Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-02-14

Among the crowd stood Rueben Bates
more an Aious than any Of them to try to
view what was going on within. A SIMS
ter expression, quite unusual with him,
gave his features an Ill look which Eliza
beth Hawkins had never yet seen upon
them. lie seemed for the first time in his
life to have a fixed purpose of some sort
in his mind, and that an evil one.
'Ain't It gran i?' he thought rs lie
watched tile ladies In their rich costumes
and the gentlemen In their dainty shoes
step from the carriages on TO the drugget
which was spreal from the pavement to
the door. "Ain't IL grand" he repeated
to himself. "Diiercn TO wot 1t were up
in st. Johns wood wen she used TO come
down 'orself into the kitchen and 'elp
make mCat-pies, rs Ii abeth 'erSelt 'as
told me time over again. W Ot's 'er game
with this ERE dyramitar chap. Id like -
know. Wots she up 10 n giVIn' Of lin
money and a-callin' OF i'm jack ] won
der ow 'er 'usband would like IL If ~
knew 'ow she was a-carry in on Now
'e's come back to London, 'as that dyna-
inter cove. Wot for! Wy for 'er! That's
Wot 'es come for, Peuben Bates amt
no fool, and knows ow many beans make
five. III keep my eye OF her-see If don't
1t was nearly one o clock when the last
OF the guest departed. The carpeting.
which was stretched beneath the awning
across the stone ags, was rolled up, and
the lights in the rooms were being put out.
Presently tOOtman came out upon the
stops and whis led for hanson. Mr..
Atwood was going out so ewheres; hc
was seldom at home now OF an evening.
| No excitement seemed TO be sufficient for
! him, and he was never happy save when
in noisy company. At last he came out,
and, af er having given a few directions
| To the servant, jumped into the cab and
| was driven away.
Besides the solitary policeman who oc-
casionally marched up and down upon his
beat, there was but one looker-On-and
that was Reuben Bates. In the dark
shadow of the portico of one of the oppo-
site houses he croLched, closely watching
the house. There hc waited and specu-
lated upon what wOul happen next.
Within tho house, in the long drawing
room, where the gas-lghts were all put
| out. with a bedroom can lcstick upon the
! marble mantlcpece, sat Mrs. Atwood.
She was thinking OF their present life
and comparing it with the one she had led
only year ago. Was she any happier?
| No; her husband life and her own had
daily drifiod farther apart. When they
were poor and had many troubles they at
least had shared them and, If not alto
! gc:hcr happy, they were cOntented in
humble sort of way. 80 netimes, at any
rate. in those cid days he had CHEEKY
! mood and kind gentle word for her. But
Row all that was changed; he was never
al l.OaC unless, as it had happened to-
night. some festivities compellel him 10
lie here to play the host.
Where did hc 60 every night She
knew thas ne gambCd still, though he had
promised her faithfully lie would give II
| up. Wig sEOu!a lie not be cOntenied now
that nc was ri,h? This fearful ia cination
| WoalG lie lis ruin. OF late he had taken
so mach 10 dsink. In the old days he had
always taken his wine like other men, but
she had never seen him actually the
worse for it. Now he was often unsteady
in his gait AL noisy when he returned
home in the small hours of the morning.
Blanche Atwood sat aud wondered what
She could do 20 tempt her husband back
into 4 quctcr way of life, when IA rap at
the door disturbed her meditatiOns.
it was Elizabeth.
What IL It, tlizabeth?" she asked.
"Why are YOU not in bed? II is past one
o'clock. "
81 wanted to speak to you, if you
| please. M. "
said Mrs. Atwood, yawning. You are
rot gong to give ME warning, no e."
"Nc, nj. not that" replied Iii abeth.
"Ncvcr that, | 'ope; though life in this
great 'Ousc ain't wOt it wer in the
dear oil days in the Wood Leastways,
not to INC m
Blanche Atwood sighed. Neither was
| life the same 20 her As it was i'm those old
days she had spent in 1.-The Wood.
IF you please, m, " continued Eliza
beth ia q whisper, after she had closed the
door-"if you please. IN, don be startled
now, IN. I've seen Mr.. Delaney to night. "
"Mr. Delaney" cried Blanche, starting
up from her chair. "Iou have seen Mr.
Delaney? Tell me where Where did you
see him."
'WhcI l was out shoppn tonight
In the Edgware load, me and Rube
that's my young man, I'm, you know
we was n standin' lOokin in shop win
der when, all of sudden, voice SCI
behind me, 'Lizabcth Oh, it made my
blood run cold, When 1 turned round
who should see but i'm! Oh, mum, e
looks so i'll 'E's dyin'-yes mes
dyin', that S wot o is. T. gave ne this
ere slip o. paper, and wrote down where
e lived. Give 1t 10 Mrs. Atwood e seI
give it 10 or, and ask er 10 come an
see me quick afOre | die. / can't die
easy, e SCI, unless she comes Oh,
mum. e looks mortal bad If you only
'eard IN cough, y0n couldn't make no
mistake. 'E's u dyin' fast
For few moments Mrs. Atwood sat
motionlcss in her chair and spoke not 4
word. 1t seemed To her us if some terrible
calamity which had been hanging over
her for months had come upon her at last.
The dread Of soma impending evil which
was creeping nearer and nearer to her
chilled her 10 the heart Life had not
been sweet TO her, but IL had been bear
able at the worst. What was this awful
thing that was coming towards her, which
seemed to he more terrible than she could
bear?
For few minutes she seemed paralvsed
with fear. Then with courageous effort
she made up her mind 10 act She would
90 and see him, at whatevef cost.
elizabeth, " she said, go and put on
your things. Don't breathe word TO
anybody; am going to STE him now, and
must take you with me. "
Mr.. Atwood went up 10 her room, and
on ckly changed her dress. Then putting