Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-14

| ''At least she can see nothing, and she is ut
| terly pros.rated with the shock. -
Poor young thing-poor young thing! But
| we must pull her through, and that husband OF
| hers ought to be here -
''I'n telegraph for him; this never would
| have happened il she had been with him as she
| ough to have been-he ought to be ashamed OF
It was some relief to Miss clifford to be able to
! abuse hugh Clifford, and thus remove part OF
the blame OF exposing Nancy 70 the storm on
during the rest of the day, though il must be ad-
mbted doing everything she could for poor
noupsed her in cTiticaI oond h and added
| that her husband should be sent for at once, but
| was unable to give any positive opinion as TO
| her sight For the present she was blind and
with a heavy heart during the evening Erne
| borrowed horse of Miss Clifford and rode to
Wrothsley to break the sad news to Lady Gil
more, before he returned TO the generals, at
| Greystone Lodge, where he was still saying.
day later and Hugh Clifford arrived at Gate
| ford yanor House, where Nancy still lay very
| H. But he was not allowed to see his young
| wife for several days. during which time MISS
| Clifford took the opportunity OF speaking her
mind to him. She told h i'm why she had sent
for Nancy, and Hugh Clifford Listened with
moody brow and an angry heart.
~ meant to take house for her in the
tshee won t iikeiy be alive to 90 into it, " re-
tor ed Miss Clifford; ''but if she is, I'll see
that you co take one; and, moreover, mean to
furnish it and settle the furniture on her.
But after few anxious days Nancy rallied,
but when they told her that her husband was in
the house. she gave little, anxious start.
wv nat will he say when he heals am Dl1ndf
she said in a ow tone.
'.You can't help being blind even if y gu are, -
replied Miss Clifford, tnEtiy. IF he had hap;
have Just felt the same TO him?''
But that is different said Nancy, with
little sigh, sigh taat revealed much to Miss
Gifford's
But when Hugh Clifford was allowed to see
Nancy, he was most kind and gentle to her. He
Il. ar,I
the idea of her blindness was intensely painful
Il think can see Just little now, Hugh,
she said, pit.ably, and he stopped down and
kissed hes brow and eytlits.
Your pretty eyes will be all quite right
soon,'' he said; don't distress yourself about
them, Nancy
He sat down beside the bed and took her
hand in his, and Nancy began to reproach her.
self for having ever thought him careless or nm
''If you don't mina'' she said wistfully.
"Don't think ar quite such selfish brute
as that he answered quickly: and then in
little while he sighed, and rose restlessy, aud
But on the whole Miss Clifford was satisfied
with his manner to Nancy, and when she began
10 recover from the stroke he used to lead her
down to the old-fashioned garden, and Miss
Clifford would watch the two wandering there
arm in arm, and had her head well pleased as
Hes not so bad. - this strange old woman
used to reflect; ''if they have son he shall be
my h.ir-except legacies.' -
Godfrey Erne only called twice to inquire how
Nancy was after Hugh Clifford arrived a. Gate
ford Manor House, and then for the first time he
saw the handsome. grace. III man VIII, had once
been Lord Gilmore.
II do not know how to thank You enough,
Major Erne.'' said Hugh Clifford courteously.
''for all our kindness to my poor young wife in
her great peril.
az was only too glad to be of any assistance to
her, - he answered, briefly.
You are an OLD friend OF her family, she tells
me?'' continued Hugh Clifford, pleasantly
Yes, knew both Col. and Mrs. Lotus very
intimately in India
But he did not say how well he had known
Nancy! Hugh Clifford thought his manner was
rather abrupt, and smiling told Nancy after
their interview THAI he thought her Indian
friend was very reserved.
''There is quite military brevity about his
style of conversation he said, land yet he's
not a bad-lookng fellow
mo, Miss Clifford thinks he is quite hand
some answered Nancy, also smiling; and
then Hugh he is SO kind-so very Kind
HE seems TO have been very good to you.
little woman, at any rate, though why you were
so foolish as to start in a storm cannot con-
But it was not storm when we started,
Hugh"
Nancy noticed how constantly he would thus
abruptly end one, and how uncertain his spirits
were. But he said no unki nd word to her, and
after remaining about fortnight at Gateford.
kisesd her before she went.
There? goodbye she said, as she laid her
-
l kissed was my dead brother's-your husbands
graudfather-for an not given to kissing and
humbug; but, all the same, an sorrJ you are
- Goodbye, dear Miss Clifford, and thank you
for all your great Kindness said Nancy,
sweetly and gratefully.
Again the stern old woman kissed her, and
then shook hands with Hugh Clifford.
Mind yon are GOOD to her, - she SAID, by way
of parting salutation to her granddaughter;
and as she watched Hugh hand his poor blind
young wife into the carriage she began to mutter
to herself.
sFohe's too good for him, anyhow, -" she said,
''but please God. she'll get back her sight, and
please GOO, too, her son will have he old place
after I m gone.''
CHAPTER xXxvI.-A NEW HAPPINESS.
The next few months brought great changes |
to Nancy. she continued very weak and deli |
cate all through the early winter. for her con-
stltution had received such terrible shock, |
she never quite able TO throw off its effects;
ana though her eyesight improved, for long she |
could only see very dimlv.
But she was a very gentle, patient invalid, and |
won love from all around her by her uncom- |
planning endurance of weakness and pain. She |
knew that Hugh Clifford hated the thought of |
her partial blindness, and she therefore strove
as much as possible to hide it. But it was sad |
to see the strained look in her once beautiful !
eyes, and her expression altogether was very |
touching.
And Christmas came and passed away, and
then in the chill January days q little son was
born at Wrothsley-a beautiful boy, handsome
as his father had been in his lustv boyhood-
and from the first Miss Clifford took almost en-
tire possession of the child.
She started for the castle Immediately she
heard the news, and went up to the bedroom
where the young mother lay with q look of
sweet Joy on her face.
80 it's boy?'' she said to Nancy in her
brusque way. 'twell, let me have a look at
him?'
Then the nurse with great pride held up the
babe, and the old woman peered long and
earnestly ct it's face.
"a true Clifford, +" she said at length; ''well
he to be my boy you know Nancy, and IN
pay for his bringing up, and T.. make him my
heir; but he must be called Thomas after his
great great grandfather, which is q better
name than any of your new tangled ones
''You sh Ill have your own way, Miss Gif
ford, - smiled Miss Nancy, ''unless Hugh OBJ
ects -
~ should like to see Hugh Directing, indeedi
No, my dear. i" she adde J., grimly; Hugh will
not object; people are very considerate to the
whims OF rich old women, and he kn very
we'll can make little Thomas 4 wealthy man."
Again Nancy smiled
81 have something to tell you," she said,
softly. holding out her white hand, which Miss
Clifford took; lever since baby born my
'lght seems to come back to me-God has given
It 10 me think to look on my carling's face"
Miss Clifford nodded twice, but did not speak.
And your husband, - she said after a little
while, what does he say about the chid?"
''Oh, he is very pleased-says he is such
handsome boy answered Nancy.
But she did not tell the grandaunt all that
Hugh Clifford had said when he first looked on
he face of his child During the long months
81 NauCy's illness he had come and from |