The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1888-11-16

will you?''
I did so, and when l came down again,
found the door open, and Henry sitting by
the table reading.
"Where is mother" l asked.
Wasn't she upstairs with you?" re-
Piled Henry, keeping his eyes fixed on his
book.
did not reply, but took up my work
and sewed away busily, my thoughts
keeping time with my fingers. I was
positively certain that I had heard Mrs.
Grey's voice in a low-toned conversation
with Henry, and yet he had the same as
denied her presence there. 1t was the first
time he had ever equivocated to me, and l
could not overlook it lightly without
knowing the reason. Why had lie done
so? Was Miss Skinner right after all?
Was there anything secret between him
and his mother from which l was ex-
cluded, and if SO, what could be the ma
ture of It?"
"Well, never mind" l thought, "it
might have been about Mrs. Gray's affairs,
and had nothing to do with me, but then,
why need Henry have e%quivocated about
the natter"
The little affair troubled me consider
ably, and my uneasiness was very much
augmented a few days afterward.
was in the kitchen that morning, put
ting the finishing touches to the prepara-
lions for breakfast, when Mrs. Grey and
Henry entered the dining-room, and l
heard him ask:
Are you sure Mary knows nothing
about this matter"
eyes, l am quite certain of it, said Mrs.
Grey, and I think we have been fortunate
in keeping it from her"
''Yes, it would never do for her to find
it out now" Henry answered.
Alas. alas for my peace of mind! l ran
out into the back hall and up stairs,
whence I appeared in the dining-room as
the breakfast-bell rang, looking a little
flushed and excited, but not enough SO to
cause comment.
After breakfast Mrs. Grey went out to
make some little purchases. and I sat
down in my husbands big armchair in
the ~sitting-room, and tried to reason my
self out of my absurd fears and suspicious,
What was it that my husband and his
mother were trying to keep from me"
Why did they treat me like a child in my
own house? 1t was shameful, and I was
indignant.
My meditations were interrupted by
Miss Skinner, who chad run over TO have
a little chat" as she said.
"Why, my dear!" she exclaimed at first
sight of me. show poorly you are looking!
What is the natter"
"Nothing serious. l was very busy
yesterday, and am a little tired"
sab! One more in the family makes
more work, I know. 1t won't do to wear
yourself out this way: you must let your
mother-in-law do her share of the work"
"Ah! indeed she does" exclaimed I,
quickly, "even more than I want her to,
sometimes"
"Well, it seems to me she goes out more
than you do"
"And so she ought. have Harry to
claim my attention"
"And she receives callers, too
81 think you must be mistaken, Miss
Susan. She has made no acquaintance
since coming here"
"But I certainly saw u gentleman come
here, two days ago, when you were down
town"
"a gentleman
sYes, and she met him at the doo- her
self, Mr.. Grey came home in about half
an hour and took him away with him."
"oh, it was probably some friend of
HenrY's."
'Perhaps so," replied Miss Susan,
doubtingly. She soon after took her de-
parture, leaving my mind in a very
troubled state.
In vain did l try to reason with myself;
to persuade myself that all this was no
concern of mine, it should not trouble me;
still, l could not help connecting the visit
of this gentleman with the mysterious
private conversation. Why was l not
thought worthy OF their confidence Why
all this secret plotting and scheming?:
In spite Of myself, all Miss Skirne.'s
warnings of a few weeks before came back
to my mind with redoubled force, aud l
could have wished myself deaf before ever
listening to that hateful oma
Suspect my husbands mother, that
sweet, gentle-faced woman, of any treason
toward me. No, indeed, l will not!
Still, almost daily 1 found myself inter-
rupting stolen conversations, and Stun
bling upon evidences of the secret, and to
add to this Miss SINNERS almost daily
'chats'' with me, which always left me
feeling uncomfortable with the world in
general and my mother-in-law in particu-
lar. No wonder l grew thin and pale and
lost my appetite. Mr.. Grey and his mother
wondered at it, and tried in vain to raise
nv spirits. My husband took me cut
driving daily.
One day Henry said he was going totake
me for a good long drive, for | needed it,
he said. l pleaded that | was too busy
when the time for my drive came bat
Henry would not listen to it, and / put on