Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-28
H.

A few evenings before / went home, as
Walcot and / were in the smoking-roOm. /
asked him If he would not bring Mrs. Wal
cot down TO Earnshaw for a few days. 1t
was near the end of May. May-fy fishing
would be on during the next ten days so
there would be something to do besides
seeing the country, which was magnificent:
there were q few show-places for those who
cared for them, and the season was at lts
prime for drives over the hills. put for
ward all the attractions Of the place TO in
duce him to come down; | could see that
Mrs Walcot would hit il of with my not
tOo-easily- pleased mother especially be-
cause being married she could not possibly
be a siren. and the man had plenty to talk
about. yet never tired one with talking OF
himself.
| was rather surprised, then, when he
hesitated about accepting an invitation so
unreseTvedly given. Why should he STAN
mer and, thought. positively blush and
hesitate about SO simple matter, especially
a. at first he seemed eager 10 come, Tor his
face had lighted up so cheerily, but was OBJ
scured directly aiterward by gloomy look,
almost one of sadness There was certainly
"A tone of distress in his voice as he sand:
You are very kind. | and my wife-I
know | can speak for her-should greatly
like to come nOrthward but il is scarcely
possible This came with more warmth OF
desire TO accept the invitation than depth
of conviction about its impossibillty. After
some further pressure, evidently yielding,
at last he said;
"You are so really friendly that it would
be no less ungrateful than ungraciOus to
keep back from you the real reason why
we shrink from what promises to be so
pleasant a visit: and what We have seen of
YOU in the past week frees me from any
doubt that you will not LEI what l tell you
go further than yourself. My wife, 10
nm Il. toll az
iached. has "a sad affection. Until her Ill
ness two years ago there was not a trace
OF what would now make her life an intOl-
cradle burden were she not supported by
our strong mutual affection and conf
dence. After that illness she devel-
oped kleptomania. Till then the most
scrupulously honest and precisely ex-
act woman | have ever known, she now
has strange passion for secreting, not any
thing and everything. but only Jewelry
strangely her ailment only runs in this
groove. BY keeping strict watch have
hitherto been fortunate enough TO restore
whatever trinkets she has surreptitlOusly I
removed. few intimates only know of |
our trouble. and as they understand how !
things are We feel less unhappy; still, one /
II anxious. and this is why we have rather /
shrunk from accepting the many invita- /
tions we receive from the friends whom We
belive have genuine regard for Us.
them" said and, now that | know and /
am. 50 TO speak, forewarned. why should /
you hesitstes / could tell my mother what /
you have told me before you come, I'M /
less seeing something Of doubt IN his I
face-"you would rather | didn't"
- To tell the truth, he said after pause, /
"if the knowledge could be confined TO /
yourself think II would be better. Posi- /
bly there may be no trouble while We are /
with you am assuming that you would /
still be willing 10 have us-and then there |
would be no need to have thus barred our
wounds"
VERY well; If anything does happen
we shall find II out, and YOU can send back /
whatever - taken. and then ! can explain /
1t all TO my mother; and il nothing is /
taken nobody will be any the wiser. You /
see, too, Mrs. Walcot need not know any,
thing about my mothers jewels"
Pray, are they very valuable or at
tractives"
Both: and my mother is rather care
less. as ] think, about these treasures.
which are chiefly diamonds: she will keep
them IN cabinet in her bOudoir, the last
place; she says, where a burglar would
search, II one could get in: the windows
F. look cut on the cliff over the river, and
pnr servants are Trustworthy. She says
DC VIII not have them long, and we must
1na1,uige an old womsp's whins. Still, we
<Ei1 not parade them, OF even speak of
them at all, before Mrs Walcot"
Yes" said he. looking relieved, "that
VIII be best we viii not let her know of
tneir existence. And now that you know
al shall be happy ~ bring my wife; only,
by the way. pray don't breathe word 10
madame to Intimate 70 her that you know
wnat have Just told you for if she even
suspected You knew nothing on earth
would induce her 10 come northward."
80 be II. My mother will write-let me
zee, this u Iuesdsy--youn get her invita-
top on Thursday. so that you can accept
and come down. IL II suits your conyo-