The Dickinson press., 1894-09-22
CHAPTER vi.
..ilnr. IL. ,SIN

COME. SHE quickly DeSan To SNOW Signs
of that Inconsistencies which in the
young is SO ready to follow upon the
steady, indefinite pOStpOncment Of hope.
In my efforts to encourage her l EN-
couraged myself also to believe That an
Overriding Power was holding this mys-
terry in hand for some great purpose,
only to reveal it eventually With the
more force and effect.
One evening, when l met her in the
clough, we were both startled and 81
fenced by the clear note of Il bird-a
liquid 'joug,jous."
rs it Il thrush" I said in a whisper.
She listened GREATNESS, almost pant
Ing. with joy.
'Oh." she whispered ut length, ut is
a nightengale-it is a n~ightengalc!" and,
poor girl. She actually sobbed. How
can the dear little bird have got SO far
out of its way N this dreadful placey"
l listened almost as much moved rs
she a l also was convinced it was q
nightengale, and l saw and felt more
clearly than l had yer seen or felt
before what a horror and desolation
life for her in Timperley must he. I'm
derstanding this. l longed more and
more to take her out of it into the
brightness and joy, and hope natural
to youth, into the innocent pleasure af-
fOrded by sunny skies, green fields and
shady woods vocal with the song of
birds.
After a rapt attention of some min
utes to the r,vishing song. both of us
were impellrd to so away TO tell others
Of II delight. The path out of the
clough led along the ridge behind Tim
perlcy. past two II three neat little
houses. From one of these we were
surprised. rs We approached TO hear
music and singing Of an unusually fine
quality. 1t was Just growing dark; IL
lamp shone out from Il window, oyer
which the blind was not yet drawn, and
we could plainly see Il man seated at
the piano, and IL girl, slight and small
Of figure. standing with her hands on
his shoulder. She sang in a voice clear
and sweet as Il birds q; song then much
in vogue, called ''isllrcn on the Rhine"
AS we passed the song ended. and the
player turned; we saw his face, and
each exclaimed to the other. "Nhy, it's
Frank So. here dwelt the reason Of
his indifference to Louise's beauty and
sad grace!
oh. what would his father say, il
he Enew!" exclaimed Louise, in alarm.
Il don't think we'll tell him." said I.
The second night after it had been
bruited that the clough, had been visit
cd by the nightingale, men and women
of all conditions We're inquiring their
way along the roads to the "Nightin-
gale Clolgh."
1t was 4 strange and touching spec
.ni sns at Sn "u unea .nc nuas
..au | .s rs s.anlu ny utu .sa .ne ,rees
,;t.Sa ~ ~ .e,S use ~ NJ ulseoi"ieu
il.'le l'Ne' anu ,he ni,scil'evous Joys
u I'm .le pi'.aei..s. aAl huslleu wllle
sn l:,. summer n .wilisn. ueepeneu lato
ualA apou. ..Slii, Maltins p..ientiy ior
VIE u:seen niue Dlru W oie;th ioftn IKE
II VOICE from f1eaNeh in'o pturo
song; Ahd Wnen at iengtn, after q lew
tlihld notes, II poured out IT'S Iuil heart'
! neaIu mAny a low SOU WIN
tle strains OIL the attess music.
Wnether the Nightingale loon alarm
at tnls INVASION OF us solituue, or
wnetner some l~hischieVous persons
1rlsnteneu IT, II Is certain tnat ny the
END OF the Week IL was neara no more.
one evening l was returning nome
When Ola 1eiiow walked Alongside Of
me, LOOKING ut me haiu, ana ut length
speaking.
near 1houft ieaVihs Ilinpefley'
he salu.
IN q very lew weeks" l replied.
"Weel, now, Il thee, and l nun
come aud hcar thee praich afore thou
goes. lie. . l na' something rere
tho he produced an Old pocketDook
and from Of the compart ments he
TOOK a square OF p~asteDoaru winch NJ
gave me; happen that may come II
handy when thou goes back to London
l found 1t i'll l4acrotx's lane yond
more'n q year ago, says i, i mul
keep this till l go to Lonaon,' but
do not think Ill ever ride IN a first
class carriage, SO houds better TAX
1t, Q
what Is IT," l asked.
Il be sure said he thou conns
see, It's q nrst-class tlcKet."
l thanked MIN, anu put IL IN my pocK
ct. >.
we were then upon the cottage II
Which i had seen Frank Steinhardt sit
ting ut the piano. Sounds OF music AM
singing were again proceeding from II
n l was not surprised 10 see ina
many OF those VINO q Deen olsap
pointed by the Nightingale STOOD hst
enlng III silence TO the g1rl:
When ! cache my Lodgings l tool
out the ovd felloW's singular ilttie pres
ent. 1t vas the "return" hall OF rist
class railway ticket from Londol
Bridge to croydon. II was toleraDl!
clean; 1t have been 0 away
or dropped, soon after II was ssued
and picked up soon after 1t was thrown
away. A suspicion which a begul
to creep upon me when first l looked
ut 1t shot up with startling uddenne
when l turned 1t over II read tn.
date stamped on Its near edge: MAI
10 ""
This ticket had been found by tn
old man In Lacroix lane; had the per
stn who had lost or dropped 1t the:
been the same as the person who hat
bought 1t IN London: II he had, hat
Ii Detn i resident III Ilmperley! il
& word-had nc person been Mr.. La
croix? 1t was impossible to say, I'll
til after such inquiry as 1 saw littl'
chance of being able to make; fo
tho ugh visitors to rimparl seldom
vnncc,1 N1onD t1,N vo.rniv Ion0 1ho,