The morning call., 1892-03-06

Does she live at Maulhurst. in the vicar
age?"
Fred gazed with perplexed stare. "She
lives at Maulhurst and she is now staying
on visit az the vicarage."
1T is a delightful old house" said DIR.
Gregory; sit stands In beautiful garden.
There is sun dial. and close TO il a seat
followed out in the wall. A passion flow er
grows over it,"
There is clematis now," said the youth,
still staring.
"You WONDER" said DR.. Gregory. "how
/ remember that house and that garden so
yividly. Twenty five years ago there lived
in it girl, the most charming | ever saw.
Her name was Amy Ancelot."
Amy Ancelot!' repeated Fred.
Something in the ingenious and mysti-
fed expression of the young man drew
from the doctor the secret that he had never
breathed to mortal ear. THE mother of
the girl you loved lived there. l loved
ter"
But how do YOU know she was Amy's
mother" asked Fred.
Ny Amy married her cousin. She was
the Wears daughter. She continued to
live at Maulhurst She died five years
ago."
That is all true" admitted the young
man. He hesitated. then he asked, "How
is you did not marry her?"
''She was very charming" said the old
man. "She was charming TO every body.
1t was part OF her nature to charm all those
who came near her," Dr. Gregory paused,
charming. l sometimes thought she cared
for me. 1 was Door An opportunity pre-
sented itself TO win distinction, perhaps
fortune. GU know | had done well at col
lege. l was editing a classical work. A
noted explorer offered to take me to Greece
l worked hard under him. ] was away TWO
years. My uncle died suddenly and made
me his heir. / returned to England rich
and not unsuccessful: but Amy had mar
ried.
Fred did net break the silence that fol
lowed.
las the daughter the same fascina-
ton? ?" asked DIR. Gregory.
II never saw The mother, sir, replied
Fred, gently; 4 DO not know how Amy
would strike you. To ME she is bewitching
beyond all telling
DR.. Gregory'S eyes Shone with moist and
"You must not leave her. Remember
my fate, Fred"
'Will you intercede for US with the gov
ernor, sir?" said the young man, wistfully.
"lntercede! Don't you know that We
have quarreled. Fred2"
"QuarreledI What about?" exclaimed
Fred amazed.
About that" the antiquarian replied,
pointing to the fragment of stone.
About thatW repeated Fred. putting a
kidoS W MO tNt anu SCItWlDS up lGGo u
keep it in place. What is the matter
with it?"
In his heart the young fellow considered
all antiquities so much rubbish. He could
not understand a craze for broken frag-
ments and old pots.
Matter with it? 1t is uniqueg" cried DIR.
Gregory, the antiquarian spirit within him
blazing up once more.
II should think it was" said Fred, gazing
with feroeious interest through his eyegIass
at the fragments. Did the governor dis
pute its antiquity"
Dispute It? He ignored it, Fred! He
sees nothing in It'll" Dr. Gregory's voice
shook.
Ignored ftp Why. it is the most extraor-
binary fragment l ever saw" said Fred.
heartily.
at is, Fred. it is! You are a good lad.
Fred '
''Win you intercede for US with my
father, sir?" Fred resumed, letting his eye
glass drop. and looking at DR.. Gregory
with new wistfulness. ut is my last
CHANGE of winning his consent If you will
not, must 20 TO Australia"
Don't do that Fred, don't do that. I'll
think it over I'll let YOu know"
When Fred had gone DIR. Gregory sat do
ing nothing. The enchanted past was about
him; the air WAS full of its whispered
married2 Why had he never cared for a
woman as he had cared for this one? A
restlessness came over the old man. He
had never been able to bring himself TO visit
the place where she had been; he had
avoided il in his thoughts. But now spell
seemed to be drawing him to Maulhurst.
Still he shrank from the idea of encounter
ing It's golden memories. Then sudden
and wild resolution came over him to 90 and
face these haunting and heart breaking as
soeiatiOns; to go and see the girl who exer-
cised over Fred the fascination that her
raofhQr had pxNrpiSal over him
The next afternoon DR.. Gregory was
st.olling on the old-wOrd streets of Manil-
burst The haunted feeling he had dreaded
was over him, it filled him with a mOurnful
ecstacy that was almost akin to joy. He
had expected to find everything greatly
changed: everything was exactly as he had
left it. The very shadows of the trees in
the High street seemed the same. He re-
membered how several times she had
walked down that street by her side; he
almost imagined he could feel the draperies
of her skirt brushing against his feet. He
entered the church; he found the place
where she used to sit. He paused before
the great colored window behind the altar
he remembered how they had stood and
looked at it together. She filed the place
it was alive with her presence. 1t was the
most thriilingly alive place he had visited
since he left it twenty-five years ago.
He went to the vicarage. The sun was
shining on the lattice window that was hers.
He turned away; he could not enter the
house vet. Later on he returned and sum-
moned up courage to knock. Every one,
the servant said, was out, except Miss
Ancelot DIR. Gregory sent up his card aud
was shown mp into the drawing-room. The
furniture was not the same he remem bered.
but there was the bow-window where he
and she had often sat together. AS he stood
dreamily looking around him. the door
opened and tall, slight girl. dressed in
black, entered. DIR. Gregory stared; she
was exactly like her mother-she had tn G
same charming eyes, penetrating, yet caresS-
ing.
perhaps you do not know my name?
was a friend of your mother" he said, with
the bluntness of desperation. His heart
was beating like drum.
Eyes, my mother has spoken to lie oil
you. DR.. Gregory, aud L am glad to meet
you" she replied. holding out her hand
He took it. Il hope she spoke kindly OF
me- he said. breatnlessly. scarcely know
ing what he said
She smiled, but did not answer. 1t was hel
mothers enhancing smile, giving to bel
face the effect of being passipgly seen Ii
sunlight.
He moved away. When he turned she
was looking at him with that searching,
sympathetic glance.
You are very like her." he said.
She shook her head. ''Shs was the mos,
beautiful being, and the best. She was an
angel"
mo, she was a woman!" he said.
They looked at each other, and he knew
that she understood.
They sat down and they talked of hel
mother. He gathered from what she SAID
that which he had guessed before, that the
marriage had not been happy one. As he
watched her DIR. Gregory recognized tha
the daughter was not so beautiful as the
mother, but she had the same picturesque.
ness, and her c0untenance had more deter
H.. 4.
sion of the mobile face when at rest wa.
sad. He mentioned Fred's name. Mis-:
Ancelot became very reserved, and he wa.
sure that she grew little pale.
"Will you not look upon me as an old
friend, my dear?" he said with a pathetic
fiurried smile. II am prehistoric friend
/ hope / may sneak frankly to you. Are
Won not engaged ?"