The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-15

woman, that had her. L could Just fancy,
said the maid. her brown eyes lighting,
her milky yet freckled complexion flush
! ing over-''I could just fancy that wom-
an pouring out everything at the bairn's
! feet-gold and silver and grand presence,
and a the pomps of this world, partly out
of an alteration for her herself, partly
just to make the man set his teeth TO her
that was Out-away, mabe, in the desert
! unknown
Gilchrist stood like sibyl, making
this picture fash and CLEAN before her
own inward vision, with a heat and pas
sion that seemed quite uncalled-for in the
circumstances. What was Hecuba to
her, or she to Hecuba, that she should be
so inspired by the possibilities of a mys-
terry with which she had nothing to do?
Her eloquence brought a corresponding
glow, yet cloud, over the countenance of
her mistress, who sat and listened with
her head leaning on her hand, and for
some time said nothing. She broke the
silence at last with laugh, in which
there was very little sound of mirth.
You are limited woman" she said
"a very limited woman. You can think
of no state of affairs but one and that so
uncommon that perhaps there never was
a case in the world like it. You will never
be done, l know that, taking up your les
son out of it-all to learn one that has
neither need to learn nor wish to learn-a
thing that is impossible. Mind you what
l say and be done with this vain en-
deayOr. Whatever may be the meaning
of this Mannering business, it has no
likeness to the other. And 1 am not
person to be schooled by the like of you,
or to be taught in parallels by my own
woman, as If | was a person of no under
standing, and her a mistress of every
knowledge
Miss Bethune rose readily from her
4 l, oh
with an air of high excitement and almost
passion. Then she came and stood before
the fire, leaning on the mantelpiece look
ing down upon the blaze with face that
seemed to be colored by the reflection of
the fire.
Finally, she put out long arm, caught
Gilchrist by the shoulders, who stood
softly crying, as was her won't, within
reach, and drew her close you've been
with me through it all, she said sudden
ly; there's nobody that knows me but
you. Whatever, you say, it's you only
that knows what is in my heart. I bear
you no ill-will for any word you say, no.
for any word you say; and the Lord for
give me me if maybe all this time it is
you that has been right and me that has
been wrOng" Only a moment, scarcely
so much, Miss Bethune leant her hand
upon Gilchrist's shoulder, then she sud
denly pushed her away. And not good
second too soon, for at that moment a
knock came to the door. They both start
ed a little; and Miss Bethune with the
speed of thought, returned to the chairs
shaded by a screen from the lamplight
and freight in which she had been sit
ting, mot in good spirits" at the time of
the interruption of Dora. go and see
who it is, she said, half in words, half by
the action of her hand. Nothing could
have been more instantaneous than this
rapid change
When Gilchrist, scarcely less rapid
though so much heavier than her mistress,
opened the door, there stood before it a
little man very carefully dressed, though
in morning costume, in a solemn frock
coat, with his hat in his hand. Though
professional costume no longer exists
among us, it was impossible not to feel
and recognize in a moment that nothing
but medical man, a doctor to the tips of
his fingers, could have appeared in just
that perfect neatness of dress, so well
brushed, so exactly buttoned, so gravely
clothed in garments which, though free
of any popularity Of art or color such as
that which distinguishes the garb of a
clergyman, were yet so completely and
seriously professional.
His whlSkerS, for it was in the days when
these ornaments were still worn, his
hair, brown, with a slight crisp and up
turning, like lining of gray, the watch
chain that crossed his waistcoat as well
as the accurate chronOmeter of a watch
to which so many eager and so many Ian
guild pulses had beat, were all in perfect
keeping; even his boots-but we must not
pursue too far this discussion of DR.
Roland's personal appearance His boots
were not the polished leather of the even
ing, but they were the spotless boots of
man who rarely walked, and whose care
full step from his carriage to patients
door never carried in any soil of the out
side to the most delicate carpet Why,
being one of the inhabitants of this same
house in Bloomsbury, he should have car
ried his hat in his hand when he came to
the door of Miss Bethune's drawing-room
from his own sitting-rOom downstairs, is
mystery upon which l can throw no
light.
The idea of man in respect to his hat
are indeed unfathomable. Whether he
carries 1t as protection or a shield of
pretense, whether to convey to you that
he IS anXiously expected somewhere else,
and that you are not to calculate upon
anything but short appearance upon
your individual scene, whether to make it
apparent by its gloss and sheen how care
fully he has prepared for this interview,
whether it is to keep undue familiarity
at arms length, or providing a becoming
occupation for those hands with which
many persons while in repose do not
know what to do, it is impossible to tell
Certain it is that a large number of
men find consolation and support in the
possession of that article of apparel, and
though they may freely abuse it in other
circumstances, cling to it on social occa-
siOns as to an instrument of salvation
DR.. Roland held it fast, and bowed over
it with little formality, as he came into
his neighbours presence. They met on
the stairs or in the hall sometimes three
or four times in a day, but they were not
the less particular in going through all
the forms of civillty when the doctor
came to pay call, as if they had not
seen each other for week before. He
was man of very quiet observation, and
he did not miss a single particular of the
scene.
The screen drawn round the lady, de-
Tending her not only from the fire but
from inspection, and a slight glistening
upon the cheek of Gilchrist, which, as
she did not paint or use any cosmetic,
had but one explanation. That he formed
completely wrong conclusion was not
DR.. Roland's fault. He did so sometimes
from lack of material on which to form
his judgment, but not often. He said to
himself, There has been a rows which,
as the reader is aware, was not the case
but then he set himself to smooth down
all agitation with a kindness and skill
which the gentlest reader, knowing all
a hor,f h,