The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-10


Yes, this change had come TO her, as il
I were, in a night; had come in that dreadful
hour when she knew that her sin had fallen
on her own head, and that she had stained
her hand with her husbands blood.
With this terrible knowledge ever rank
ling in her breast Lady Ennismore had
! taken her wifely place by her husbands
sickbed. and noted every change, watched
every symptom with absolute torture in her
| ouL
Truly had she loved this man, whose
sweet. unselfish nature had never seemed so
beautiful in her eyes, All Lord Ennis
mOres anxiety, indeed, seemed for his wife,
and he bore his own weakness and pain with
| absolute cheerfulness He loved to have his
boy near him also, and the sight of the
| child only increased the anguish Of the
| wretched mother But she never fiinched
| Day after day, hour after hour, she kept
her watch, aud in her household it was said
their lady would kill herself, for she took
no rest.
Lord Ennismore's condition varied. One
| bullet which had lodged above the shoulder
bone had been extracted, and no danger W as
| apprehended from the wound. But the
| second bullet had taken effect lower down
/ aud it was feared had touched the left lung.
| and was embedded 50 near the spine that it
was impossible, without great danger. to
effect its removal. Then fever set in, and
the sick man wandered som times and tall ed
in his restless sleep.
And of what? Always of the wife and
| children he loved so we'll. 1t was ever
Katie, Katie" or Little Pat" There
! were 90 sad shadows from the past haunting
the couch Of this kindly gentleman.
For more than twenty years he had been
the faithful and devoted husband of the
white-faced, haggard-eyed woman who
was watching him, and he had esteemed
10 bar
love.
Face with her then for a moment the long
anguish that she now endured! GRAY
streaks came in the soft brown hair Lord
Ennismore deemed so beautiful, and the de-
stroying hand of age seemed suddenly to
have touched her lovely face. All, it was
Observation-Disclosures long, dark silent
nights-the long, dark dreary days-and
hope and fear, hope and fear ever trembling
in the balance.
But there was one friend who often shared
her vigil, and in whose conversation and
presence Lord Ennismore seemed to find
pleasure and comfort. This was the rector.
who went each day to Brackenford, and sat
by the sick bed there, as be sat by many
Others. The Rev. Peter had his own pri-
vate griefs and struggles as we know, but
he was ever ready to assist in bearing those
OF his neightors. And Lord Ennismore
talked more openly TO him Of his own con-
di ion than he dare do TO his wife. And one
day, when at his absolute entreaty, Lady
Ennismore had laid down to rest for an
hour, and the rector had taken her place.
Ennismore suddenly said:
do you know | sometimes fancy, Pres
colt, that | won't get well.r
NAY, my dear lord, you must not talk
thus" answered the gentle rector, though
Of late sad doubts had sometimes crept I'M
hidden into his own mind on this very uues-
ton.
IF it wasn't for my wife and children |
should not worry about II" went on Lord
Ennismore with a restless sigh. but per-
haps love them too WE'LL"
ave all make earthly idols, fear" said
the rector with an eohoing sigh "but
Lady Ennismore is worth of all your deyo.
tom
There is no woman l ever saw like her.
Prescott; she's just a perfect woman, |
think. and we've never had a secret between
US all these years"
81 can quite understand that" answered
the rector.
And to leave her and the little lad would
be great wrench, admit-still, if it's
Gods will"
And we know that will is ever for the
best; but pray and trust you may live for
many years, Lord Eunismore.n
''Still may not-and there is one thing
want to say TO you, Prescott-if there is
any change-if the doctors think / won't
pull through, | want you to tell me in
timer
The rector bowed his head with much So
lemnity.
II will, he said; and he held out his lean,
brown hand to the wounded man, who
grasped it warmly,
"Tnen that's off my mimi" said Ennis.
more, quite cheerily; but want to know
mind depend on you, Prescott"
And this compact, unknown to any
other, bound these two men in closer friend
ship, and was regarded by the rector as a
sacred duty
In the meantime we must not suppose
that the Rev. Peters constant visits to
Brackenford escaped the notice OF Miss
Slnclalrs acute eyes. During the stony
grief, indeed, which had ia len on Lady
Eu ismore since her husbands illness, Miss
Sinclair had had pretty much her own way
at tue hall.
Lady Enuismore seemed to see or hear
nothing beyond the sick room, and thus the
governess did just as she pleased. When
Lord Ennismore was first carried in
wounded, young Curzon was still at Br OK
entord, but he left on the folio wing day.
After he was gone Miss Sinclair again ex-
clusively devoted herself to the rector. and
tho good man rarely went or came on his
NlSlGs TO LORD EunlSInOre, without. enCOun-
tering this handsome woman in one of the
CO ridors or in lie grounds.
1t was ouly natural she should like to bear
of Lord En- ,ismore's progress, she said, and
Lady Ennismore she never saw And it
must be admitted the Rev. Peter liked these
little m" luGs, and the friendly press ire Of
the soft, white band, which was wont to
llnger IL his own lean fingers But still the
words she wished to hear was never spoken.
though only the rector knew with what an
effort he held them back
lie used to sigh so dolefully sonnet mes
when he returned to the rectory, that Doro-
thy Prescott insisted his digestion was out
of order, and forced many pill down his
unwilling throat. But Miss Sinclair felt
that ultimately she would triumph. The
poor man was in love with her she knew.
and therefore she was de ermined to win.
But Lynwood was unfortunately not far
from Brackenford, and about a fortnight
after Lord Ennismore's mischance, Mr..
Curzon again returned to Brackeuford I'M
der the pretence of inuulring after Lord
Ennismore, but in reality with the idea of
Sc 2retly wooing fair julia Bingham. Miss
Sinclair, ho never. believed that she was the
attraction, and she could not resist the
pleasure and amusement of flirting with
him. Young Curzon hims4 Elf went on play
ing the double game which he had carried
on before aud his few DAYS visit ended very
disastrously for Miss Sinclair.
1t happened that one dark afternoon