Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-04-04


himself
"Hush p he said, as he heard Maude
approaching. "Not word to her.
wouldn't disturb her peaceful mind for
worlds, poor GIRL until / am certain
how the matter stands"
The next day, about an hour after her
uncle had left for London, Maude re-
ceived the following penciled note
from Mr.. Browne:
MY OWN DARLING: l am the most unlucky
dog that ever lived passed wretched night,
and this morning am too i'll to leave my bed
To be disabled to-day, when was to have
ranged for the event which was to have made
me the happiest man in England. [ have sent
for the village 'bopes," and If he can but patch
me up it may not yet be too late. Send a book
back by bearer to account for having received
letter from your nearly frantic JACK.
Poor Maude The torturing suspense
of that day In the evening she ven
tured to ask the landlady to inquire
how Mr.. Browne was. mo BETTER"
was the alarming reply.
Maude passed sleepless night. In
the morning she received a second note
from her dear Jack, even more despair
ing in tone than the former one. Fate
is against U.S." he wrote. 81 feel as if l
shall never be able to call you mine'
In the middle of the day she again
sent to inquire after her lover and was
overpowered when she heard he was
mvch better, and was even thinking of
getting up, his recovery being fair to be
as sudden as his seizure.
That evening Maj. Henderson re-
turned. Hardly had he knocked at the
door when Mr.. Browne emerged from
the opposite cottage.
"What news, sir ?" asked the sympa-
thetc Mr.. Browne.
ho az hi V11J id 10
Major, throwing himself into an easy
chair and covering his face with his
hands. "The poor girl yonder is beg
gar, and [ have but a hundred a year
left"
Maude looked from one to the other in
utter bewilderment, and then crossed
over to her uncle, trying to comfort him
and gain some explanation at the same
time.
"I feel this is no scene for a stranger
to Witness" said Mr.. Browne. Sir, you
have my deepest sympathy, and | am
sure that at the present moment [ can
show it in no better way than by with
drawing"
Maude followed her lover to the door.
She was much distressed on her uncle's
account, but did not fully really realize
her own loss of fortune
And are you really better, dear
Jack ~ she asked anXiously.
Eyes, thank you. Quite cured.
Goodbye" and he was gone.
That her lovers leave-taking was
little abrupt did strike Maude; she was,
however, far too confused by the turn
affairs bad taken to attach much i'm
portance to the first circumstance.
When she returned to her uncle he
seemed wonderfully better, and at sup
per he talked quite cheerfully of their
future.
Maude passed another sleepless night.
She did not so much mind the terrible
loss she had sustained on her own ac-
count; but she was bitterly disappoint- |
ed that she could not do all that she had
promised for her dear Jack. She de-
termined, however, to be the most low
ing and economical wife possible. AT
all events her uncle would not be able
to accuse Jack of being mercenary now,
and there was much comfort in that re-
Election. Perhaps, after all, they would
be able to have proper wedding, only, |
of course, it would have to be very
quiet one. How much nicer that would
be than running away and deceiving
her uncle, who had always been so kind
to her
When she came down to breakfast the
little worn after her two sleepless
nights. The Major, however, seemed to
have succeeded IN throwing off his grief
in quite a wonderful manner, and was in
almost his usual spirits.
"Haye you heard how Mr.. Browne is
this morning. Maude ventured to ask
the landlady's daughter.
"Why, Miss, he paid up for the week
and went off by the mail last night, de-
claring the place didn't suit him.
Poor Maude! The blow did indeed
fall on her with crushing force.
Dear me; rather sudden! We shall
miss the old gentlman-eh, Miss
Maude ?'' said the Major, as soon as the
uncle and niece were left together. He
laid slight stress on the adjective, and
It was, however, no laughing matter to
Maude; she, poor girl, unable longer to
act her part, burst into an uncontroll-
able fit of weeping.
Poor child, poor child" said the
Major, compassicnately; its a sharp
lesson for you to learn. But it is better
TO bear little pain now than to suffer
for the remainder of your life, as would
most probably have been your fate if [
had not paid that scoundrel out in his
own coin"
The threatened loss Of fortune was all
a fabrication, Maj. Henderson having
gone no nearer to London than the top
room in Honeysuckle Cottage.
The truth was, the Major had dis
covered what was going on when he had
come upon the lovers so unexpectedly.
He then devised the scheme, which he
afterward carried out SO successfully,
in order to test the sincerity of
Lieut.. Mapleson's attachment to Maude.
Mai Henderson had, of course, been
obliged to take the landlady into his
confidence, and she, fully entering into
the spirit of the thing, had suggested
the Majors occupying the top room in
her cottage, whence he could watch Mr..
Brownies movements. And SO Maj.
Henderson mad merely walked to the
station, portmanteau in hand, and, re-
turning, had entered Honeysuckle cot
tage by the back way.
Maude's grief and humiliation were
so real when she heard these details
that her uncle. thinking she would not
care to remain where her story was
lynourr, uica1u SuOOpSted ratIlrnInO