Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-11-27

one dlltIHODu WIS NhtNhiHE ~
nit; put bandage on, when the
conviction that had known him
before came upon me stronger
than ever. This is not the first
time You and have had TO do
with a horse together, Arnitt, !
said to him. lie looked up at me
quickly, a fash Of look as If |
might be a detective who had been
tracking him for years, and had
hunted him down at last. 'For
Gods sake don't my lord,' he said,
all in a hurry; dts no use pretend
ing that was once "a 'An under
grad at BrazenOse,' | put in; when,
poor begger, he gave such a crlng-
ing shiver that felt sure Id put
my hand on an open wound, and
wished / had let him alone. Il
want 10 forget all that, my lord
| sunk that life and everything
connected with it long since, he
said, desperately. Il wouldn't have
Joined the Black Horse if I'd ever
guessed you would have been
gazetted to it, ooh, it's all rght.
I'll not remind you Of it again,
Arnitt,' | told him; for, Of course,
| | didn't want to make his burden
any heavier for him to carry. /
knew his face, but could not re-
member his name, and should not
try to find out. only | said 4 do
remember perfectly well that you
didn't call me my lord in the old
DAYS Don't talk about the old
days he burst out. Il forfeited
all that made them worth having,
and | bear it /; but don't remind me
of them, if you know what pity is
- don't.' So of course | told him /
wouldn't, and no more | did. !
never tried to find him out, but I've
often thought about it, and tried
to fix the name knew belonged 10
the face, but ! never could it has
always eluded my memory just as
dream often does. Yes, there is
a queer story at the back of Ar
nitt's hard life, | know that. It's
a strange fate for a man TO have
been a tuft at Brazenose, and then
a private in a marching regiment,
with a wife picked ont Of circus.
| And he's fond of her, too, OH yes,
for she is not a bad sort, and was
always pretty. Yes, IT'S queer
story, very. Well, must be get
ting along-by-by.'
By.by,' returned Oxford, and
went on his way wondering much
about the story he had just heard
Meantime Lord Archie went furth-
cr along the street. and turned in
at an archway between two of The
little .eaturcless houses, which
brought him into the stablc.yard.
lie just cast an eye over the ami
mails, and then inquired Of tie
groom which was Arnitt'S house
The man pointed it ont, and Lord
Archie CROSSED the narrow. i'll
paved little street, and KNOCKED
softly on the panel Of The door. Ii
was opened by the pretty fair-hair
ed wife, who looked worn TO death,
and had baby in her arms; two
older children, yet little more than
infants, cling to her skirts, and
the bigger ones stood in the back
ground looking sbyly ON.
'Good.day, Mrs. Arnitt. How is
your husband " he asked.
'Oh, my lord, he's very liz she
answered with quivering lips and
eyes brimming over, not because
she had been weeping much, but
because. the sympathetic tone went
straight to her heart, and made it
ouiver like a harp swept by z
strong hand; 'he's very i'll indeed
and DR.. Granger scarcely gives M
any hope at all
'Wbo's attending to him? Have
, you got n nurse or anybody to hell
: your Lord Archie inquired.
'Yes, my lord; Mr.. Oxford sen
= one in as soon as ever he hcarC
Arnitt was iIl-very III, that is
But he will never get over it, N!
= lord - never And lowering he
voice almost to a whisper, 'lle'
. got something on his mind know
it; I'm sure Of it,
'What kind of something
> Lord Archie asked.
Il can't tell that, my lord sh,
answered but something there is
for certain. ArnittIs a very quiet
close sort of man, and though he
" one of the best husbands that eve
: drew breath and has never givel
, me a cross word since we wcr
married, and has never raised hi
y hand to one Of the children-anl
they are trying at times there's n
denying it-he's never told me
word about his past life, never one
= | don't know anything about him
my lord, not even where he wa
born, or whether he has relation
i'm all the world. But he isn't lik
" u" me, my lord; aud though hes n
. better now than a common soldier
. he's q gentleman, Arnitt is, am
- sometimes could fancy he wa
even moro than that
Lord Archie's conscience pricke
him a little that he VAS obliged j
: honor to keep from this distrcsse