The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-11-06
A TRAGEDY;
THE STORY Of THE CHAIN PIER.
CHAPTER VII.

CHAPTER VIII.
From that time I felt that my sus-
plcion was truth. / knew that were
characters 50 complex that no human
oelng could understand them. Here
was beautiful surface,-Heaven only
knew what lay underneath. There was
no outward brand of murder on the
Whlte brow, or red stain on the soft,
whlte hand. But day by day the cer-
tainty grew in my mind Another
thing struck me very much. We were
slttlnR one day quite alone on the grass
near pretty little pool of water, called
Dutton Pool, in some parts it was
very shallow, in some very deep. Lance
had gone somewhere on business, and
had left us to entertain each other. l
nau orten noticed that one OF Mrs.
flemlngS faYorlte ornaments was q
golden lOcket with one fine diamond in
the centre; she wore it suspended by q
small chain from her neck As she sat
talking to me she was playing with the
chain, when It suddenly became unfast-
ened and the locket fell from it. In less
than a second 1t was hidden in the long
grass; she looked for IL in silence for
some minutes, then she said gently:
II have dropped my locket, Mr.. Ford;
Is IL near you. l cannot find ity''
asked.
~ should not like to lose il, she re-
pied, and her face paled as searching in
the long grass she saw nothing of it.
found it in a few minutes. but il
was lying open, the fall had loosened
the spring. I could not help seeing the
contents as | gave it to her-a round
ring Of pale golden hair.
"A baby's curll'' said, as 1 returned
il to her.
Her whole face went blood-red in one
minute
The only thing have belonging to
nv little sister" she said she died
when l was a child
You must prize it." l said; but
could not keep the dryness OF suspicion
from my voice.
Mrs. Fleming" 1 asked, suddenly.
are you, like Lance and myself, with
out relatiOnsY'
Almost" she replied. briefly.
strange that three people should be
almost alone in the world but for each
other!'' / said.
II was left an orphan when I was
four years old, " she said. ''Only Heav-
Ell knows how 1 have cried out upon
my parents for leaving me- never
had one happy hour. Can you imagine
whole childhood passed without one
happy hour?l
Hardly" l said.
With white. nervous fingers she fast
ened the gold chain round her neck
again.
Not one happy hour" she said. Il
was left under the care of my grand
mother, cold, proud, cruel woman,
who never said kind word to me, and
who gTudged me every slice of bread
and butter l ate"
She looked at me, still holding the
golden locket in her white fingers.
If had been like other girls" she
said IF had parents to love me,
brothers and sisters, friends or rela-
tives, 1 should have been different Be
lieve me, Mr.. Ford, there are white
slaves in England, whose slavery u
worse than that Of an African child.
was one Of them. l think OF my youth
with 8 sick shudder-I think Of nv
childhood with horror-and l almost
thank Heaven that the tyrant is dead
who blighted my life"
Now the real woman was breaking
through the mask; her face flushed, her
eyes shOne.
II often talk to Lance about il" she
said, this terrible childhood of mine
l was punished for the least offence. 1
never heard a word Of pity or affection.
/ never saw a look of ANYTHING but hate
on my grandmother's face. No one was
ever pitiful to me; fierce words, fierce
blows, complaints of the burden | was
that was all my mothers mother ever
gave to me. l need not say that hated
her, and learned to loathe the life fain
would have laid down. Do l tire you,
Mr.. Ford?''
''On the contrary, 1 am deeply inter
ested. y / replied.
She went on
My grandmother was not poor, she
was greedy. She had good income
which died with her, and she strongly
objected TO spend it on me. She paid
for my education on the condition that
when l could get my own living by
teaching should repay her. Thank
Heaven, did SOL
Then you were a governess?'' l said.
%Ges; | began to get my living at IF
teen. | was tall for my age, and quite
capable she said: but fifteen is very
young, Mr.. Ford, for girl to be thrown
on to the world
You must have been very beauti-
ful girl, y | said.
~ Yes, so much the worse for me-"
She seemed to repent of the words as
soon as they were uttered.
Il mean, she added, quickly, that
my grandmother hated me the more for
it,
There was silence between Hs for
some minutes. then she added
You may imagine after such an un-
loved life, how / love Lance"
lie is the best fellow in the world"
| said, and the woman who could de-
ceive him ought to be shot
What woman would deceive him?'
she asked. Indeed, for that matter,
what woman could? l am his wife"
1t happens very often, said, try
ing to speak careles5ly, that good and
loyal men like Lance are most easily
deceived
.It should not be so. she said. She
was startled again. | could see it in her
face
That same afternoon we drove into
Vale Royal Mrs. Fleming had several
poor people whom she wished to see,
and some shopping TO do.
You should take your locket to
jewelers., " l said, and have the spring
secured"
What locket is that?'' asked Lance,
looking up eagerly from his paper.
Nine she replied - this" She
held it out for his inspection. II near
ly lost it this morning" she said; lit
fell from my neck
halrr' he asked.
Yes" she replied, opening 10 and
holding il out for him to see.
What nerve she had, if this was what
| imagined, the hair OF the little dead
child Loving Lance rose from his
chair to kiss her.
You would not like to lose that, nv
darling, would youy' he said. Except
ing me. that is all you have in the wide
world.
They seemed to forget all about me;
she clung to him, and he kissed her face
until l thought he would never give
over
How lovely you were when I found
YOU. Frances" /" he said. DO you re-
member the evening-you were bending
over the chrysanthemumS?'
II T.. s.