Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-17

Wrothsley, and wondered il the moody man,
who came and went at uncertain hours, could
really be the same.
rumor, too, reached her ears that Hugh Gil
ford gambled heavily. and il the evening he
fwas rarely ut home. Still Nancy had her child
the beautiful boy who smiled in her face and
whom she used to take to her mothers house
and exhibit with great pride his baby feats and
wonderful intelligence. Hugh Clifford, 100, was
fond of his little son, and proud also of his re-
markable likeness to himself.
Miss Clifford had been once to town for a few
days to visit them, and always spoke of Nancy 8
baby as my boy She had arranged also that
Nancy and the child were to stay with her in the
autumn. and she insisted upon paying all
penses connected with him.
He is my heir, and can afford it, she
would say, and Nancy was obliged to let the
wilful old lady have her own way, and certainly
Master Thomas was always dressed like
prince.
So up and down on this stormy night-the 10Th
of April-Nancy Kept walking with her baby in
her arms. The bedroom was dimly lighted by
the freight only, and nightlight, but the door
of the dressing room. where Hugh Clifford slept
was open and there the gas burning.
1t was past midnight now, and as Nancy went
by the dressing room door she glanced in to see
If her husband was asleep, as she was afarid the
baby's crying might awaken him. But the
room was empty; Hugh Clifford had not come in,
and nearly an hour passed before he did so. By
this time the baby had fallen asleep but Nancy
did not put him back in his cot, but laid him in
her own he'd, and sat by his side watching him.
Tick, tick went the clock; bowling round and
down the chimneys swept the blast, splashiug
Suddenly Nancy heard the handle OF the dressing
room turn, and a mans hasty footsteps enter
the room She rose quickly meaning to warn
Hugh Clifford to make as little noise as possible
not to wake the child.
With noiseless footsteps she crosses the
room, and stole to the dressing-room door.
which was slightly ajar. What made her start.
grow pale and with difficulty suppress the ex-
clamation that rose on her lips? There stood
Hugh Clifford, and the gaslight fell on his pale.
haggard, even CHASTITY face. And his express
sion-the expression of horror, loathing and
fear-that distorted his features, terrified
Nancy, who drew back afraid and trembling.
He never saw her as she crouched there; never
saw her as he poured out some brandy, and
drank it without stopping. and then began to
tear of his overcoat, and flung something large,
round and heavy, that he was carrying. with
absolute loath1ng on the floor. Again he drank
some brandy, then Nancy saw him lift the thing
he had flung away, and push 1t into one OF his
wardrobes. and carefully lock the door after he
had done this, and then place the key in his
dressing case, which he also locked.
Then he began to take off his drenched clothes,
but that awful expression never for one moment
left his face; and presently Nancy, pale and
and crept into bed beside her baby, holding it
closely to her breast as if to guard and protect
it.
And the wind howled on, and the dark hours
feeted by. but Nancy never slept. It was grow
ing light, when a sort of cry from the DRESSING
room suddenly startled her, and set her heart
beating wildly, Again she crept out of bed and
stole to the dressing-room door, and peering in
saw Hugh Clifford lying on the bed talking
wildly in his sleep.
Are you sure, quite sure, he is dead?'' she
heard him say. 'don't, for Gods sake, put him
in unless you are sureI''
Then he went rambling on, speaking words
Nancy could not follow-usfng endearing
phrases in some foreign tongue-mixed with
weird haunting images OF hidden crime and
sudden death. 1t was terrible to listen to him;
SO terrible that Nancy could not bear it. but
crept back again to her baby's side, and fell
down on her knees by the bed, praying God to
protect the little one from evil.
no BE Continued