The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-09

quarter of an hour ago she was longing to
See hm-she had purposely put herself in the
| way OF seeing him; and now she left him in
anger, left him with his heart gnaweo by jeal-
| ousy.
In the hall Grace met Purdew, the butler, and
! from him she learnt that Colonel Stukey mad
Como out walking. This was blow, as she was
| dying for "a talk with her friend and counselor
Lacking this comfort she shut herself in her own
room, restless, unhappy and full of fear
Inc day wore on Lady Darnel spent the
afternoon in prayer and thanksgiving. Each new
| report from the sick room was more cheering
tnan the last. Sir Allan was sleeping peacefully
the weary brain SO long tormented by the
wild visions of fever was now at rest The tide
had turned Soon, very soon, Clare Darnel
might nope to take her place beside the sick bed,
TO see the beloved face smile ford welcome to
| the loving wife
| Grace was on the watch all that afternoon for
Colonel Stukely's return; but to her surprise she
Sd" MN driving away from the house at few
minutes before six, his valet sitting at the back
OF the cart This seemed very mysterious
| proceeding. The dogcart had not been brought
| to the hall door, The Colonel had got into it in
the stable yard, and drove rapidly round to the
avenue and away like a man who did not wish
| his departure TO be observed. She spent an
| hour and a half of supreme anxiety, and at half
| past seven little pencIed note was brought her.
| IN her godfather's wel-known hand.
Il am obliged to go to London. dear Oracle
| in your interests. Don't be anxious. All will
be we'll 1t may be days-perhaps more
Your scampish friend is alive, but III a very sad
| condition. l shall do all | can for him, and
| shall not lose sight of him till have obtained
| your release So you may consider yourself free
to be kind to poor Colchester. The man is not
| Frenchman. You have, therefore. been grossly
deceived by him, and that fact alone should can
| Gel any promise you may have given him. Ever
| your faithful friend, s."
| Not a Frenchman' thought Grace, indig
nantly. "What an imposter! And he spoke
| French so beautifully, and wrote such lovely
| letters. | daresay they are full of faults in
| grammar which my ignorance could not detect"
The Colonel said not word as to whether
| Camillac not implicated in the crime
| at Darnel 1t was cruel of him to leave her I'M
| enlightened, Grace thought.
The dogcart had been driven back to Darnel
| by man from the station hotel at ScadIeigh
| The Colonel sent a second little note to Dora,
| apologizing for his abrupt departure, and asking
| her to telegraph daily bulletin to him at the
club where he would breakfast every morning.
! He had pied terre in the shape of second
| floor in the neighborhood of St James street
Three days had gone by since the Colonels
| departure. and the progress of the invalid had
| been satisfactory throughout that time. Pulse
and temperature had gradually fallen almost to
| a normal condition, the wound was going on
| favorably, the patient had tranquil nights, and
was able to take little more nourishment than
| at the beginning of bis illness. And thus here
came an hour when the family doctor felt that
| he could no longer forbid the presence of wife
| and kindred in the sick room.
| 1--WE must do nothing RASH" he said to Clare,
| In the presence of Grace and Dora. You may
spend an nonr or so with Sir Allan to day Lady
| Darnel; and to morrow if all go we'll, Miss Oar
mel and Miss Grace might see him. But it had
| better be one at time"
ut is very odd if l cannot see my brother as
soon as he is fit to see anyone" observed Dora,
pallid with anger, yet speaking with her accus-
toned suavity 1--WE have been COMPANIONS for
| great many years. l have never had a secret
| from him. or he from
| THAT fact interesting as it is, would not make
| your presence less agtating, my dear Miss Oar
| NEIL" said the doctor Lady Darnel has the
| first claim-a wifes claims paramount. you
know-and you and Miss Grace must wait for
| to morrow Aud now, Lady Darnel, remember
what | have told you about our patient. Not
one agitating word-no show of emotion on your
part He is too weak to bear anything of that
| kind"
II will be careful" said Clare, elaspipg his
| She was very pale her lips quivering with
| nervous excitement, and yet joy beamed in her
eyes. The moment so ardently longed for had
come at last. The bolted door by which she had
watched and listened was no longer to be an i'm
passable barrier between her and her beloved.
''You can go to him now" said the doctor,
''but remember you are to stay only hour
one hour by the clock. 1t is just twelve You
will leave him at one"
"And is that to be a,l2 Am not to see him
again all dayW
II shall be here in the evening and If find
there has been no mischief done-if Sir Allan
is quite calm and comfortable, MAXWELL
will be very indulgent and let you see him again
for ten minutes"
II will be very obedient." said Lady Darnel,
1 opening the door she spoke.
She went softly into the roonl-the spacious
old fashioned bed chamber, which looked larger
in the semi darkness of half-drawn window cur
tans and lowered blinds 1t was noble room,
furnished with the artistic cabinet work of the
limit Nd nbaoo
secretaries, old cherrywood chairs with exquis
itely carved backs The only modern piece of
furniture was the low, broad brass bedstead
without vestige Of drapery. The wide, deep
HEARTH with its old blue and white tiles, and
basket CRATE, and high mantelpiece, was study
for painter Of still-llfe The window curtains
were of old brocade, red and tawnv. The room
had a look of sombre old-world luxury, very
pleasant to the eye.
The nurse rose, and slipped very quietly away
to the adjoining dressing room as Lady Darnel
| approached the bed Sir Allan was lying with
| the freight shining on his face. Oh. what
changed countenance-shrunken pallld, with
the lines of death For the first time Clare
derstood how near he had been to death. 1t
was almost as if she were looking upon a face
she had never before. The eyes-those
dear eyes that used to gaze upon her with such
| Overlooked at her with strange, dim,
far-away expression.
| Shocked Mortified. by the extent of the
change. so much greater than she had expected,
Clare Darnel sank into chair by the bedside.
| waiting, hoping for little word of greeting
from those pale lips; but no such word came.
Her husband lifted his eyes to her face and
| looked at her gravely, mournfully. His wasted,
halftransparent hand lay on the silken coverlet.
| She bent and kissed it; but he drew it away the
next moment with quick, nervous gesture, as
If the touch of her lips offended him.
she set watch upon herself, remembering
! the doctors lnjunctions.
My beloved" she murmured softly lit is
such happiness to me to see you once again
to be allowed to sit by your bedside for a little
| WHILE"
There were tears in her voice The shock of
his altered appearance-his strange manner
were alike agitating to her. and she had to be 80
careful lest her agitation should communicate
ing vehemently - waiting for some word of