The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-09-24
AFTER LONG YEARS.
, EDMOND ST. CLAIRE PITT,
CHAPTER 1.
a Complete Novelette.)
THE "MAY BoUGH," AT LoDEN.

Bough," lookn round on the company;
cit is strange story, and sad one,
that belongs to that house hard by, that
you're asking about; and it's been like
that-neglected, desolate, going to rack
this many a year; quite seven years,
= sir"
And the host looked round again as
he said that, with an emphatic nod,
while he threw more fuel on the wide,
Old-fashiOned fireplace, for the autumn
evening was chill, and Loden, a con-
siderable provincial town, was not south
or west.
The great, hospitable-looking room,
half kitchen, half keeping-room, was
pretty full of guests tonight, for the
last up train of Y ork had been delayed,
and come in when nearly all the town
was asleep Only the best hostelry of
all, the "May Bough'-being, too,
nearest the station on the outskirts
had kept open, being in expectation, by
that very train, of party, theatrical
company, who were touring the prov
inces, and had taken the principal Loden
theatre for their performance, which
had been duly advertised to begin the
following night.
The leading lady, it appeared, was to
Join next morning, having been slightly
indisposed.
Besides this company, there were one
or two other guests who had come by
the same train.
GA sad story, is it?" repeated the
of,ino 70 WI
about the old house alluded to the
hosts words had been an answer.
"Well, well, l suppose most of us could
tell some sad story if we chose"
The heavy sigh, only half-stifled, told
its tale of trouble he could tell if he
chose.
One of the guests, not of his COM
pany, glanced quickly and keenly at
him, under her long, dark lashes, and
sighed heavily as he drew yet further
back into the deep nook by the fire
place, where she sat apart and out of
notice.
She was young and handsome
woman, this quiet guest, with slender,
exquisitely-moulded form, and delicate,
half-Greek features, and hands that a
sculptor would have raved over; a
delicately born and bred lady unmis-
takably, for all that she seemed so alone
in the world. j..
Mine host had taken note of that
well, and that though she only wore a
simple black silk dress, neither very
new nor of rich texture, she had with
her one large, heavy trunk.
"And what is the story of that
house?" asked the leading gentleman of
the company. at doesn't look as if it
would be worth much"
"No, sir; the whole property isn't,
I suppose, worth more than $4,000
a-year," answered mine host, as he folded
away the supper cloth. "The gentle
man that owns it must be near about
eight or nine-and-thirty now, and has
since then come into baronetcy and
large fortune"
h "Since when?" asked Robert Denham,
the manager.
The handsome woman in the corner
moved slightly, so as to throw her face
entirely into shadow, as the host
answered, "Since his marriage, sir; if
marriage was in the question at ALL
This was full seven years ago, when
Mr., now Sir, Austin Ravenswood
wasn't barely over thirty. He'd been a
terrible racket, they used to say. Not
here, for he was always abroad or in
town. Perhaps that's why he didn't
marry earlier; perhaps there were
entanglements that young fellows will
get iii, you see, sir
gay" said Denham bitterly; "and
there is always woman at the bottom
of every mischief, you know"
Lord, Sir, you mustn't say that in
the presence of these ladies'" said the
host, glancing with broad smile at the
shadowy form in the corner, and the
second and utility lady of the company
for Mr.. Denham always filled up the
small parts, and ct ceteras, from the
stock companies of each theatre he
hired per term; but still, sir, it was a
woman here, for he made grand mis-
take when he did marry, or not marry
whichever it was. Seven years ago he
brought her down here with him, a
young slip of thing of sixteen, and
was quite wrapped up in her, and she in
him, too" - 4ttla -a.t-
"Was she pretty?" asked the utility
lady, who, though she made up well on
the, stage, was, off it, more useful than
ornamental. r.,
"Yes, ma'am, very; enough to bewitch
any man, I think. They were here in