The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-08-28

ere diverged from the main road, or
rather lane The stile at the end of
the footpath through the wood was
| quickly reached. and the little yellow
| house-a cream-colored cottage literal
/ ly overgrown with honeysuckles
presently rewarded my search, and, as
| knocked at the door. clock some
where struck the hour of 7.
A decent-looking elderly woman,
| in widows weeds. came to the door.
lis Mr.. Mattison in-Mr. Perley
Mattison?"
NO" she answered quickly, with,
| as | imagined. rather confused look.
| did not believe her, and asked
| quietly, When do you expect him
| homer"
| Not at present"
Apparently she expected me to 60
away, but, instead, l slipped into the
! passage.
Mother" asked soft voice at the
head of the stairs. "who is it?h
And then, for the first time, be-
| came aware that some one had been
watching and listening to our colloquy
| from the head of the stairs-a young
girl. dressed like the mother. in deep
| black, with very brilliant eyes and
profusion of jet black curls.
! Some one to see your brother"
She came halfway down the stairs,
| pushed back her curls with one hand
| and looked at me with her wonderful
eyes. Even then her beauty struck me
as / stood gazing at her.
'.Perley is not at home." she said,
| hurriedly. HE has gone away. We
| do not know when he will return"
Evidently this mother and daughter
| were in the secret of Mattison's viii
liany and doing their best to screen
him from its consequence. My heart
bled for both of them; but it was no
time to indulge in sentimental pity.
Speaking as briefly as l could, told
them it was my duty to compel them
to remain were they were while l
searched the house.
Mrs. Mattison sat down pale and
trembling. Her daughter colored
| high.
Mother" she said, "why do you
| stand by and listen to such slanders?
| 1t is false? Let this man search the
house if he will; my brother is as in
| nocent as l amp
No opposition was offered to my
search. 1t was entirely fruitless, how
| ever; there was no where any trace of
the missing bird. Nevertheless, re-
| solved to remain there quietly, for
| day or two, to see what little waiting
| might bring forth.
The same afternoon Clara Mattison
| came in as l sat by the window, keep
| ing silent watch on all round.
''Mr, Meredith" she said, softly,
| mother thinks | have been rude to
you. She says it was not your fault,
personally, that you were sent here on
| such mistaken errand--and, perhaps,
she is right | am sorry if l have hurt
your feelings"
The pretty, penitent way in which she
spoke quite won my heart, and few
| questions on my part seemed to unlock
the hidden recesses of her confidence.
She talked at first shyly but after
| ward with more assurance. Of herself,
her absent brother and her mother,
| giving me thousand little family de-
tails which l almost dreaded to hear.
This twilight talk was one of the
pleasantest episodes of my by no
means universally pleasant life. and l
| was not little annoyed when it was
broken in upon by the arrival of the
constables from K, who were to
watch through the night.
| AT the sound of their footsteps
| Clara rose up, and sat down again,
confused and frightened.
"Oh. Mr.. Meredith, those men,
''Be easy. Miss Mattison," / said
| "you shall in no way be annoyed by
them. Your privacy shall not be
| broken in upon, believe me-"
| Il know l am silly" faltered Clara,
"but oh, it seems so dreadful!
My orders to the men were simple
and succinct. | stationed them as
| seemed best to me, and then returned
| TO spend the evening with Miss Matti-
| son. And when / was at length left
alone could not help thinking-God
forgive mellow much more winning
| and graceful she was than poor Kitty
| Elton.
At last answer came to my report
TO Mr.. Clenner. 1t was short and to
the purpose"
| l read the missive with a pang.
Clara Mattison's cheek aeepened in
color as announced my departure to
her.
You have been far kinder than we
dared to hope. Mr.. Meredith" she
said, ae held her hand in mine.
"You will think of me sometimes,
| Clarap"
The reader will easily perceive from
| this how our intimacy had progressed.
She smiled, hung her head, and, tax
| ing pair of scissors from the table,
severed one bright. black curl from
| the abundant tresses that hung over
| her forehead.
Keep this. Mr.. Meredith, in men,
| ory of me-"
Was | foolish to press the jetty ring
let to my lips ere / laid it closely
against my heart? Clara evidently
thought was. for she laughed, but did
not seem displeased.
Mr.. Clenner appeared to be a good
deal annoyed when got back to town
rather an unreasonable thing on his
part, for | certainly did all that man
| could do under the circumstances.
1--WE have been mistaken all the
| way through, it seems" he said biting
| his lip. ''Strange-verv strange, /
| never was mistaken before in my cal
culations. Well. we must try again"
went to Kitty Elton's that night.
| She received me with a sweet, shy
sadness of welcome, that should have
made me the happiest man in the
| world; but it did not. Clara Matti-
| sons dark beauty seemed TO stand be-
tween me and her like visible bar
rier. When | took my leave there
| were tears in her ewes.