Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-11


tThen you will not seek to obtain q
divorce?' asked Erne, slowly.
"No, oh! no; and Nancy suddenly
put her hand over her face, which grew
crimson. 1.-The shame is enough with
out other people knowing i'll will bear
it in silence"
Few women would do so, but you are
the best judge
81 am sure ! am right; have thought
it all over, and l knew had only to ask
you to keep this unhappy secret.
TASK me what you like and will do
1t, " said Erne, with deep but suppressed
emotion; "and If there is anything can
ever do for you'll, if you should ever
want a friend
"You have been such good one to
me already, - answered Nancy. gently
THAT 1 should always know where to go
when | want one in tuture-we are old
friends, are we not?''
She stretched out her hand TO him as
she spoke. and Erne bent down and
kissed il almost reverentlY. He had q
sort of vague idea why Nancy was ask
ing him to keep the secret of her hus-
bands faithlessness, and he thought he
understood her unselfishness in doing so
he reflected after he left her; "and she
Is ready to screen the man who has
basely deserted her-and how any man
COULD and Erne gave restless sigh.
Then, early i'll the afternoon, he
started for Maidenhead, and called on
Mr.. Gibson, the builder, whose address
he easily discovered. He found him a
pleasant, rosy-faced man, jovial and
Ep An
he had known the missing Lord, and was
a friend of the family, Mr.. Gibson was
quite ready to tell him everything he
knew.
81 am going with the police to the
little villa in half an hour, sir, - he
said, Gas they want to institute a regu-
lar search of the whole place, and if
you would like TO go with US you are very
welcome.
al should like to do SO very much in
deed, - answered Erne.
al cannot see how it will help them =,
though, to find Lord Gilmore, as he was
last seen at the station, l am told - re-
marked the builder.
"There may be some trace discovered
he might even have returned, you
know, after he was seen at the station, !"
6hlu EIncY ISulcLuDSElus Nanny mOIuS.
Eyes, sir, that is true; it was q ire
mendous storm that night-the night he
is said TO have disappeared, for | re-
member being very uneasy that some
unfinished houses of mine would be
blown down; however, nothing hap
pened.'
Then while Erne was conyersing with
Mr.. Gibson, two policemen arrived, fol-
L. Iok
or, who made no objection to Erne
accompanying the party to the riverside
villa, when he heard ne was friend of
the missing lords
They accordingly proceeded up the
river in two boats, and after longish
pull drew up before the stockade where
Juan, the Spaniard, had so often fished
and sung, and where Madame de Costa
had lately lived.
1t was beautiful May day, and after
they had landed, MIR. Gibson looked
around him with pardonable pride.
"'1is a sweet little place, ism t it,
sir?'' he said to Erne, who cordially
agreed with him. The villa certainly
looked its best, with the fresh green
leaves, the white and pink hawthorns
in full bloom, and the whole place full
VI Lu0 CudI anu UtduIN Vi SpIluR. a
place for lovers or q young welded pair
with the birds singing on the boughs and
the whisper of the river murmuring close
by. Erne fingered on in the sunny
garden as the policeman hurried on,
eager TO examine the house, and as he
stood on the little lawn and looked at the
dered far away.
IL
ride in a distant land, where a bright
faced young girl was by his side, whose
dark eyes were shining full of joy and
hope. That face was changed now,
but still the fairest face on earth to God
frey Erne. He was remembering little
things she had said; how she had looked
had flushed and paled.
al made a mistake-a great mistake, -
he thought, sadly enough. elf l had
asked Nancy to marry me then, she
would have been happier now-but, I'M
luckily, she never knew how well loved
her.
His old memories were, however. soon
by Mr.. Gibson, the builder,
who had gone into the house with the
policemen, but now came out and joined
Ou Tic
"Well, have they found anything?"
asked Erne, looking round.
Nothing, seemingly, everything is
left IN order, apparently, but madame
or some of her friends must have been
thirsty souls, for l never saw SO many
empty champagne bottles and brandy
bottles together as are standing in one of
the outhouses. They say the young lord
was fond of drink. l wonder if he used
to come here and tipple with madame?"
Mr.. Gibson laughed as he said this,
and then turned round and contem-
platively looked at the house.
al built this place, sir,'' he said,
land lived in it for many years, until
my boys sud, girls began to grow up and
wanted more room than there was here
for them, but 1 own l never liked any
house as we'll. and 1 and my wife have
spent many a happy day here. -
81 can quite imagine that, smiled
Erne, pleasantly.
MAY l ask if you are married your
self, sir?' asked the genial builder.
Mo- and cloud stole over Erne's
brow. 81 was too poor TO marry
"well, Mai. Erne, you'll pardon me
for saying so, but think it's a mistake
for young folks to wait until they get
rich, because after all the spring of life
is the brightest time. l married when L
was poor, and we had a hard enough
struggle sometimes, but we never lost
heart, and cheered each other up when
we were bit down; and now here we