Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-08-08
CHAPTER XVII


who hal rowed h m out to sea He was past
in a moment. and ont of the High street
rolled the coach on to the level country road
And now, by changing hi- seat, might Cuth-
bert have caught n glimpse. on his right
hand, of the roof and chimney pots of Grey
stone school But he did not change his
seat nor turn his head. nor give his father d
thought That his father was well WAS news
TO satisfy into silence the faint fiIial instinct
that stirred in him Why it was his own
foolish silence and the trick Of a secret mar
riage that had brought the shame Of scandal
upon his wife but, prcked by memory of
the cold restraint that had kept him a boy
when he was a man, he would have been an
angel not to refer all his own and Jenny's
/ sorrow to his father.
With his arms folded tightly over his
breast, and all his heart given to violent
strife with dismaying emotion, and the terror
of great love, wrought by expectation and
| hope to the extreme point where other pas
sions begin, Cuthbert was carried at a sharp
trot along the hard road, and over the ruts
which the cold had congealed into iron, past
the brown land of fields and leafess hedge
rows, where halls of birds perched without
hutter; and the steam from the horses nos
/ trils drove out from either side the coach
like throbs of an escape pipe under the ham
mering of a cylinder.
At last came up a gray stone front, with
green ivy fiourishing upon it, and the wheels
rang out a multiplied echo
Cuthbert called to the man to stop.
This is WinstonP
"Ay, sir
"rll get out here"
He alighted with his travelling bag. and
put money into the drivers hand, which sat
the fellow cropping for change, until he found
the passenger walking away.
A man was standing at the door of the
Greyhound Inn He touched his cap to
Cuthbert thinking him "A customer for Sally.
for this was Mr. Walker
viii you please direct me to Mrs Strang-
fields houSe" said Cuthbert
You can see HIM from here, sir Come
vheer l stand. There's him with the top
window built out | reckon the old ladv's
ss1in' company to-day exclaimed Mr.
Walker.
"Who is therei' inquired Cuthbert, quickly.
swell, The little schoOlmaster from Grey
tones th,re, and then there's yerself, master.
One an Cne maketh two, that's company for
Winston An If it warn't for my garden
stool the Lord help my landlord!'
as Mrs. Shaw therei'
takin a close look at the speaker at this
Cuthbert noticed the glance, and went for
ward
The house stood back from the lane, with
a space of twenty feet or so of garden before
it A big and pretty country cottage, with
the old equipment of porch and caves, AMI
bay windows trerching upon the oval plot Of
grass
When he was at the gate OF it the ham
mering of his heart confused his head, and
for some moments he stood unable to ad-
vance, hidden by the railing and impene-
trable tangle of evergreen ~ithin-
Courage came to him then, and with a
swing of the body he passed through the gate
and struck the door.
1t was opened by Mrs. Strangfeid herself
He knew her instantly, and she him But
wonderful it was TO behold in her face the
stuPefaction of surprise, yielding to in
credulity and fear, then to prodigious
doubt, then to a light of wild rapture
In breatheSS voice: "Cuthbert Shawl
o, Jenny! o, my darling! 1t is well with
thee at last" and her hands fell upon his
arm. and she drew him in.
Where is she." he exc aimed lowering his
voice 70 a whisper. Break the news 10 her
gently. She thinks me dead, hear Is that
room empty Hush! think hear her."
He drew a fierce, short breath, and on tip
toe stole into a room on the left of the hall,
beckoning TO Mrs. Strangfield to follow him
Ths poor woman closed the door, and with
her back against it stared at him as though
the ideas his presence gave her were not to
be mastered
as she well-quite wellf he asked
"0h yes, Mr. Shaw, she is well Dear
hnt, rF,,l T.
she we'll But, pretty dear one, God knows
she has suffered for thee! Truly she thinks
you dead! Were you not in n ship that wa,
sunki Alack but minute ago you were
drowned, and now you are herel Oh, my
head! my head Why, who Is Jenny with
now, but thy very own father! Often doth
he come to see his daughter-for that she is
now to him, ani so he terms her. and truly
loves her. Oh, NJ. Shaw, what will she say
to hear of you-to see YOU
Her excitement was past weeping. She
was distracted by the sight OF him, and
could not yet believe her senses.
MRS. Strangfeld, pray go to her at once
and tell her I am here. Go, beseech you.
cannot endure delay
And saying this he went to the door. from
which she drew away, and held it open, and
she passed out.
Now in the adjacent room. toasting his
feet at the fire. and his frill showing fro tily
upon his breast, in contrast with the ruby |
light from the CRATE, sat DR.. Shaw, snuffbox |,
in hand, Cozily nursing his figure in a good
arm chair. Facing him sat Jenny, in deep |
mourning, her pale lOveliness taking from /
detection and the somberness Of her apparel |
a fine and unapproachable delicacy.
Her hands were upon her lap, and her |
head dropping. and in that pose she listened
to DR.. Shaw, who was explaining to her the |
offer he had that morning received for the |
transfer of his school
1t was easy to see from the manner in |
which he addressed her. AM the expression |
in the eyes that he bent on ner, that she had |
made her way TO his heart, and was, indeed, /
to his soul what he named her with his lips I
daughter.
Otherwise it was not in nature that it |
should have been. He was a lonely old man |
now, for whom his calling held no more |
relish; quite friendless in Greystone, with an |
er-present ache in his heart which his |
proud face might dissemble, but which ruled |
his conduct
This had brought him to the tender girl |
whose honor he had once rudely doubted; |
and she, for the love she bore his son, had |
given him her love, and he had no happiness
away from her.
Thus they sat, and he was telling her that |
he should accept the offer made him, when |
Mrs. Strangield came in
Jenny turned in her chair to look at her.
Mother" she cried, jumping up, ~what |
is itF-who has comet Is it bad news! You |
are ill
AOh, Jenny Oh, DR.. Shaw! be seated, |
dear heartl" exclaimed the poor woman, in |