The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-22

of Mr.. Henryis sword, the ponnmei Oh wnic'
rns oliver; but Of the body, not a trace. M.
heart thuupcd upon my ribs, the hair stirre
upon my scalp, a. I stood there staring; "
strange was the sight, 80 dire the fears |
wakencd. I looked right and left; the grount
was so hard 1t told no story. stood am
listened till my ears sched, but the night wa
hollow about rue like an empty church; no
even a ripple stirred upon the shore; I
seemed you might have heard q pin drop II
the county.
l put the candle out. and the blackness fell
about me cropping dark It was like n crow
surrounding mo. and | went back 10 TN
house OF Durrisdeer, with my chin upon m,
shoulder, startling, as | went, with craveI
suppositions. In the door a figure moved L
meet me, and | had neal screamed with ter
ror ere | recognized Mrs Henry.
Have you told hint" says she.
1T was he who sent me" said !. at |
gone. But why are you herer'
at Is gone!" she repesed- what 1
goneF'
The body" said l. why are you no
with your husbandr
Gomez said she. you can not hay'
looked. Come back"
There is no light now said l. II dar
not"
Il can see In the dark. | have been stand
ing here 50 long-so long," said she. GONE
give me your hand"
We returned to the ~shrubbery hand II
hand, and 20 the fatal place.
Take care Of the blood" said |.
ami ~ .Io ,,,ot u,I af.rtal Uf,lapfl
back.
~ suppose it will be" said l. II am like
blind man."
mo-" said she, "nothingl Have you no
dreamedr'
"Ah, would TO God we hadf' cried |.
She spied the sword, picked it up, and, see
ing the blood, let it fall again with her hand
thrown wide. "Ah!" she cried And then
with an instant courage, handled II the secon'
time aud thrust il 10 the hilt into the frozel
ground. II will take il back and clean /
properly, 4" says she, and again looked abou
her on all sides. ut cannot 5e that he wa
deadf' she added.
There was no nutter Of his heart" said |
and then remembering; why are you no
with your husbandT
at is no use" said size, "he viii not spcal
to me-"
Not speak to your l repeated. "Oh, yoI
have not tried"
"You have a right TO doubt me- she re
piled. with a gentle dignity.
At this, for the first time, | was seized will
sorrow for her. God knows, madame"
cried, God knows | am not so hard as / ap
pear; on this dreadful night who can veneer
his wor,lsl But | am a friend to all who arr
not Henry Dlrie's enemiesl'
at is hard, then, you should hesitate abou'
his wife, said she.
saw all at once, like the rending OF u veil
how nobly she had borne this unnatural ce
lamity, and how generously my reproaches.
ave must 60 back and tell this to my
lord said |.
Him | cannot face she cried.
"You will find him tho least moved OF al
Of US said l..
"And set | cannot face him. said she.
"Well," said |, you can return 10 M
Henry, | will see my lord"
As we walked back, | bearing the candle
sticks, she the swofd-a strange burden fol
that woman-she had another thought
Should we tell Henryf' she asked
Let my lord decide, " said |.
Ny ford was nearly dressed when | came &c
his chamber. He heard me with a frown-
The free traders said he. But whether
lead or aliyef'
II thought HIM said |. and paused
ashamed Of the word.
IL know but you may very well have beer
in error. Why should they remove him II
not liyingf' he asked. "Oh, here is a great
door Of hope. IL must DO given out that h'
departed-as he came-without any note Of
preparation. We must save all scandal"
| saw no had fallen, like tho rest OF us, e
think mainly Of the house. Now that all the
living members OF the family were plunged
in irremedial sorrow, it was strange how w'
turned TO that c~onjoint abstraction OF the
family itself, and sought to bolster up th'
airy nothing Of its reputation; not the Durie'
only, but the hired steward himself.
Are we TO tel Mr.. Henryf' asked him
81 will see" said he. 81 am going TO frs
visit him, then | go forth with you to view
the %shrubbery and consider"
We went down stairs into the hall. Mr.
Henry sat by the table with his head upon
his hand, like a man OF stone. His wife stOO,
a little back from him, her hand at hel
mouth. il was plain she could not move him
Ny old lord walked very steadily 10 where
his son was sitting; he had a steady counte
nance, too, but %methought n little cold; wher
he was come quite up, he held out both BIZ
hands and said: my SOM"
With a broken, strangled cry, Mr.. Henry
leaped up and fell on his fathers neck, cry
Ing and weeping, the most pitiful sight tha'
ever a man witnessed. 'Oh, father" b,
cried. you know | loved him; you know
loved him in the beginning; | could hay,
died for him-you know thatl | would have
given my LIE for him and you. Oh, say you
know thatl Oh, say you can forgive me
Oh, father, father, what have | done, what
have | donei and we used 10 DO BARNS 10
getherl'' and wept and sobbed, and fondled
the old man, and clutched him about the
neck, with tho passion Of n child in terror.
And then be caught sight OF his wife, you
would nave thought for the first time, where
she stood weeping to hear him; and in a mo
ment had fallen at her knees. And, oh, my
lass" he cried, you must forgive me, too
Not your hu%sband-I have only been the ruin
Of your life. But you knew me when | wa
@ lad; there was no harm in Henry Durie
then; he meant aye 70 be a friend TO you.
It's limits the old BARN that played with
you-oh, can ye never, never forgive himF
Throughout all this my lord was like a
cold, kind spectator with his wits about him
At the first cry, which was indeed enough "a
call the house about us, he had said 10 me
over his shoulder: ''Close the door," And
now he nodded 10 himself.
1--WE may leave him to his wife now" says
he. Bring a light, Mr.. Mackellar."
Upon my going forth again with my lord,
I was aware Of Il strange phenomenon; for,
though it was quite dark and the night not
yet old, methought | smelled the morning
At the same time there vent a tossing
through the branches OF the eyergreens, so
that they sounded like a quiet sea, and the
air pSfed at times against our faces and the
fame OF the candle shook. We made the
more speed, | believe, being surrounded by
this hustle; visited the scene OF the duel
where my lord looked upon the blood with
stoicsm, and, passing further on toward the
landing place, came at last upon some eyl
dences Of the truth. For, first Of all. where