Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-21
rALL RIGHTS RESERVED
crAprrn xlvrG.-A HELL on EARTn.


4, Gatewood Manor house on that September
evening when he had spoken to her of love
which had not grown cold. and he had never
srsin alluded to it. Two whole years! with
tatir changes and chances, and yet seemingly
none had come to Nancy. sun she spent great
deal Of her time with Miss Clifford, though she
tsst on her own house in town, to which she
had persuaded her mot her and family TO re-
move. Thu when she went she found her
mother to welcome her-but Nancy was happiest
a. Gateford
Sin. sal ii suited the child best and the hand
-.r,r little fellow liked i. best and all the sum
r..r months were generally spent in this quaint
and quiet spot. where only Nancy and her son
-.-. young. But the revolving years mad
- -sed lightly over the h .ad OF the ancient
rwe who dwelt among her old scrvlng-peopIe'
.a the old house. where she had lived so long;
Miss Clifford was as sAarp-tongued as ever ana
more devoted to Master Tommy than ever. She
..g nj last been persuaded to ask 1.-The other
T..- as she always called the little LOrd HiI-
Re. over TO the manor house, and had o.
served with satisfaction how young ne 4Ooked
beside his stalwa cousin
Size also stil continued 10 regard Mai,
ron CO. Erne, with the greatest favor: n!
t-..ueutly came to Gateiord, ana u was Z secret
r.uiort 10 Nancy hear TO know that she had a
.rcud-brave and faithful-wAom she lett sure
would stand by in any hour of need.
l5ut they never spoke OF II, nor OF tne love
they both now knew. But metimes Miss Gift
f-f watching them with those sharp Keen eyes
O.
some, loyal soldier, with any stronger ieeilnss
nan friendship. But if so she made no sign,
aal hc made none. II was silent compact DC
tween them binding to their hearts al one.
And IL chance TWO years al er, IN the very
mon d. whe. for once Erne had few moments
.6usef the strong curb On his lips, that he was
..aiu at Gateford. He had been on leave Tor
.everal weeks, ana Nancy and he had therefore
-.r met Tor some little time out the day before
Ha bad dined at the Manor house, by Miss CIR
.rI' S invitation, and had remained all night.
and after breakfast-ln early mOrnlng-ihese
tro went cut into the dewy garden, and walked
Iarslvely enough on the moss grown paths:
handsome pair, and brave ard honest bOth, their
,hadowed lives were yet sweeter 10 them Tor the
uuaL know edged bond, THAI bound them fast.
Set they We're talking in the mott ordinary way,
Lille dreaming that change-momentous great
--v.s creeping near.
Ing on the grass and on the buughs, and the old
trees around them were Just beginning to shed
the first leaves of the falling year. peaceful
s...ne. the ,yray old Manor house standing as a
background, and even the very flowers around
them telling of long bye-goEe days. and pres
ultlv the butler-aucient tOo-Gppeared auVGuc-
lag towards them, carrying on an antique silver
sllver, large packet for Nancy, which the
early post had Just brought IN.
7. was directed in the handwriting OF her
mother. and Nancy opened It with a smile,
thinking il probably contained letters from her
brother and IitLe sisters. But as she glanced at
the superscripion of The inner envelope which
was large too, and sealed, she gave a half-cry,
and her face grew suddenly very pale.
1T is from escaped her lips.
''Not from MIR. Gihord?' asked Godfrey Erne,
YES, - faltercd Nancy; IL cannot read it
"Nyfll Won sit down on that seat under the
tree there-and will leave you to read il: said
Zine, whose face also had grown very pale:
Yes, - she said, for she felt faint and her
footsteps stumbled 1t such a shock to
her to see that handwriting again; to have all
the'past brought back 20 her, as 1t were IN
moment.
E-ne walked bv her side to the seat he had
indicated, and then with very moody brow he
turned away. Had the suspended sword fallen;
did the fsithless husband now wish to return TO
the faithful wife?
In the meanwhile. with trembling fingers,
Nancy had opened the inner large envelope
which contained several sheets OF foreign note
PAPER, covered with writing. they were num-
iered, and number one began as follows:
Nancy woulL not dare write tn to you-I
should have no right to do so-but that am
diving man. All the doctors tell me l cannot live
long; n few weeks, a few DAYS perhaps; and
therefore l venture, knowing the sweetness and
truth of your nature, to break my long silence.
Il do so for two reasons; | wlsh-lG you VIII
30 far forgive me-to look once more on your face
and that of our boys before dle; and wish
also Tor yen to know the truth about that horrl-
hle night when the black misery of my life be-
gan. | know that you suspected me, Tor saw
IL written on your shrinking face, and suppose,
therefore. during that mad fit Of drinking had
the folly 10 indulge in. and through which you
So Loyalty watched me and screened me from
the suspicious of others, that had uttered with
my tongue some illusions to the haunting nor
1os which maddened and pursued my soul.
To tell my miserable story rightly, must
30 back to the days when was quite young
man, to the days when l met abroad girl,
beautiful with he beauty OF her race She was
EaIf-Euglish and half-Spanish. for her father
Lgd married an Andaluslan woman
Thus far Nancy read, and then shudCerlng
CRY escaped her palhd lips at TINS terrible con-
iilmatIon Of her own suspicious. And the
moody browed man, who was pacing one OF the
walks near heard that faint cry and stopped to
listen. Again Nancy moaned aloud, and mo-
ment two later Godfrey Erne approached the
seat where she was sitting with Hugh Clifford 5
letter lying open on her zap;
q c 10, ked eagerly al her Whlte lace, ana
when Nancy him she put out her hand, as
.'Godirey, ), she said in a low and broken
What is it? Can help you in anything"
he asked, as he took her hand in his, Tor he saw
Nancy was terribly overcome.
u should like to go in-he is very lll-I-l
cannot finish this letter here answered
Nancy. in the same broken voice.
Come, then" SAID Erne, take my arm-it
is only few steps-let me carry your letter Tor
No; mol" cried Nancy, in sudden terror,
and she Clasped the letter still tighter in her
hand; and then rose trcmhllngIy, ana had ac-
rually to lean on Erne's arm Tor support as she
tutterel towards the house.
MISS Clifford. from her dining room window.
saw them walking thus, and noticed the deadly !
Mhiteuess OF Nancy lace.
something must have happened thought
the shrewd old woman perhaps l haa best
She did not 90 out into the hall, therefore, to
make any inquiries, cut few minutes later |
Erne entered the room looking exceedingly dis |
Iurbed.
sharply. Has Nancy had any bad news? She |
looked as If she were going TO iaint. -
MIR. Clifford is very i'll, - answered Erne with |
reserve.
Serve him right" retorted Miss Clifford, yet
~ ore sharply. He surely has not had the I'M |
uudenCe 20 ask Nancy to 20 to nurse hlm!''
81 did not see the letter.
u shall see it, though! Where IS Nancy?'
"She went to her own bedroom
Miss Clifford, therefore, at once proceeded |
there as fast as her ebon stick and her ancient
legs could carry her.
She raped at Nancy s door, but on receiving
reply she turned the handle, but found the
door was locked inside.
"Chili. wish to speak to your she cried in
her shrill voice.
81 cannot see anyone just now, Miss Clifford
paease don't ask me, answered Nancy from
within, and NJ SIS Clifford could tell by her tone
she was terribly agitated.
surely that man-Hugh Gifford-''
''Oh! please go away, Miss GInoId, l cannot
bear itl'' wept Nancy: and after a moments
consideration Miss Clifford did turn away,
G umbling, and very full OF wrath as she went.
- could not have believed she such a
fool she muttered grimly; crying about that
man, indeedi'
In the meanwhile poor Nancy was trying to |
compose herself sufficiently TO go ON reading |
Hugh Chords miserable words. She raised |
AGAIN the note-sheet she had been reaJing in the
garden; she re-read the sentence she had left |
unfinished there.
ITO tell my miserable story rightly, I must go |
bac ITO the days when was quite a young man; |
to the days when met abroad a girl, beautiful |
hes ants n hpF Efa h,nF