The sun., 1894-12-27
CHAPTER vi.
The Condemned Mans Widow.

Norton Sowerby had been the unseen
listener to the conversation that had
passed beneath his window.
At the time when we rem wv our ac-
quaintance with him he had been for
nearly two years Viscount Dareleigh.
The heir who had so suddely and un-
expectedly appeared, to deprive Nor
ton of the wealth and title he had
then believed was entirely his own,
was dead.
This heir had returned to England
with shattered constitution; and the
only marvel was that he should have
survived through eighteen years or
nearly. of further dissipation.
All his days had been passed in
London; and the poor village of Gray
ford, which had been sustained alone
by the Dareleigh family, was soon
abandoned by it's few inhabitants, for
to have longer remained would have
been to starve. The houses had fallen
to decay, and the village had already
become of the past.
Having reached home, Mrs. Lindsay
was so much worse from the agitation
and excitement she had endured that
day. that it was dark night before
her daughter could venture to leave
her, and to seek the eagerly longed-for
letter
But at length hackney coach was
sent for, and Emmeline started on
her way to Noel Barrington's house.
The distance, and the errand she
was on, should not have employed her
above an hour, but midnight had struck
and she had not returned.
She had been gone two hours and a
half, and her mother was in an agony
of terror and apprehension.
The poor mothers hopes were raised
as she heard the rumbling of every
carriage approaching towards her house
and she grew more and more despair
ing as each vehicle passed and stopped
not at her door.
The delay was not natural, she
thought: and blamed herself that she
had yielded to Emmeline's entreaties,
and had not herself accompanied her
daughter.
AS midnight sounded on the neighbor-
ing church clock, Mrs Lindsay felt
that longer suspense would kill her,
and resolved to struggle forth and
endeavor to gain some tidings Of her
child.
At that instant a carriage came
numbering into the street, approached,
and stopped before her house.
She tottered to the door, opened 1t,
and the coachman who had been en-
gagged to convey Emmeline in search
of the letter entered the house, but he
was alone.
This coachman was, by som ,what
singular chance, the very one who had
been employed by Noel harrington
when on his search for Mrs. Lindsay
He knew well that it was to Barring
tons house he had driven Mrs. Lind
says daughter, but did not know that
bennington himself had left London
To Mrs Lindsays wild inquiries for
Emncline, this coachmau replied with
a strange and, to Mrs. Lindsay, at
least, an incredible story.
FIe had been waiting some time, lie
said, at the door nf Barrington's house,
into which the young lady had entered,
and was doing on his box, when s, pair
of hands took hold of him, and shook
him wide awake.
The gentleman who had made so free
with him was tall and well dressed,
ard had very pale face-that had
been all he had been able to distinguish
concerning him.
Then the gentleman opened the coach
door, and was about to get in, but was
then told that the carriage was en-
g.ged, and was waiting for young
lady who had entered the house before
which it was standing.
The gentleman had then said that
the young lady would remain in that
house, and had yielded the hackney
carriage to hini-giving, at the same
time, to the coachman, more than the
fare which he had already earned, on
behalf of that young lady.
The gentleman had alighted at the
corner of neighboring street; and
after his departure, the eoachman had
found upon seat of his vehicle q
small pocket-handkerchief, which he
presumed had been left there by the
young lady, and which, as it was on his
way home, he had brought to Mrs.
Lindsay.
And when the man had concluded his
extraordinary narration, Mrs. Lindsay
exclaiIned:
That which you have just told me is
| impossible, or else my poor daughter
! has fallen into some snare, which has
been spread for herr
| The coachman protested that he had
spoken only the truth.
Then you must at once convey me
to that house." said the poor mother.
The coachman demonstrated with
1 her that she was in no fit state for
yenturing abroad at such time of the
night.
But he spoke to deaf ears; Mrs. Lind.
4 say felt that she must behold har
daughter again. or she would die.
And so she exnrted all her strength
to reach her bedroom to procure her
bonnet and shawl.
/ AS the coachman, grumbling to him.
self that he and his horses should be
4