The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-07-13
THE WRITING ON THE SAND.

IL
great improvement upon Anne. When Geof
frey became aware of this he demonstrated,
saying that he had never expected her to act
nurse to the child, but she replied that it was
a pleasure to her to do 50, which was the
truth In other ways, too, the place was all
that he desired. He did not like Elizabeth,
but then he did not see very much of her,
and the old farmer clergyman was amusing
in his way, with his endless talk of tithes and
crops, and the iniquities of the rebellious
Jones, on whom he was going to distrain.
For the first day or two Godfrey had no
more conversations with Beatrice. Most
of the time she was away at the school, and
on the Saturday afternoon, when she was
free, he went out to the Red Rocks curlew
shooting At first he thought of asking her
to come too, but then it occurred to him that
she might wish to go out with Mr.. Davies, to
whom he still supposed she was engaged. 1t
was no affair of his, yet he was glad when he
came back to find that she had been out with
Effie, and not with Mr.. Davies.
On Sunday morning they all went to
church, including Beatrice. 1t was bare
little church, and the congregation was
small. Mr.. Granger went through the SER
driving a machine. He ground it out
prayers, psalms, litany, lessons-all in the
some depressing way till Godfrey felt in
clined to go to sleep, and then to watching
Beatrice's sweet face instead. He wondered
what made her look SO sad. Hers was always
a sad face when in repose, that he knew, but
today it was particularly so, and, what was
more, she looked worried as well as sad
Once or twice he saw her glance at Mr.. Da-
vies, who was sitting opposite, the solitary
occupant of an enormous pew, and he thought
that there was apprehension in her look But
Mr.. Davies did not return the glance. To
judge from his appearance nothing was
troubling his mind.
As they went through the churchyard
Godfrey noticed something. Beatrice was a
few PAGES ahead holding Effie's hand. Pres
emily Mr. Davies. passed him, apparently
without seeing him, and greeted Beatrice,
who bowed slightly in acknowledgment.
He walked a little way without speaking,
then Godfrey, Just as they reached the
church gate. heard him say: AT 4 this after
noon, then" Again she bowed her head, and
he turned and went As for Godfrey, he
wondered what it all meant; was she engaged
to him, or was she not?
| Dinner was somewhat silent meal Mr..
Grang,-. was thinking about his tithe, also
about \ sick COW. Elizabeth's thoughts pur-
sued some dark and devious course Of their
own, not an altogether agreeable one to
judge from her face Beatrice looked pale
and worried; even Efie's sallies did not dc
more than make her smile As for Godfrey
himself, he was engaged in wondering in an
idle sort of way what was going to happen at
o'clock.
You is all very dull, p said Efie at last
with a charming disregard of grammar.
people ought to be dull on Sunday, Effie,
answered Beatrice, with an effort. eat least
suppose so,n she added.
| Elizabeth, who was aggressively religious
I frowned at this remark. She knew her sstel
did not mean it.
/ What are you going to do this afternoon
Beatricey" she asked suddenly. She had seer
Owen Davies so up and speak to her sister
and, though she had not been near enough II
catch the words, scented an designation from
afar.
! Beatrice colored slightly, fact that es
capped neither her sister nor Geoffrey
/ Il am going to see Jane Llewellyn," sh
tie girl whose tale had been told. Up to tina
moment Beatrice had no idea of going to Sc
her, but she knew that Elizabeth would no
follow her there, because tine child could no
endure Elizabeth
''Oh, | thought that perhaps you We're &c
ing out walking"
Il may walk afterwards answered Bea
trice shortly.
$50 there is an assignatior,n thought Eliz
abeth, and n cold CLEAN of intelligence passe
across her face
Shortly after dinner Beatrice put ON he
bonnet and went out. Ten minutes passed
and Elizabeth did the same Then Mr.
Granger announced that he was going up +
the farm there was no service till y to Sc
about the sick cow, and asked Godfrey il
would like to accompany him. He said tina
he might as well, if Effie could come, and
having Lit his pipe, they started.
Meanwhile Beatrice went to see the Graz
child. She was not violent today, an
scarcely knew her. Before she had been i
the house ten minutes the situation develope
itself.
The cottage stood about two-thirds of til
way down a struggling street, which wa
quite empty, for Bryngelly slept after Dime
on Sunday. At the top of this street AZ
peared Elizabeth, Bible in her hand, a
though on district visiting intent. Sh
looked down the street, and seeing nobody
went for n little walk, then, returning, ono
more looked down the street This time sh
was rewarded. The door of the Llewellyn
cottage opened and Beatrice appeared. Ii
stantly Elizabeth withdrew to such positio
that she could see without being seen, anC
standing US though irresolute, awaited event.
Beatrice turned and took the road that led t
the beach. Then Elizabeth's irresolution di
appeared. She also turned and took the roa
TO the cliff, walking very fast. Passing b
hind the vicarage, she gained point wher
the beach narrowed TO a width of not NOR
than forty yards, and sat down. Present.
she saw man coming along the sand b,
meath her, walking very quickly. 1t VIZ
Owen Davies She waited and watched
Seven or eight minutes passed, and woma
walking slowly.
Three or four minutes passed, and Beatric
appeared round the projecting angle of til
Amphitheatre and walked slowly across tt
level Sand. Owen Davies rose and stretche
out his hand TO welcome her, but she did NJ
take it. She only bowed and then seate
herself upon the large fiat stone. Owen al:
seated himself on it, but some three or for
feet away. Elizabeth thrust her white fat
forward till it was almost level with the liz
of the cleft rock and strained her ears to Ii
ten. Alas. she could not hear single wor,
you asked me to come here, Mr. Davies
said Beatrice. breaking the painful silane