our present onel" repeating my words with
q puzzled air.
'Yes; do you like himq Had you very good
character with himY"
Her eyes opened wide at my extraordinary
curiosity
''Well am afraid that we were a little inn
prudent in his case. I am sure it is very good
of you to take an interest in the atter"-( For
good read Impairment commented l. internal
ly.)-"But the fact is. that there seems to be a
little mystery about the reason why he left his
last place However, Mr.. Smith took a fancy to
his appearance, and so we engaged him. But
do not w"-(formaly) I should
trouble you with our domestic affairs"
:. did not answer for moment. | was think
ing with a sort of stupefaction. They have taken
him without character Who knows what his
antecedents wereq When I did speak it was
with an apparently brusque change of subject;
myself knew the link that bound the two topics
= together in my mind.
"Mr. Smith is well, hope; at homer
HE was quite we'll when.he left home this
morning, thanks"
left home!" interrupted I, breathlessly; ''he
has left home?"
HE was summoned away unexpectedly" an
swered she, TRANQUILITY; "but expect him back
tomorrow, or the day after, at latest"
"But not onight9" (hurriedly).
mo, not tonight, certainly" with her usual
phlegml
At that moment the butler again entered,
bringing coals-apparently Longmain's did not
boast footman-and knelt down before the fire
to put them
4 For a moment my eye fell on him; then |
turned suddenly sick. Surely that was the very
back, the very kneeing figure altogether that
had seen in my dreams! suppose looked very
odd, pale and faint; for found Mrs. Smiths
white eyes fixed upon me- and her
voice asking me, ibid I feel the fire
too inuch3" stammered out negative, and
for some moments could do no more At last
the object that had excited my emotion being no
longer in the room. rose, driven by some in
! ward power stronger than myself, and went to-
. wards Mrs. Smith. She, thinking that I meant
to take leave, rose too
- II do not know whether your fly is at the
door," said she. 'you had better let me ring and
ask"
her hand was on its way to the bell, but l ar
rested it. She had misunderstood my action in