The Dickinson press., 1892-03-05
LOVE FOR A DAY.
CHAPTER XIV.

0LN SnAAAlk IVA y ~ A~S W. NsN
enough; this was worse. Strange to say,
the hapless lady took a fancy to me. Look
ing at her, so changed, SO repellent, I
could not believe that she would ever be
the same attractive woman again. But
Martha said Yes" in day or two she
ing her would have the least suspicion.
This was the worst and the longest tit she
had ever hao.
There were times when she knew me,
and times when she did not.
"You are Miss Chester, " she said to me.
beautiful voice. Have they told you about
me-"
'They have told me that you are very ill.
and l am here to help you get better"
Il shall never get better. she said, and
that was the most sober and sensible inter
val she had.
At times she would cling to me wildly,
crying out that l must get something for
her; that they were keeping her there in
prison, trying to starve her. Horrible par
oxysms!
Poor Mark! This was the end ofall his
honors, happiness, and amb.tion! HOY
Ilonged to comfort him! 1t seemed to me
that never had a life been so cursed.
Lady Severne did not improve. The Wis
itors were beginning to feel anxious: Lady
Yorke was beset with inquiries. Was she
really 80 ill that she could see no one;
Why not have u doctor? A ieverish cold
did not last ali this time. Was Lady Yorke
sure there was nothing intectious-.quite
sure2 1t was a staange thing. Lady Iorke
was at a loss how to parry such inquiries.
II wish they would go" she said to me;
II am sure it will be found out"
Yet she, as we'll as l, saw how impossible
it was to remove Lady Severne just at
present.
One night l was very tired, and had gone
earlier than usual to my room. 1t was
fatigue that made me forget the door.
Worn out with sorrow and dismaay,,grie
about Lady Severne, dist! 's for Lady
Yorke, and sorrow inexpres,ible :or Mark
Il fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
was awakened by the CONSCIOUSNESS that
some one had stcalthily entered my room,
and was trying to find me. l am courage.
GUS by nature. If a thief had disturbed
me l should have cit no fear, but this was
no thief. A thick, muilled, hoarse voice
whispered, "AIiss Chester" Then felt the
heat of a tevered breath OH my face, and l
knew that Lady Severne was there.
1 rose hastily and turned up my lamp,
A %crouchlng, horrible figure was cllnglng
to me. could hardly believe that this
all men lnthralled by her charms.
..You must get mp" she said. "You are
the only person in this house who is kind
to me. You must get up. and fetch me a
bottle of bra" ". l must have it"
1t would be better, l thought, to take her
o bottle OF poison.
81 must have it." she continued. II
mean to have it. know whpt is going on,
slthough l am shut up. | know proud,
refined Lady Yorke would not like her
household raised during the dead of night
by one of her guests clamoring for some
thing to drink. She would not like it; but.
ifyou do not give me what ! want; l will
beat the doors down, | will stand in the
hall and scream until the whole house is
raised."
A pretty dilemma. A nice visitor! 1
thought to myself: but did not let her see
my diSlnay.
aWhere is Martha?" / asked, wondering
how she had escaped, and thankful beyond
all words that she was here with me in the
"Queen's Wing" rather than in the western
tower with ,he visitors.
Lady Severne laughcd-and | think that
heard in my lie.
Poor old Martial" she said. "she is off
her guard. She Tell asleep, and / took the
key. What will She say when she wakes?
Now, Miss Chester, am ! to raise the roo
from the house or will you get what l
"Neither," l said. II am stronger than
you. Ifyou attempt to scream or make q
noise. ] shall prevent it, even il hurtyou.
You will go back to YOUR room now and
remain there in quiet"
l was quite uncertain how my expert.
ment would succeed. l was prepared to
see her spring at my throat, as she had ut
Martha's a few days since, to see her beat
the doors with horrible cries. as she had on
the previous day, when M,rtha was conf
PEELED to send tor Lord Severae.
/ looked at her steadily and calmly.
Gradually the wild eyes tell before NINE.
l knew that, if could assert and maintain
my authority over her then, ] should keep
it-and l did so. | took her back to her
room, and the prayer that rose to my lips
every moment was 'lIeaven help Mark!"
Ii this was his lie. ifthesc were the scenes
to which he was accustomed, this creature,
hardly human now the companion of his
help and pity.
cont7ived to get her back safe
ly to her room. and to wake Mar
tina, who was Mortified at her carelessness;
but, as she told me with tenrs IN her eyes,
she was Worn out. Never can l forget the
it. To me it had the horror of an Inferno.
l cannot tell what would have happened if
Martha had not consented, at last, to give
her some brandy.
The next night Martha was so worn out
that | persuaded her to go to bed. Moth
ing else could restore her, and | promised
not to leave her unhappy mistress for a
moment.
"You will have a terrible night, Miss
Chester" sail the grim woman. II shall
not mind tina Martha, ifyou nave q good
one" l answered.
I found Lady severne inclined to bequiet
and to talk nationally. There was some
but it died away when | had been some lit
tie time with her. l tried to interest her,
and to make her forget the horrible craving
for stimulant that was destroying her. She
became more like herself.
1t was about touI in the morning--alove;
ly June morning, bright with sunshine, and
with dew, fragrant with the odor of lily
and rose. During her fits Lady Severne
never went to rest like a rational being.
That made her SO difficult to manage. She
would sit up all night and sleep in the day.
A sudden CLEAN of gold shooting into the
room showed me that the sun was rising. /
drew aside the %hangings and opened the
window. letting in the sweetness and fresh
ness ofthe morning air.
Dear Lady Severne, do come here fol-
M moment" l said.
She came and stood in silence by my
titul tints of the morning sky, at the
fresh tender beauty OF the green trees; and
then her eyes wandered round the room.
The glasses, the bottles. the garish light OF
the lamp, the confusion and disorder,
how they contrasted with the bright, pure
heavens anu tne cledf llpnt Ol Jay. 1 knew
that the contrast had touched her; l felt
that the peaceful influences of the morn
ing had reached her. The wind, Which
was like the breath of roses, seemed tc
change her face as it swept over it. She
put her arms round me. "Iamso tired, " she
said.
I took her in my arms and laid her heaG
upon by breast-a lost unhappy woman,
I knew, but still, Marks wife. The
warm tears were falling then from hel
eyes.
How kind you are to mel" she said
81 am so tired that l could sleep forever,
think. Tell me something. Say to m,
some ofthe beautiful words that you sing.
There came into my mind one of thos,
poems that my mother had loved-one sh,
had often repeated to neon which, whe,
she lay dying, she had asked me to SAY
one again for her. shall never forget
my surroundings as Lady, seyerene pre-
TERED herreque>t-the blues sky flushed with
rosy light, the green earth waking up to
summer life. the dark background Of the
room that had been like a prison, the
hooufif1,l 1,at knrr,rj f,on fbot lo, ,-o,