Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-08-08
FORCED APART.
BY ". CLARK RUSSELL.
Author or Tie Wreck of the GroSrctor, "
"A Sailors Sicecthodrt," Etc.
CHAPTER NNIX.


oh, Jenny! Tor the sake OF tod who hath
brought me 10 thee put on your ha. and come
with me quickly. | tell you your father is
dying-he fell 10 the ground when DR. Shaw
brought him proof OF your marriage with
Cuthbert DoSt not thee know that the doct or
has proved thae his sons wifei All, NV ponr
heart, how should she know!-a that the
cause of thy husbands missing. as the doctor
believes, is that he was seized by the press
gang and carried away to sea! Down thy
father fell, and We bore him 10 his room and
the surgeon fears for his lie: and all the
while he lies gruaning and crying upon thy
name Bring Jenny 10 mel bring Jenny to
mer be means My pretty, come quickly,
or you'll see him no more in this world"
The gir' stood transfixed and overwhelmed
by her mothers news Then you could have
seen her battling with the rush and surge of
tumultuous emotions a whole minute ere she
spoke.
do Won tell me that my darling is
carried away 20 sea" she said, in a febrile
whisper.
"'Tis what his father believes"
"And that DIR. Shaw hath proved me his
sons wife to my fatherg
Yes indoeL He came with paper, and
hear is broken for the wrong he has done
his only one!' walled the mother. "Oh,
Jenny, do not delay! There is a coach at
the door. Make haste to put on your hat
You would not let him be moaning for thee
in diving sorrow and not Gomez
She looked at her mother with a wonder
full expression of troubled amazement and
incredulouS horror in her SyeS then took up
her hat, AMI in a few minutes WAS ready 10
depart As she left the room she met Mrs
Walker, into whose hand she slipped a
guinea, giving her a sweet, strange smile as
she did SO, but quit powerless 70 speak.
The woman, much affected by Jenny's
munitiCence, put the little trunk into the
coach. aud low and numerous were the
cOurteses she druppad a. it drove off.
The rat,le Of wheel and window, il not a
prohibition TO speech, was a decided obstacle
To the hearing BIS Mrs Strangfeld had
too much 10 say 70 hold her peg ,e. With her
chili's hand locked in hers size poured her
heart into Jenny's ear, and all the story Of
DIR Shaw's visit told her. and the medical
m..n's Judgment on Michaers condition, with
whatever else that her head was giddy with
-sometimeS reproaching ami sometimes
breaking into passionate exclamations of
rapture which thoughts of her husband
and of the matter of her volubiity leaving
Jenny, amid the roar of the coach, in pos
session OF hut very small fragments
And the girl'
Her father knew at last that she WAS honest,
and for a brief while had exultation, of the
kind that nfiames the madman's eve, swelled
until it hal sickened her heart with the force
and fulineSs of it But the emotion died
under the heavy droop of Inundated honor.
She had won hack her name, but what had
the victory cost heri Her husband was gone,
her father was dying, her heart was wounded
and bleeiiny badly.
= The bitter passion OF shame that had
driven her from Greystone revisited her
again wheE the coach entered the High
street and she leaned back and involuntarily
drew her veil over her face. The mother
stopped the coach at the corner of the street.
that the jar of the wheels might not pene-
tr ,te the resonant wooden house, and
alighted with her daughter, and both of
them went quickly in.
Mother" whispered Jenny, standing in
the passage a stranger might, Il will
stay here till you have seen him
in the parlor, then dearest, and rest thee |
Oh, Jenny, pray God to spare him! He is
thy father"
Softly the poor woman climbed the stairs, |
and Jenny went into the little room which, |
in all her life, she had vowed never again 10 /
enter. Specializing she stood, wondering .
how it had befallen that her mother had
come so speedily.
Then through the doorway came a whis- |
per-"Jenny!7
She went out and on the stairs she saw
her mother, who for despair could My
beckon or toss her hands She followed .
Mrs Strangfeld upstairs, with creeping |
chill over her limbs, and the sensation Of a
thousand quivering fibers in her body.
In the bedroom near the bed were two .
figures whom she could not Immediately dis
tinguish for the feeble light in the chamber;
but she speedily found that one was Mrs /
Mead and the other the doctor.
Both figures drew away when mother and
daughter came into the room Mrs Strang-
field went to the bedside and, bending over
the motionless form upon it, said in a whis-
per of exquisite sadness:
~Michael, Jenny is here Wilt thou speak .
to herg"
For some moments rhere was no answer
At last, in a faint, hoarse murmur, the dying
man sah:
"Let her take nv hand and kiss me. Jane,
thee knOwest that cannot move
The girl went to her father, and put her
hand into his and kissed his forehead
-Jenny, my little one,D he murmured, ~thee .