Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-08-30
CHAPTER XVI.
THE WIDOW FoRsYTHE.

THE WIDOW tOESHIHE-
Maxey, grave and doubtful, looked
at his sister.
"You can't imagine what Lamar
wants to do now"
"No? What is it?"
"He wants to bring his-that Mrs
Forsythe here to call" "
"Mrs. Forsythe call? ImpossibleP
"No, it is not impossible. 1t is the
fact 1 could see that Eustace was trou-
bled and reluctant about it. 1t is evil
IDENTIFY not a pet scheme of his own.
"Surely she did not suggest it?'
"She must have done so. Mrs. For
sythe is very anxious to see your wife,
is the way he put it. I suppose it would
not be out of place for me to bring her
here some EVENING"" VI"
"And what did you tell him?"
81 told him-well, I suppose I did
more than ought. 1 ought to have had
more consideration for you and him. I
told him to como by all means What
else could do under the circumstances?
Consideration for me?' cried Miss
Maxey, reddening. 'I don't know what
possible consideration for me could urge
you to act any differently than you did
act. The Widow Forsythe whom have
heard so much about? Why, by all
means let her come. Let her come, and
the sooner the better! I shall be ready
to receive her at her own convenience.
Be very sure Of thatP'
And ready Miss Maxey was when the
critical time approached. Maxgy thought
he had never seen her looking so hand
some, with SO much color in her cheeks,
with such a sparkle in her eyes. As they
sat in the front parlor under the bril-
liant gas jets awaiting thJ coming Of
the expected visitors she almost out
shone the radiant Annette.
A roll of carriage wheels in the street
below, long and breathless pause, a
ring at the doorbell Of the artists suit,
which Maxey himself answered, and the
guests had come.
MRS. Forsythe, my friend, Mr.. Julian
Maxey, Mrs. Maxey, Miss Ellen Maxey
What is this? You are pale; you are i'll,
Fostelle! Some water, Julian, quick!
Everybody was startled and alarmed.
Everybody except Ellen seemed more or
less in danger of losing presence Of mind
One moment a naughty and disdainful
woman in the full bloom Of health and
strength bowling in lofty way to her
new acquaintance the next pale and
tottering wretch clinging to the arm Of
her betrothed! The change was too sud-
den, too unexpected and mysterious not
to be powerful in its effect.
'Thank you Eustace," said Mrs.
Forsythe in faint voice, taking the
water, which Maxey had run to bring,
from the DOCTORS hand. She swallowed
a little of the cooling liquid and declar-
ed that she felt better Nevertheless she
sank down upon the sofa, whittier the
physician had led her, faint and helpless.
| Lamar bent over her with some solic-
itude, but more wonder.
"Fostelle, are you in pain?"
| "Not at all, Eustace. 1t is only lit.
tie faintness that will soon go away"
He took her hand in his, pushed aside
the massive gold ornament that encir.
cled her wrist, placed his finger upon
her pulse and looked into her face search.
ingly.
'Shall we take you back to the car
riage? Don't you think it would be bet.
ter to go home at once?' ......
Mrs. Forsythe was rapidly recovering
her color. AS Lamar spoke her glance
wandered in the direction of the artist
sister, who stood by herself, silent and
composed, while all the rest were full
of anxiety. A sudden CLEAN of the eye:
and compression of lips followed thai
glance. Then she said in voice which,
though it trembled slightly, was perfect
ly clear and audible to everybody:
"No, will stay. This is only mo
mentary. Don't you see that it has lef
me? Sit here beside me, Eustace dear
Pray do not stand any more on my ac
count, Mrs. Maxey. Give yourself Mt
more alarm about me. In few mo
ments ! shall be quite restored"
At this everybody sat down. The un
usual came to an end, and the conven
tional "call" began. Mrs. Forsythe KEEP
her word. In five minutes there was Il,
trace Of her late indisposition. Ellel
Maxey saw, with unwilling admiration
for her tact and management, the par
that she had decided to play with regart
to herself. By no word or look, othe
than that which the first shock of meet
ing had drawn from her, and which wa
totally irexplicable TO the others, di
she betray that Ellen was any less
stranger to her than her brother Or hi
wife.
She talked the conventional trivial
ties to her in the same smiling, winsom
way in which she talked to the rest
for Mrs. Forsythe was no longer haught
and disdainful. In TRUTH as hemoment
went on and this viyacious and fascinat
ing parsonage continued to discuss tn
stupid affairs of daily life with pi
quancy and animation that made the1
for the time seem interesting, Ellie
found it hard to retain her hold on th
certain fact that thia was the same won
an who had shlvered tho costly orni
ment to atoms on themarble floor. Mr.
Forsythe seemed to have set before hel
self the one object of making herse
agreeable to her new acquaintance
. Chlldrey, Csy ia