The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-10-30

CHAPTER VI.
AS we drew near the house on our re-
turn, the first diDner-bell was ringing.
I'VE have twenty minutes yet, =" said
Lance; you will just have time to say
few words to Frances; she is sure to
be in the drawing-rooa.n
We went there. When the door was
opened / saw magnificent rOom,-long,
lofty and bright, so cheerful and light,
with such beautiful pictures and
flowers, such beautiful furniture, and
such superb hangings of white and
gold. was struck as | had never been
before by any room. The long French
windows, opening like glass doors, look
ed over superb flower garden, where
flowers OF every hue wero now in bios
som.
The room was full Of sunlight; it
faced the west, and the sun was setting
For few moments my eyes were daZ-
Zled; then, as the golden haze cleared,
saw a tall figure ut the other end of
the room, beautiful figure, dressed in
long robe of blue, with a crown OF
golden brown hair; when she turned
suddenly to us, saw that she carried
some sprays of white hawthorn in her
hand. At first my attention was con-
centrated on the golden hair, the blue
dress, the white flowers; then slowly,
as though following some irresistible
magnetic attraction, my eyes were
raised to her face, and remained fixed
there. l have wondered a thousand
times since how 1t was that no cry eS-
capped my hps,-hOw it was that none
Of the cold, sick horror that filed my
whole heart and soul did not find vent
in words. How was it? To this mo-
ment l cannot tell. Great Heaveni
what did l see? In this beloved and
worshipped wife, - in this fair and
III mi yI-fr nm in &c fav, 1n- ar.A
charitable lady, who was so good to the
fallen and the miSerable.-in this wom-
an, 1dollZed by the man loved best on
earth, | saw the n,Tderess-the woman
who had dropped the little bundle over
the railing into the sea.
1t was she as surely as Heaven shone
above us. | recognized the beautiful
face, the light golden hair. the tall.
graceful figure. The face was not
white, set, and desperate now, but
bright, with a soft, sweet radiance |
have seen on the face of no other wom-
an living. For an instant my whole
heart was paralyZed with horror. l
felt my blood grow cold and gather
round my heart. leaving my face white
and my hands cold. She came forward
to meet me with the same graceful, un-
dulatin9 grace which had struck me be-
fore. For moment | WAS back on the
Chain Pier, with the wild waste OF
waters around me, and the rapid rush
OF the waves III my ear. Then a beau
tiful face was smiling into mine-a
white hand, on which rich jewels shone,
was held out TO me, voice Sweeter
than any music had ever heard, said:
You are welcome TO Dutton, Mr..
Ford. My husband will be completely
happy now"
Great Heaven! how could this woman
be murdereSS-the beautiful face, the
clear, limpid eyes-how could it be? No
sweeter mouth ever smiled, and the
light that lay on her face was the light
of Heaven itself. How could it be2
She seemed TO wonder little at my
cOldness, for she added -
Il cannot tell you how pleased 1 am
to see you, and Lance has thought of
nothing else during the last week"
l wonder that | didn't cry put Y on
are the woman who drowned the little
child off the Chain Pier" It was only
the sight of Lance's face that deferred
me. had some vague, indistinct no
tion of what those words would be to
him.
What is the matter, JOhn?" asked
Lance, impatiently. The sight of my
wife's face seems to have struck you
dumb"
1T must be with admiration then"
said, making desperate effort to re-
cover myself Il could almost think
itiA oCNli -hAS. itlliliik tdCC DClOl0.
She looked at me frankly, and she
laughed frankly.
Il have a good memory for faces" ="
she said; ''and do not remember to
have seen yours
There was no shadow of fear or of any
effort at cOncealment; she did not
change color or shrink from me.
Lance laughed aloud.
Il wonder no longer At your being a
bachelor. he said, If the sight of q
beautiful face produces such strange
effect on you. YOu must deal gently
with him, Frances, he said TO his wife;
his nerves are weak-he cannot bear
much ut a time
81 promise to be very gentle" she
said; and the music of that low. cares
sing voice thrilled my very heart. Il
think, she continued. that Mr.. Ford
looks very tired, Lance, pale and worn.
We must take great care of him.
That We will, was the hearty reply.
Great Heaven! was it a murdeTess
standing there, with that sweet look of
compassion on her face? Could this
woman, who looked pitifully on me, q
grown man, drown n little child in the
deep sea? Were those lips. uttering
kindly words of welcome. the same that
had cried in mad despair, oh, Heaven.
if dare-if | dare,n | could have kill
cd myself for the base suspicion. Yet
1t was most surely she!
l stopped 10 pick up the white haw-
thorn that she had dropped. She took
II from me with the sweetest smile. and
Lance stood by, looking on with an air
of proud proprietorShip that would
have been amusing if it had not been
so unutteTably pitiful.
While my brain and mind were still
| chaos-a whirl of thought and emotion
the dinner-bell rang. | offered her
| my arm. but | could not refrain from a
! shudder as her white hand touched it.
! When | saw that hand last it was most
| assuredly dropping the little burden in
/ to the sea. Lance looked at us most
/ ruefully, so that she laughed and said:
4 Come with us, Lance
She laid her other hand on his arm,
| and we all three walked into the dining
| room together.
| could not eat any dinner-I could
only sit and watch the beautiful face,
1t was the face of good woman-there
was nothing cruel, nothing subtle in it.
| ] must be mistaken. | felt as though
| should go mad. She was perfect host
ess-most attentiYe-mOst graceful.
shall never forget her Kindness to ms