Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-15

were going to hear of something horrid. and
though 1t Is so idiotic and unreasonable can't
get over the impression. i haven't told Helen
or John about it. 1 suppose it aust be the CHI
mate"
'Of course it's the climate" said Walton. as
he read the letter. The damp. mild. enervat-
ing, MISUNDERSTANDING Irkham climate
that's making her morbid. | remember it well
enough, and how it seemed to Ugh it's not
worth thinking Of But l won't let Ada go
mere again. Happily, she won't want to,
thanks to this notion"
He wrote TESTING protest to her, saving that
her ghost story came like the other Christmas
ANIMALS. too long before Christmas, and after
al hadn't even ghost in il. Never mind.
little girl" he added III be with you soon.
and be something so real to think of that the
cobweb feelings and impressions you speak
of will vanish from your brain. But don't say
anything to your sister or her husband that
VIII put them out of love with their house when
they have just got comfortably settled in it.
after spending much on making it pretty.
Besldes-though theosophy is in fashion now.
ana all the clever young fellows. who would
have been rank materialists ten years ago. are
seeing visions and dreaming dreams. and gen.
orally overstepping the bounds that separate
matter and spirit don't want you. my darl-
ing, to be anything but a most human, lovable
little WIFE
Ada obediently tried to repress her fancies
and to enjoy life as it was lived in Irkham; but
she could not succeed. She grew more de-
pressed and nervous every day. Perhaps it
was indeed, the climate that weakened her;
perhaps she felt a certain loneliness even with
Helen. who had now plenty Of friends among
young matrons of her own stamp-healthv.
happy, anlmal-like creatures for the most part,
who liked their husbands much, and their
houses more. and their smart clothes most of
all Ada felt lonely among them. in spite of
thelr treating her with spontaneous friendi-
ness. which was their best characteristic. and
her loneliness deepened the Strange, morbid
impression she had taken up concerning Gore
House. When she wrote first to her lover on
the subject the idea had been vague and unde-
hned; but, the DAYS went on. it gathered
ciearness and conference.
Il ain ashamed. she wrote now. ''to speak to
you again OF the silly notion have got into my
head about this house; but 1 promised to tell
you everything, and somehow this fancy seems
far more real to me than any of the solid. tan
glble things around me. / know almost the
whole story now-and l haven't seen anything
or heard anything, nor have | mentioned the
matter to soul except you; but yeti know.
There was murder committed here once-let
ME speak of the thing as if it had really hap
pened. child. Just fancy. George. poor
innocent little chlld-was taken out of the room
that Is now my boudour and carried down
stairs into the drawing-room and killed, and
then buried under the trees on the lawn. Is it
not horrible! At least. it would be horrible If
1t had ever happened. and wasn't only dream
OF my imagination. l am ashamed to tell you
such nonsense. and yet l must speak of it to
some body. for the consciousness of it weighs
me down, as If were somehow connected with
the guilty secret"
Good heavens is she going mad2" Walton
asked himself when he read these sentences.
II KNOW she Is absurdly sensitive to the vaguest
impressions and the society OF that unmagina-
tve worldly sister of hers will be driving her
more and more III herself. And Irkham in De-
cember is enough in upon itself to make any
body think of murder and suicide. l must go to
her as soon as can. and I'll bring her away with
me the day after Christmas, and if | can help
II she IL never enter the place again. Helen
can come to London if she wants to see her"
He was seriously alarmed thinking of the
possible effect on Ada's health and mind of
TINS strage morbid fancy of hers. For he loved
her with a passion she could hardly have I'M
derstood. and felt if the one ray of light
that frightened his path would be quenched if
anything prevented her becoming his wife. SO
be got time table, and having studied it. took
the hrst tram to Irkham. determined tc see
Ada at once. and cure her of her gloomy no.
lions by his presence and the power of his love-
CHAPTER II.
There was trouble in the Baggallay house
hold The parlor-maid with that lack of con-
slderatlOn for her mistress convenience which
Helen looked upon as characteristic of the SER
want class. sprained her ankle few DAYS before
Christmas. Another equally competent domes-
Tie was not to be got at moments notice and
Mrs. Baggallay had issued invitations for din
der party on Christmas eve, when she proposed
TO introduce her sisters betrothed to her
especial friends. Helen was in despair; she
felt that fate was using her unkindly and in
her depression was glad to listen to a sugges-
ton OF the girls. who in her turn did not wish
TO lose comfortable situation. She had a
widowed sister, Mrs. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
from the way she spoke of her. the member of
her family who had got onn-who might, if
she was asked cOurteOusly enough condescend
TO take her place till she was able to fill it
again.
You know. ma'a am. my sister isn't quite like
one Of US. She's good bit older than me.
and has always held her head high" explained
the girl. She was always well thought on in
her places, and one of her families left her an
annuity. so, OF course, she has right to think
something OF herself. But I've no doubt she'll
come for day or two to oblige me if only YOU
don't mind putting it to her as bit of
favor"
Helen did not mind putting it as a conde-
scenslon on the part of Mrs Wallwork if ONLY
she would come, and she had already learned
that IN the north country the working classes
look upon themselves the salt of the earth,
and demand recognition of the fact from
their masters and mlstresses. She sent be-
seechlng note to Mrs. Wallwork setting forth
her desperate plight. and that lady was gra-
clous enough to come and interview her and
TO consent to grace Gore house with her pres
ence on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
III you're having company and extra work
of course you'll need parlOr-maid" she said.
but IN your ordinary run, you can get along if
the 'ousemaid will only put herself to it,
With this concession. Helen was forced to he
content: but III order that Mrs. Wallwork might
be as far as possible fit for her duties when she
came to undertake them. she took her over the
house, and explained to her what would be ex-
pected of her.
Gore house was on the outside a very ordi-
nary building, square house with a portico
over the door supported on stucco pillars-such
a residence as may be seen by the score in anv
town. Formerly 1t had been surrounded by
others like itself; but as the tide of Irkbam
fashion went elsewhere they had been pulled
down, and endless rows of small houses occu
pied by the poorer of the clerk and the richer
of the artisan classes, had taken their place
Those who knew the district said that the
changes of the last ten years had made il
almost unacceptable, and most of Helen
Baggallays friends predicted that she
would soon leave her old-fashioned house in
spite OF Its spacious rooms and large garden
and go to some smaller, smarter villa where
she would be surrounded by people like her
self Helen did not think SO. She knew that
there was good deal of social sensitiveness in
lrkham, caused by the fact that SO MANY of the
milliOnaires had cousins who were still in their
original station of factory hands, with whom
therefore, they did not care to risk coming in
contact; and such anxieties could not befsn
her. Besides. she liked her roomy house. which
much larger than it seemed from the