Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-04-11

80
the road, at larger house, lived a colonel,
very naughty and rich--why he should
i've IN such place Is mystery ! have
never troubled to solve. it did not
vex me 70 hear that Mrs. Smith, next
door but two, washed at home and dis
graced the nclghborhood by using the
Deck garden for a drying-ground nor was
l properly shocked at the sad news that
ME-. Davis drank and beat his wife. II
wes when the current of gossip made for
the opposite bank that my attention was
aroused.
Yes, my domestic knew all about the
people opposite. Mrs. Merton lived
there, with her son aud daughter. She
was one OF those who came 70 Surbury to
reap the benefits OF those handsome be-
quests to the grammar school. She was
widow, or, said my informant with
meaning IN her voice, supposed TO be one.
Any way, she didn't wear cap as O
proper widow should. She was not rlct,
but pretty well off; at least the servant
there, a respectable young woman and
hiend OF her own, didn't grumble much
about cheeseparing. still, there was
something about Mrs. Merton The fact
was, no one knew anything about her,
that was the worst that could be said.
And what worse could be saids In n
town like Surbury people must know
everything about their neighbors, or they
are sure to credit them with all sorts OF
evil-doing.
"Were they quiet people, or did they
Keep company?p asked.
Very quiet, my gossip averred In fact,
the respectable young person, her friend,
I found her health and spirits suffering
from the mono onous existence monot-
ony, which, bye.the.bye, had noticed
I she endeavored TO relieve by ogling the
butchers and bakers boys, etc. Unless
/ Master Merton brought one OF his school
] friends in, no one entered the house from
New Years day till December the 3lst
The young miss was going to be gov
1 crness or a music mistress, so the de-
/ ponent was sure that Mrs Merton could
not be quite the lady.
After extracting this information day
or two passed without my making any
/ progress in my researches. felt | was
doing no good sitting at my window and
I watching for the rare occasions when
Mrs. Merton went out OF doors. must
find whether any link in her early life
fitted into Lady Estmere's, and TO ascer-
tain this must know something about
her antecedents. Who she was before
she appeared i'll Surbury, whether her
present responsibility was the growth
of later years, in word, her early his
tory.
Casting about which way to proceed, ]
thought Of the housekeeper at Estmerc
court, Mrs, Payne. ielt sure that she
would do all she could to aid me, so re.
solved TO 20 TO Derby shire and persuade
her to return with me to Surbury. II
Mrs, Merton were in any way connected
with the Esimere family, Mrs. Payne
would surely recognize her. So, having
no one to consult, started the next day
for the north.
/ Estmere Court looked dreary and de
serted as when Valentine and | visited /
two years ago Neither Sir Laurence no.
his eldest son had been near it. Ia m,
heart doubted whether that eldest sol
was alive. l could not understand maj
never seeking his mother. To me, wht
for years and years had longed for
mothers love, such an absence of fila
affection seemed ineXplicable. Nor coul'
] understand q young man allowing thi
splendid place to 90 to rack and ruin
HIS father might have unpleasant asso
Citations connected with Estmere Court
but surely the son must hope some da,
4 w pay ht ilihbAAulit pdlL III MS nhblN'
country The only explanation | coul,
suggest for the young mans silence ant
absence was that he must be dead, an,
his heartless father had never mad
known the fact TO his wife. If so, as sucl
|, property as this was certain to be en-
tailed some day Valentine must succee
to the title ana the estates. Yet ! kneI
he would value them nothing whilst, tn
terrible fact remained that his father de
/ MED his right to the name of Estmere.
Mrs. Payne remembered me and mad
me welcome. Her husband was wit
. her now and in spite OF the fear she ha
expressed of mourning his displeasure b
| allowing us to 90 over the house, foun
, him one Of those honest, dull, thick
, headed men, who, to their own great ad
, vantage, are completely ruled by tnei
wives. Mrs. Payne asked affectlonatel
after Lady Estmere and that bonny youn
. gentleman, Mr.. Valentine.
Gle sent the gown he promised me,
, she said. sit was a beauty Far TO
/, good TO wear. haven't even had II mad
, up yet, sir.n
!, "Keep it until Sir Laurence and hi
!, wife come back TO lsstmere Court"
said.
III / keep 1t for that I'd better give
! away to my niece, Polly, who is going
be married next month and bankers attic
v it Ike"
'Don't do anything OF the kind, Mr.:
i Payne. Lay II by in lavender until fin
!, out all the vile plot and show Sir Lar
;. renee his frlghtiul mistake"
- "You're Joking, sir" said Mrs. Payne
IL was never further from joking.
I. have come two hundred miles to see 20
!, solely for this reason, aud tomorrow
want you TO 20 back with me-
She saw | was speaking IN earnest. n
4 doubt she had been wondering why ha
Il made my appearance at Estmere Court
), al would 20 two hundred or wv
u thousand miles, IL IL would do her lad.
y ship any good. oh, what sweet youn
goman she was My heart aches as
think of herH
= ''V6ry. well. You be ready to start Il
u morrow as soon IS possible | can't tie
q Won ali, but believe | shall trace out u
y whole OF Capt Cheshams yIllainy.n
u "Your husband won't mind your lea
!, ing him." | added, remembering thel
: was such person as Mr.. Payne.
- "Not he, sir. John, my man, Pm g
Z Ing Journey tomorrow with this gel
I tleman. shall be back-when shall
!, back, slr?"
ain two days; at the outside, three.
San right, my lass said John. 6
y you says you be right in going, why,rigl
= you be-"
- So the matter was settled.
y As Estmere Court was long way fro
l. II Haf |