Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-10-10


the master, thinking even at the last he
might still repent him OF his decision and
| send for Miriam 10 cheer his few remaining
days. How TO do this was something which
worried them considerably, but the next
| day after the receipt Of the letter bright
thought struck Peggy's fertile brain, and
when the butler carried his masters break
| fast up 10 him she put the missive on the
trencher, not having the heart to deliver Il
| herself. James was also instructed mot tc
say wurrud"
Sir Rupert started and moaned pitifully
when he saw the letter; another letter In
less than year, with heavy black seal,
coming from-weli, he knew where.
He locked up In agcnized inquiry, but the
| sorrowfui James vouchsafed nothing In
answer.
Sir Rupert made no effort to reach the let
| ter on the trencher, seeming as IL expecting
James to say something, or perhaps offer &C
read IL. Then, after some minutes, he said,
gently: "You may get me- some medicine
James, which you will find on the library
desk below"
The butler understood this ruse of Sin
| Rupert's to get him away for a moment ia
order that no mortal eye might behold him
peruse the contents of the letter, and, know.
|
| precated, tarried in the library for quar-.
ter of an hour before he came upstairs to an.
nounce that there was no medicine TO be
found on the library desk. James was NOT
afraid Of being censured for carelessness in
not searching for it, because he knew as
well as Sir Rupert that there was none in
| the library.
| The master OF Heatherleigh and his
| thoughtful servant, for once, understood
each other perfectly, and James looked TO-
ward the trencher. Sir Rupert had drank
| his chocolate, and the mlssiye was lying in
adifferent position; that was all.
After exchanging glances with James,
his master ordered his breakfast away, and
leaning back YEARLY among the silken
cushions of his deep chair, said huskily: II
am not as well as usual believe, James,"
Then he shut his eyes, and, folding his
hands across his breast, sighed deeply.
The butler stood for moment undecided
as TO whether he ought to leave his master
or ring for Clarkson. He remembered
wildly, an experience in this same CHASTITY
room that kept him on the alert ever since.
And sir Rupert was beginning to look
white and act strangely as on that other
time when he fancied Miriam had visited
him.
But James was relieved when, presently.
divining his thoughts, Sir Rupert said,
without 80 much as even opening his eyes:
II will not need sou farther how, James.
do not need the medicine; will rest and
be better by and by
'sThe masters eyei 20 much worse this
morning, somehow" ssid the butler In an
undertone 70 Peggy, VINO was polishing an
ancient-lookiilg silver tankard. which had
seen more cUnyiyiality in its time than
would ever lighic., AeduysO or ing through
the blank evenings again at the !lali. s.Yes,
ever so much we.,her, be repeat,d putting
down the "a Tia. -niebJ..'i
NV hats TAU she cried. sGtdaiy, look.
ng up with an uBiC.d dread in her big blue
eyss. "An' dI ye sey the master was
wurruss"
"Eyer 90 much" James repeated, hand
ing the letter back 10 the housekeeper, s'for
you see he has eaten nothing of the nice
breakfast Marcia prepared for him.
s'Och hoonl' walled Peggy throwing
down the polish and sinking into a chair.
"An' it was that letter that's gone an kilt
tho masthur. O'm shure it was the doin's
OF that same. Howiy motherl an what II
he dhraps of suddin loike, an the childer
not In sphakin' disthancei Woe be the day
that he doiesi"
But that trying time had gone by and the
master of Heatherleigh had revived
through the succeeding months, only to
sink again under far heavier blow.
The winter come on, and during its
dreaFy hours Sir Rupert was obliged TO
keep his apartments the greater portion OF
the time, and grew accustomed to depend
ing on the servants entirely. In conse-
quence, they learned to watch over him as
one would over troublesome child, 'only
they didn't dare to punish him." as Marcia
remarked somewhat spitefplly at the close
of very trying day. But with the
breath VI spring again his spirits seemed
TO revive little. He walked out occasion
ally, leaning ON the arm of one of the serv-
ants, and breatned the sweet air that
kissed the tender buds and silky leaflets
forth.
Sometimes wheeled about the grounds in
his chair, resting here and there in some
favorite spot, intent on watching the birds
in the tufted clms, or gazing wistfully high
up the ivy-wreathed gables. The grand
Old Hall never had seemed SO much like q
magnificent mausoleum, nor the interior
seemed so much like tomb, as it did this
sunny springtide.