Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-05-15
THE FLAT NEAR the rDGwARE ROAD,

Geoffrey's journey in town was not alto
gether cheerful one To begin with, Ellie
wept copiously at parting with her beloved
not be comforted. The prospect OF rejoining
her mother and the voluble Anne had no
charms for Efiie. They all three got on best
apart. Godfrey himself had also much to
think about and found little satisfaction in
the thinking He threw his mind back over
the events Of the past few weeks. He re
membered how he had first seen Beatrice's
face through the thick mist on the Red
Rocks, and how her beauty had struck him
as no beauty ever had before. Then he
thought of the adventure Of their shipwreck
and of the desperate courage with which she
had saved his life, almost at the cost Of her
own He thought, too, Of the scene when on
the following day he had entered the room
where she was asleep, when the wandering
ray Of light had wavered from her breast TO
his own. when that strange presentiment of
the ultimate interiningling of their lives had
flashed upon him, and when she had awak-
ened with an unearthly greeting on her lips.
One by one, while Efie slowly sobbed herself
to silence IN the corner opposite to him, he
recalled every phase and scene Of their ever
growing intimacy, till the review eliminated
in his mysterious experience Of the past night
and the memory Of Beatriee's parting words.
They reached London at last, aud as had
been arranged, Anne, the French bonne met
them at the station to take Ellie home. Geof-
frey noticed that she looked smarter and less
to his taste than ever However, she EN-
braced Ellie with an enthusiasm which the
child scarcely responded TO, and at the same
time carried on an ocular Irritation with a
ticket collector Although it was so early il
the year for fogs, London was plunged in a
dense gloom. 1t had been misty that morn
ing at Bryngelly, aud become more and more
50 Us the day advanced; but, though it was
not vet ! O'Clock London was dark as night.
Luckily, however, it is not far from Padding
ton to the the fiat near the Edgware road,
where Godfrey lived, 50 having personally
instructed the cabman, he left Anne to con-
vey Effie and the luggage and went on 10 the
Temple by Underground railway with an
easy mind
Shortly after Godfrey reached his cham
bers in Pump Court the solicitor arrived as
had been arranged. not his uncie-who was,
lac learned, very unwell-but partner. To
his delight he then found that Beatrice's ghost
theory was perfectly accurate, the boy with
the missing toe joint had been discovered
who saw the whole horrible tragedy through
cracl; IN the biud, moreover, the truth mad
been wrung from him aud he would be pro-
duced at the trial--indeed, proof of his evil
dence was already forthcoming. Also some
specimens of the ex-iawyer's clerks hand
writing had been obtained and were declared
by two experts to be identical with the writ
ing on the will. One thing, however, dis
turbed him; neither the attorney general nor
Mr.. Candleton was yet in town, SO no con-
ference was possible that evening. However,
both were expected that night-the attorney
general from Devonshire and Mr. Candleton
from the Continent; so-the case being first
on the list-it was arranged that the confer
ence should take place at 10 O'Clock on the
following morning.
On arriving home Godfrey was informed
that Lady Homoria was dressing. and had
left message saying he must be quick and
do likewise as a gentleman was coming to
dinner. Accordingly he went to his own
room-which was at the other end of the fat
and put on his dress clothes. Before going
to the dining room, however, he said good
night to Eilie-who was in bed, but not
asleep-and asked her what time she had
reached home.
AT twenty minutes past s. daddy Elite
said promptly.
Twenty minutes past 81 Why, you don't
mean to say that you were an hour coming
that little wayl Did you get blocked in the
fogf'
''No, daddy, but
''But what, dearf'
"Anne did tell me not to sayin
But | tell you to say, dear; never mind
Amer
Anne stopped and talked TO the ticketman
for long, long time"
"Oh, did shef' he said.
At that moment the parlormaid came to
say that Lady Honoria and the gentleman"
were waiting for dinner. Godfrey asked