Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-09
Under Your roof, and nv tonrue {, freq.

30, eiod nlght and day TO come"
I. t, 100 late, William; you must not AJAX
~ snu she, endeavorinR TO quiet him as
IN Old times. MY husband inst now Ia
unwel. He win grow better in n day or
Two maybe. You must call again and see
nlm before you leave Casterbridce."
AS she said this their eyes met, Each
was thinking Of her lightsone words about
taxing them in turn, each thought that
Two thirds of that promise had been full
nlled. But, as If II were unpleasant 70 her
That this recollection should have arisen.
she spoke again quickly: Come again in
day or two, when my husband will DO
well enough TO see you"
Su William departed without entering
the house, and she returned TO Sir John'a
chamber. lie. rising from his pillow. said:
To whom hast been talking, wife, In the
court-yard2 / heard voices there"
She hesitated. and he repeated the quos-
tiOn more iinpatiently.
~ do not wish to tell you now" said
she.
" But WOOL knowln said he.
Then she answered, Sir William Her.
W."
BY c. Thought as much!" cried
Sir John, drops Of pcrspiration standing
on his white face. a skulking villain
sick mans ears arc keen, nv lady.
heard that they were loyer-like tones. and
y
be your intrigues, my lady, when / am of
nv logs swhile,"
"On my honor" cried she. "you do me
A wrong. l swear i did not know of his
comingl"
Swear ns Won will" said Sir John. II
don't believe ZEE" And with this he taunt-
ed her and worked himself into a greater
passion, which much increased his illness.
His lady sat STILL broOding. There was
far - J.
there since her marriage. and she seemed
10 think anew of what she had 50 lightly
SAID IN the davs Of her freedom, when her
three lovers were one and all co7etlng her
hand.
81 began at the wrong end Of them"
she murmured. d" Ny God-that did Il"
" WHAT" said he.
. Nothing" said she. Z" / spoke to myself
only"
1t was somewhat strange that after this
day, while She went about the house with
even q sadder face than usual, her churlish
husband grew worse, and, what WAS more
u the surprise Of all. though TO the regret
OF few. he died fortnight later. Sir Will
ham bad not called upon him as he had
promised. having received q private oOm-
municatiOn from Lady Penelope, frankly
informing him that to do SO would be mad
visahlo by reason Of her husbands temper.
Now when Sir John was gone and his re-
mains carried TO his family buryInC-
place in another part Of England the lady
began in due time TO wonder whittier Sir
William bad betakcn himself. But she
bad been cured of precipitancy if
ever woman were, and was prepared to
wait her whole lifetime a widow If
the said Sir William should not re-
appear. Her life was now passed mostly
within the walls, or IN promeuadlng be-
tween the pleasauuce and the bowling
green. and she very seldom went even 50
fir as he high road which then skirted tie
grounds on the north, though It has now
and for many years been diverted 20 tho
south side. Her patience WIS rewarded Of
love be in any case reward). for one dav,
many months after her second husbands
death. q messenger arr we'd at her gate with
the intelligence that SIR William Ilervy
was again IN Castorbrdge and would he
glad TO know # it were her pleasure that lie
should wait upon her.
II need hardly he said that permission
was loyfully granted, and within two
hours her lover stood before her. a more
thoughtful man than formerly, but IN all
essential respects tho same man, generous,
modest 90 diifidCncc, and sincere. The re-
serve which womauly dccOIum threw over
I,r manner was but too obviously artl-
fcial, and when he said. The ways Of
Providence are strange. and added otter a
moment. and merciful likewise" she
could not conceal her agitation and burst
into tears upon bis neck.
But this is too soon," she said, starting
back.
eleven months IN wldowhood. ana II IA noJ
a, If Sir John had been good husband 20
You"
His visits grew pretty frequent now, o.
nav we'll he guessed. and IN month or
two he began To urge her 10 an carly union.
But shecounsolled % littlclongeT delay.
"Why?n said he. "Surelv / have waited
long, life IS short; We are getting older
every das, and am the last OF The three.
" Yos. " SAID the lady frankly. And that
j. why / would not have YOU hasten. Our
marriage may seem so strange 10 every
body. after nv unlucky remark on that oc-
caeion we know 40 well, and which so many
others know likewise, thanks to tale
hC1rcrs.'
on this representation he conceded n
little space for the sake OF her good name.
Bat the destined day of their marriage at
last arrived and 1t was gay time Tor ne
VILLAGERS and all concerned, and the bcliS
in tho parish church rang from noon III
rirlt Thus at last she was united 10 TIE
r..en who bad loved her tle most tcndCriy
OF them ali, who but for his rctceucc
might perhaps have been the first 20 WIN
lpr. Often did hc say 90 himself, " How
yyop7 Irons that her word should have been
fulfilled Many truth hath been
spnkcu i'm lest. but never more remark
able one" The noble lady herself pre-
f-rrcd not 10 dwell on the colncldence a
certain shyuess, If not shame crossing Arr
far face at any ailusion thereto. %.
But people VIII nave their say, sensitive
soul. or none, and their sayings on this
third occasion took singular shape.
"Surclv. they whispered. there l5some-
thing more than chance IN tins.
The death of tue first was possibly ma
tural. but what of the death OF the Sc
cond. who i'll used her, aud whom, loving
the third go desperately, che must nave
wished out of the way 2"
Then they pieccd together sundry trivial
incidents Of Sir Johns lin ss, and dwolt
upon the iudubitable truth that he bad
crown worse after her lovers unexpected
Visit. fin "A very sinister theory was buht
ND as 70 the hand she may have h2d m Slr
Jnhn'. premature demise. But nothing OF
Tins suspicion WAS said openly, tor she Was
a lady Otnobl0 blrth-nOhler, lndeed, IMAM
either of her husbGuds-and what people
susnectcd they feared 70 express III lorhal
accusation.
The mansion that she occupied bad been
left 10 her for so long time "a she shouiI
choose 10 reside III IT, hHN Ia II. q q. -" -
far fho spot she had coaXod Sir William TO
remain there. But in the end IT was I'M
fortunate. for one day when IN the iull toe
~ his happipegs he was walking among the
willows near the gardens, whore he over
heard "A conversation between some basket
makers who were cutting, the oslers for
their use. In this fatal dialogue inc suS-
melons of the neighbOung townslolK
we're we're. revealed to hun for the first time. on
his return homo he seemed to have aged
But he said nothing; indeed, It was
thing impossible And from that hour an
arrangement began. She could not IN
derstand il. and simply waited. one Gay
he said. however. " 1 must 90 abroad
but Why" said she. William nave
I offended youl"
NO he said; but must CO."
She could coax little more out OF nm,
and in itself there was nothing unnatural
IN his departure, for he had been a wan
derer from his youth. In few DAYS ne
started OF, apparently quite. another man
dion no who had rushed to her side so de