Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-02-08
CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER III.
The shock given me by those few
overheard words-"You should not
Aave spoken to her. Don't you know
she comes from the house on the
marsh!"-was SO great that Law
awake half the night, asking myself
whether it would be wise to STAY in a
house to which it was plain that a
mystery of some sort was clinging.
AT last, when my nerves were Gained
somewhat and began to feel sleepy,
L made up my mind to set down those
unlucky words as the prejudiced utter
ance of some narrow-minded country
girl, to whom the least touch of uncon-
ventionality seemed dreadful thing.
Although Geldham church was only
short distance from the Alders, Mrs.
Rayner was not strong enough to walk;
SO she and her husband drove there in
the brougham, while Haidec and went
on foot. We started before them, and
MI Rayner was carefully helping his
wife out of the carriage as we got to the
gate. When she had alighted we all
went into the little church.
There was square family pew Just
IN front of ours, which was empty when
we took our seats; but, when I rose
from my knees, found fixed upon me,
with Il not very friendly stare, the eyes
OF girl two or three years older than
myself, whom 1 recognized as the own
er OF the voice which had said of me.
"Don't you know she comes from the
house on the marsh?" By her side,
therefore also facing me, was the
younger sister, with whom had talked. |
AS for me, felt that hated them
<~1,, Il
man who was evidently their father
changed his position so that he almost
hid them from my sight. Next to him
sat a stout lady, who wore a black silk
mantle covered with lace and beads and
white bonnet trimmed with yellow
bows and unlikely clusters of roses. NV
heart sunk curiously when 1 caught
sight of tho third person in the row, at
the further end of the pew. 1t was Mr..
Laurence Rcade, my friend of the dog.
cart; and l felt US if trusted ally had
suddenly proved TO be an officer in the
enemy's camp. Having found myself
IN an uncongenial household, had I'M,
consciously looked forward to- seeing
again, at some time OR other, the ONLY
person had met since | came to Nor
folS TO whom no associations Of mvs-
terry or melancholy We're attached. |
And now to meet him with those hor,
rid girls! He was their brother cvi4
IDENTITY, for the elder harpooned him
sharply with her sunshade several
times for doing during tho service;
put, when the sermon began and he
had settled himself sideways in the cor
ner with the plain intention of sleeping |
through the entire discourse, and the !
devout girl made Il desperate lungo at
him to rouse him once for all, he quiet,
~ took the weapon from her and
kicked 1t under the seat. 1 rejoiced at
this, and so missed the text, which was
given out during the struggle.
When the sermon was over, and we
Med out OF church, l noticed that old
WI; heade exchanged a few words
with Mr. Rayner rather stif1iy, while !
the two girls deliberately turned their
neads away from us. But Mr..
Laurence Reade hung back behind the
rest OF his family, and stopped to
speak to Haidee, who was holding nv
hand. tie asked her to give him a
kiss, and she refused-and 1 was very
glad. OF course, it was my duty to re-
Duke her for rudeness. but instead,
looked carefully the other way and
pretended not to be aware of the little
comedy.
oh, Haidee, you shouldn't turn
away from your friendsr' said he, in
his musical voice, with rather more OF
grave reproach than the occasion re.
quired-to child.
At dinner Mr.. Rayner was very
severe indeed in his comments upon
rustic wits and rustic governors, call
l, 1e,l, 7