The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-01-07
MRS. OCKDYNE'S FRIGHT.
How and by Whom the Mill Was
Destroyed.

When John Ockdyne lay insensible from
the aporlectic seizure which terminated in
his death. his wife acted as though she
were a singularly heartless and deceitful
woman. Taking advantage of the tenn
porary absence of the doctor, who had pro-
nounccd that fatal isshe of the sick mans
malady was humanity speaking. inevitable,
Mrs. Ockdyne possessed herself of her hus-
bands keys, and crept stealthily down to
his study, where she unlocked a drawer in
his escritoire, and took from it bundle of
documents, which she carefully concealed
about her person. She then returned TO
the sick-roCrl, replaced the keys with a
trembling hand beneath the pillow on
which the dying mans head rested, and re-
sumed the anxious and watchful position
by the bedside which she had occupied for
many hours previously. But she looked so
pale and agltated that the doctor, who made
his appearance minute afterward, accom-
panied by his assistant, glanced keenly at
her, and said, in peremptory tome
MRS. Ockdyne, you must really obey my
directions. Please go to your room and
rest, and take some refreshment. Your
hu band may remain in his present state
for hours, and you are already overwrought
and iatgued. II the slightest symptom of
a change occurs you shall be sent for in
slantly."
II would rather remain" said Mrs. Ock-
dyne, with decision
The doctor shrugged his shoulders irri-
tably, and turned his attention to the pa
tlent, whose labored and stentorian breath
ing rendered 1naudible the whispered con-
ISOLATION which ensued between the medical
men. This was interrupted ythe entrance
OF William Ockdyne, the younger brother
and partner of the invalid, tall, stern,
elderly, unsympatheticloo looking individual
with cold, steel-blue eyes, which, after a
quick glance at the unconscious form upon
the bed, he directed with suspicious scru-
tiny upon the pale face of his sister-in-law,
as she advanced to greet him.
How long has he been like this" he in
quired, abruptly.
''Slnce midnight" answered Mrs. Ock-
dyne.
why did not you send for me beforel"
he demanded, in harsh, unpleasant voice.
Il sent for you as soon as DR.. Thorne pro-
nounced the case to be hopeless" said Mrs.
Ockdyne, tremuously.
Mrs. Ockdyne evidently resented this
Cross-eXamination for some weighty rea-
sons, and her handsome features hardened
Ockdyne, whether consciously or other
wise, evaded her glance, and his cold, blue
eyes ranged round the apartment with a
look Of cunning suspicion.
Come, Mrs. Ockdyue," said the doctor
removing his fingers from the sick mans
pulse, 'now that your brother-in-law has
arrived you need have no hesitation about
going to your room. We will remain here
and | will pemeO1 10 t,,v Tro,yioaO
Either yielding to the doctors persua-
sion, or in consequence of the uneasiness
and aversion which the presence of her
brother-in-law evidently caused her. Mrs
Ockdyne no longer persisted in her objcc-
ton. but rose from her chair without a
word, and left the room with an air of sup
pressed agitation and emotion. Walking
quickly along the passage and down the
staircase, she entered a small sitting room
on the half-landing, and having closed and
locked the door behind her, she fell in an
almost fainting condition upon the nearest
sofa.
Very different was now the aspect of
Mrs. Ockdyne from that of the proud, cold,
elf-contained woman of amoment ago. All
her energy and spirit seemed 10 have de-
serted her, and she looked the picture OF
helpless misery and apprehension. The
hard lines about her face had disappeared,
revealing character of weakness irreso-
luton, and even feeblcness. Her features
were no longer handsome, but rather
showed the remains of a soft, tender girl
ish kind of beauty, half obliterated by life
of hardship and unhappiness. She pre-
sented, in fact, glimpse Of her true self;
the Mary Bannerman VINO had married
John Ockdyne ten years ago; woman de-
signed by nature to be a gentle, tender,
loving wife and mother, but transformed
by harshness and tyranny into the SEM
blance of strangely dissimilar person
ality.
Ten years ago 1t seemed a century
And yet it was, in fact, less than ten
years since that fatal day when her hus-
bands rough kindness-for it would be
profane TO dignity his selfish affection for
her by the name OF love-was turned into
relentless distrust and tyranny. The vis-
BILE c"use of this transformation she now
held in ner hand-a bundle of letters writ
ten IN INK which was now faded. Alas if
they had been written with her hearts
blood she would not have suffered less.
There is no occasion to rake up the de-
tails of her unfortunate firation with Allan
Graham. 1t was not generally supposed to
be of a serious nature by those who knew
of it at the time. A weak, giddy, thought
less girl, married against her Will, TO a
man twenty years her senior; young sol