Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-04-29

| ] Mortlcck had never entered our doors Ii l has been as much as could do to prevent an
 open quarrel between him and Harry Hay. | ing been told of the engagement, having seen l for himself how truly Eunce and Harry love
 each other, his conduct has been base-base | and ungentlemanly. Eunices bearing toward
 him should surely have convinced him that
 he has no hope"
 | To persoTere as he has pcrsevcred, ,"said my 1 wife, with somewhat more emphasis than it
 was her habit to impart into her speech, "seems to me proof that he places reliance upon some promise which MT. Wilmot has made to him; otherwise he would hardly have prolonged his visit. It is ungracious | to say so, but he could not fail to see how | unhappy he has made us; and he would have | bidden us farewell if there was not some- l thing behind of which we are ignorant, and for which we were not prepared. Richard, I l have infected you with my apprehensions l because it will be best for you, and for all of l us, to be-on our guard when MT. Wilmot arr | rives. Alittle reflection beforehand often a.
 tverts calamity. Nasty words cannot be re- l called, and they lead to anger and to actions | which we afterwards deplore." "1 will reflect well, my dear. Tell me | pl inly what you fear from Mir. Wilmot." T fear he will advocate the cause of MT. | HEortlock."
 "As regards Eunice2" I exclaimed, in | amazement
 ''Yes, Richard, replied my wife, sadly, "as regards our dear child"
 I But before he arrives" said, Che will have read my letter announcing her engage ment with Harry. Surely, in the face of that -" paused, seeing, from the expression on my wife's face, that was making no im- pression upon her.
 "I am so much impressed" she said, ," ssby certain phase in your uncle's character
 which has been dwelt upon by MT. Mortlock T mean in regard to his being self-willed and obstinate when once he has made up his
 mind-that I cannot banish my fears. It is a
 painful subject, Richard; do not let us dwell
 upon it any longer. Hope is leftto us, and we
 will cling to it..
 This conversation made mo moody and unhappy; there were so many contingencies depending upon my uncle's whim. Not alone Eunices happiness and her future, but the whole course of the life before me and mine hung upon his word. Had I foreseen that the time might come when I should be thrown upon my own resources, I might. out of the handsome income I had received from MT. W1lmot, have put a little by every year, and so, to some extent, have provided for ad- versity. But such a thought never crossed my mind and now that it was introduced it's effect upon me was terrible. I regonized how absolutely helpless I was to provide for those who had a claim upon me for support. l knew no trade or profession, and could think of no means by which could earn our daily
 bread. Thoughtlessly had spent regularly every shilling of my income, and was even in debt-not to any great extent, it is true, for
 three or four hundred pounds would have
 paid all owed, but the position was suGl- ciently serious to cause no alarm. Mr. Mort lock presented himself to my imagination as an evil genius who had intruded himself upon us to work our ruin and when in the course of the day, ho came towards me, smiling and
 easy-mannered, with pleasant words drop ping from his tongue, I thought of Lucifer with his fair outside and his maglignant heart.
 Minor incidents which occurred during this day passed lightly off, although on other occasions I should have doomed them of importance, and have estimated them aright. l had lately perceived signs of failing health in Samuel Fleetwood, and had advised him to consult doctor. He simply smiled, and said that it would be useless, as no doctors could do him good but as his bad symptoms continued, I desired our own physician to see and examine Fleetwood. The physicians re- port was melancholy enough. He repre- sented our faithful servants case to be hope less, saying he had heart disease, and could not live through the year.
 "Did you inform him of it2" inquired.
 "It was scarcely necessary" replied the physician. "He has been for some time aware of his state, and he looks forward to the end almost with cheerfulness."
 It will be understood how deep would have been the impression produced upon me by this sad news had not been so terribly harrassed by my own special anxieties. I CIT tertained the sincerest regard for Fleetwood; I knew him to be loyal and true, stanch and devoted; I knew that he was ready to mako any sacrifice for me and mine; but I will put no false gloss upon my feelings. So thor oughly engrossed was I by my own selfish fears that felt nero commonplace pity for the honest devoted fellow, instead of the full hearted sympathy which I should, under happier circumstances, have extended towards him.
 Before sundown Mdlle. Rosalie also played her part.
 In anticipation of my uncle's visit, and de- string that he should see Boscombe Lodge at its best, had given instructions to my gar dener, which he said he could not carry out alone. I empowered him to hire man to assist him, and he told me he had done so. was satisfied to leave the matter to him he had been in my service many years, and had served me we'll. All that knew of the man he had engaged was his name-Redwing. When the gardener" came to me on Saturday for wages. asked how Rodwing suited him
 "Oh, pretty we'll, sir," was the reply; Che isn't all he made himself out to be- but shall man ago."
 And my gardener being content, so was I.
 At the beginning of the week myself saw Redwing for the first time. lie did not ap- pear to be over exerting himself: and this and the fact that he was a good-Iooking fel- low, comprised my observation of him.
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