The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-06-03
cnAPrER ~.
'AREwELL TO HowsTREE


Next day Harry Crawford said fare
well to Jacob selwyn aud left Howstree,
A week ago Stella could not have be-
lieved she would miss him so much.
Though she might not happen TO inter
change a word with him for a whole
Gay whilst he was in the village, yet
there was always the prospect Of their
meeting when she went abroad, Of see
ing him pass the house, or OF hearing
his voice G~onyersing with her father in
the garden. His presence was in the
atmosphere, and she had ielt that he
was near, Now a sense Of loneliness
and longing fell upon her, and with q
throbbing heart ahe counted the hours
until they met to part no o
Never had she felt the absence or re-
GREETED the departure OF Arthur Ferrars
so keenly as she did that OF Harry
Crawford, and by the force OF her emo
tions she measured the extent OF her
affection towards them. Her love for
the former had been calm and I'M
troubled as a lake i0 summer; her love
for the latter was deep and strong as
the ocean itself. And now q fear besot
her lest Arthur Ferrars might, by re-
turning sooner than was expected, him
der her flight. She could not meet his
honest blue eyes and look into his fair
frank face whilst concealing from him a
secret which 60 nearly concerned him
sell. Nor could she leave him to pay
the pretended visit to her aunt, There
fore as the days wore slowly away she
became foverish with an impatient and
torturing anxiety that left her no room
for thought, no time for consideration
regarding the step she was about to
take,
AT last the morning dawned on which
she had to quit her fathers house. She
had scarcely slept through the night,
and soon after the birds began to stir
and to sing their matin lay, she was up
aud about. Once she paused to draw
back the white muslin blind and look
out ON the familiar landscape, which
she might not see again for many a day.
The whole village was yet wrapped in
sleep, the dew hung havily on the
shrubs and trees. glistening here and
there like jewels in the rays OF the ris-
ing sun, The last thin seadows OF the
previous night were vanishing into
space before the horizontal shafts Of
golden light in the east; over tho
woods an opal haze was hanging, and
from the meadows beyond came the
bleat Of sheep. She wondered when
the day would come that would find her
again looking on this scene, aud il, in
deed, it would seem the same to her
then as now.
Her heart was heavy at the thought
Of parting from her father, that kindest
Of parents, the gentlest Of companions,
and she %reproached herself bitterly
with practicing this, the first deceit OF
her life, upon him. But this reflected
that tomorrow no would know all, aud,
recognizing that she had acted for the
best, he would pardon her.
As matters stood, he believed ahe was
going to spend a day or two with her
aunt at Crossley, principally to do some
shopping in connection with her forth
coming marriage with Arthur Ferrars
in the autumn, Therefore, he naturally
felt lone Of the regret she experienced
and strove to conceal.
~ hope you won't be very lonely,
dear, whilst l nm away" she said, as
they sat at breakfast in tho old familiar
room that had mover seemed so dear
and homely as it did then.
II always miss you, stella,I' he re-
piled, unconscious Of the stab he dealt
her tender heart.
"But you will be cheerful; and il any
thing happens to prevent me from
coming back US 500 as ! intend"
"What can happen, childP"
"0ne never knows; but in case l
don't return SO soon as you expect, l
wish you would go frequently to tho
rectory in the evenings and have your
game OF chess. AndI have givon direc.
tions to Mrs. Honeyman to look after
your meals. She knows how you like
your bacon fried for breakfast, and
what you like best for dinner: 1 have
told her all, 50 that you will not miss
me much, 1 hope"
"How thoughtful you are, child" he
replied.
because 1 want you to look strong
and we'll when / come back, dear; and
remember, father, | will think OF you
every day, every day" she said, strlv-
ing to repress her tears.
"If Arthur were here he would feel
quite Jealous" remarked tho school.
master, by way Of being cheerful.
She suddenly rose from tho table and
turned away TO the window, through
which she saw young Giles Honeyman
waited with o pony aud trap, borrowed
from q friendly farmer, which was to
carry her to tho railway station, a dis.
lance OF 1--WE miles. She looked ut the
old brass.iaced clock and saw the time
fixed for her departure had already
passed. Then the grip she had felt on
her heart all the morning deepened its
hold, so that from force OF Its pain tears
blinded her eyes and the swan
round hor. She moved forward to
where she dimly saw the diminutive
figure of her father, with his gentle face
and prematuroly white hair, and fling.
ing her arms round his neck she laid
her check against his.
Goodbye, father, dear" she man
aged to murlner, "and for my sake good
care Of yourself till 1 return. Goodbye,
good.byel"
She kissed him again and again, and
then hurrying from the house took her
place beside Giles Honeyman. The
schoolmaster, standing at the cato, saw
her turn and witch him and wave her
handkerchief, until the winding Of tho
road hid her from his gaze.
On arriving at the station sho had
barely five minutes to spare before tho
train started for Crossley Oh its way to
London. Not until tho journey had
begun did she fully realize tho helpless
moss and loneliness OF her position. As
fast as steam could carry hor she was
flying IRON hor old existence with all
lie happy and innocent associations,
towards q now life Of which she know
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