The Irish standard., 1892-12-03

1uUs1Ous LYSSIl JIG eAG1tolA0Ag VI 1SY5C--.
ing" the Woods and fuckers until they
were green with envy had lost some OF
its charm.
I She said she was going ont and might
not be back for some time. She went
to her room, and put on the bonnet with
the red fov ers, her best mantle and
kid gloves. She looked in the glass and
remarked to herself that the red flowers
made her face look more ssjaundicy'
than. ever. The black, baggy spaces
under her eyes were very noticeable.
Her bad nights were telling tales. ''Its
got to be done" she said, through her
clinched teeth, and then her face grew
rigid and gray. If she was going to
lose her sleep and go off in her looks like
that what was the use Of living?
h She went down the back stairs to
AIMS kitchen with the crumpled invita-
zion in her hand and carefully deposited
it on a big bed of Goals in the stove. Ann
Sat with her back turned, pan of
apples in her lap she was pairing for pies.
Il may pack up and go home by the
afternoon train, Ann, - she said abruptly,
'.'bpt don't mention it to her quite yet,
for may conclude to stay"
i Ann turned her Whole person slowly
around toward Sister Martha, her neck
Joint being somewhat stiff.
Il thought Miss Warren had asked
you to tea for Sattday, and that's this
evcnin:"
$50 she did, Ann, but may have to
send regret. I'm beginning to get kind
OF Uneasy about things at home on the
farm ."
i Ann gave an incredulous grunt. She
was constitutionally incapable of be-
lieving all that Mrs. Martha Whitcurnb
Said The appearance Of the red artiti-
cials and the kid gloves so early i'll the
morning seemed rather suspicious. Mrs.
iWhitcumb went out the back way aware
that Ann was watching her from the
window. She made the circuit Of a
large square and then darted down
Spring street until she came to Captain
Bligh's door, where she stopped, painting,
and furtively looked up and down with
nervous culver in her legs she had
never experienced until within few
months past. when broken nights had
begun to be the torment Of her life.
Now she glanced up at Captain Bligh's
house as,she stood there hesitating and
afraid. 1t was I. long, low, unadorned
house, dingy white in color, much
streaked by weathering, with a high
pitched, shingled roof of old style, a door
in the middle and two windows on each
side. The front yard was bare Of flow
ers. though in the time of Mary Bligh it
had blazed with beauty.
/ She looked up at the windows that
seemed to gaze out of forlorn, woman
less eyes. The yellow curtains hung
limp and stringy, and one rebellious
shade had come down bodily and ex-
posed the interior nakedness. The shut
tiers were chick with dust and the panes
darkened with fly specks. She knocked
discreetly, for the bell was broken, and
to the first summons there came no re-
Spouse. She knocked again, more en-
phatically, and footsteps began to draw
near, as if from an immense distance,
echoing along uncarpeted floors and
empty passages. It was Captain Bligh
in person who flung the door open wide
with jerk and stood there ON the
threshold in his shirt sleeves, tall,
dark bearded man, with tanned face
and hands and singularly bright eyes.
He was a little taken aback at seeing a
woman on his threshold, a woman, too,
SO handsomely dressed, for he was ac-
customed to tramps and beggars, but
not to visitors of this finished descrip-
ton The morning sun, too, was in his
eyes and made him blink.
"What's wanted he asked in the tone
of command natural to- a man who for
;; years has walked the quarter deck with
undisputed sway. ..
why, don't you know me Cap'n
Bligh." He scowled blackly as he
stopped little to peer under the veil
that covered the lady's face. SIS it the
woman who applied for housekeeper's
placer
''La. Cap'n Bligh, as if would ask
such thing, person Of my means. l
am Martha Whitcumb. Martha An
arews that was
! The cloud darkened on the captains
SCEOnR lace, aIiu tllcie were IuuHll4S LUIS
over the eyebrows that betokened storms
!! '.Oh. your he said, drawing in his
breath with sharp sound.
/! won't you let me darken your door,
Cap'n Bligh?' she said, not without q
tremor. "You scorned my invitation, l
know, but I have something to say to
you"
t The captain still stood darkling and
looming over her, piercing her with his
wary eyes, as if trying to probe the mo-
tive of her visit. At last he pulled him
self together, having suddenly remem-
bered his manners
You can walk aft, if you don't mind, :"
Said he in softer tone. "The decks
haven't been swabbed of late; have
been too busy about other things to
think of them
/ Mrs. Whitcumb, quivering more than
over, did step aft through an uncar-
peted passage to what had been the din
, ing room of the Bligh homestead. The
room was flooded with sunshine. There
were three large, high windows from