The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-06-04
CHAPTER XII.

Robert Norths death casts q gloom over
the neighborhool for several days. Cautious
lv as it is broNen to the Countess, it has the
effect of making her i'll. She is not able to
bear any shock of the kind. If they could
have kept the fact of the murder from her
entirely, they would have done 50 but that
was impossible 1t is nine days wonder at
Kingscourt.
No clue is found to the perpetrators of the
outrage. Detectives have been employed,
and every other means used, bat all to nc
purpose. They have not been unprecedented,
nor does there appear to be much chance of
their apprehension.
Lord Heriot does not return to kingscourt
on the Monday specified. He writes that Il
friend has asked him to visit the C.ydo i'll his
yacht, and that he has consented to 90. He
promises to be back rs soon as possible how
ever and begs Here ward to remain ut Kings
court. This Herewari does not care to do
bnt he cannot very we'll refuse.
Mr. Cartwright is very often at Kingscourt
during these April days He is engaged to be-
married to Lady Gladys Palliser-HMeward
mas made this discovery, and, strange to si1
it has not affected him i'll any very great de-
gree. On the second day of his stay in the
house he had set it down rs a very probable
contingency. He never imagined that Lady
Gladys would remain unmarried all her life,
and, if she marries, as well Standish Cart
wright as any other. 1t has come to this
with him-that he absolutely refuses to look
forward further than to the date of this mar
riage. He does not exactly say, CATER the
Deluge," but he has some feeling of that
kind in his mind.
He finds himself in request at Kingscourt
during these dull days. The Countess is very
T.. L..
more than the kindness of a more good
natured person might have done Lady
Gladys still maintains her icy reserve. The
temporary thaw of her manner towards him
at one time has only given place to still
more Attic GOODNESS. She treats him to but
few of those fine little high-bred courtesies
she knows so well how to dispense.
Hereward himself is changed too. He
gives himself none of the airs that poor
Blount had tried to laugh him out of that
day in the college he does not glare into the
fire or out of the window, nor does he look
sentimental or sigh. But his eyes have the
same look they had then-the same, yet with
n difference. Then the emotion was only on
the surface, the depths were undisturbed.
Now the surface is not greatly troubled, but
the depths are full of restlessneSS and pain.
But he tells his sorrow to no one.
After the first week in April the Countess
begins to pine for Lord Heriot's return. He
is the one thing in the whole world for which
she really cares. Her life has been an I'M
happy one unhappy in its circumstances,
which have bcca extreme poverty for her
rank, unhappy i'll its relations with the Earl
her husband, unhappy in chronic ill-health
Her eldest son is the one object round which
her hopes and affections centre.
But Lord Heriot will not come to her. He
puts of his return from day to day-some-
thing always occurs at the last moment to
prevent his return. Hereward begins to
think that his own stay at Kingscourt. can
hardly be prolonged in these circumstances
But the Countess will not hear of his going;
she overoomes his objections by assurances
that the Viscount will return Just when he is
least expected and that very soon.
Herewnrd is invited to dine with the Coun-
tess one evening; it is the twenty ninth of
April, and Lori Heriot's birthday. She is
terribly disappointed at his not spending it
at home but she is determined there shall be
some small festivity On the occasion. So she
invites the Doctor and the German lady and
Hereward, and they drink Lord Heriot's
health. Lady Gladys looks unhappy this
evening. perhaps because Of her brothers alb
sepoe. Mr.. Cartwright cannot interest her
In any subject, though he tries o great many.
He and Hereward have never addressed each
other either directly or indirectly since their
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