Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-10-11
CHAPTER XN.

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gcod.morniog, for it is SUI day, and
don twant to be late 70 churcn.
CHAPTER XN.
DIR, HOLLENDORF
The new year began with the ring
ing o. parl h bells, some genuine jovl.
atty in cottages and servants halls
aud various conventional rejocings II
polite society, but silence and solitude
still roigned ut Davenant The chic
rooms alOol and dining.roOm, library
and musiC-roOm-war abandoned alto,
gother by the gloomy master Of the
house. They might a5 well have put
on their Holland pinafores and shut
their shutters, rs in the absence Of the
family, for nobody used them. Gilbert
Sinclair lived in his snuggery at the
end of the long gallery, ate and drank
there, read his newspapers and wrote
his letters, smoked and dozed in the
dull winter evenings, He rode a good
deal in all kinds OF weather, going far
aiie d, no one knew where, and com
ing home ut dusk, splashed to the
neck, and with his horse in condition
peculiarly aggravating to grooms and
stable-b VS.
Them there 'csses will ave mud e.
yer before long" said the hirelings,
dejectodly. "There's that blessed chest
nut he set such store by month ago
with 'ardly leg to stand on for wind
gals, and the roam Glly's over at knees
already.
He meant Mr. Sinclair, who was
riding his finest horses with o prodigal
recklessness
Constance Sinclair lived to see the
new year, though she did not know
why the church bells rang out on the
quiet midnight. She started up from
her pillow with frightened look when
she heard that joy peal, crying that
those were her wedding bells, and that
she must got ready for church.
"To please you, papa, she said. "For
your sake, papa Pity my broken
hea {.
There had been days and nights at
the end of the old year, when DR..
Webb had trambled for the sweet
young life which he had watched a.
most from its beginning. A gre t
physician had come down from London
every day, ana had gone away with u
lee prOportiOnate to his reputation,
after diagnosing the disease in a most
wonderful manner; but it was the little
country apothecary who saved Con-
stance Sinclairs life. His watchiul-
ness, his 3votion, had kept the com
mon enemy at bay. The Iife-current,
which had ebbed very low, flowed
gradually back, and after lying for ten
days in an utterly PROSTATE and apa-
thetic state the lat ent was now
strong enough to rise and be dressed,
and lie on the sofa in her pretty morn
ing-rCom, while Me anie, or honest
Martha Briggs, who had come back to
nurse her old mist ess, cad to her, to
divert her mind, the doctor said; but,
alasl as yet the mind seemed incapable
of being awakened to interest in tho
things of this mortal life. When Con-
stance spoke it was Of the pa5t-of her
childhood or girlaood, of people and
scene familiar to her in that happy
time. OF her husband she never spoke,
anu his rarl visits to her room had u
disturbing influence. SO much 50 that
DR.. Webb suggested that for the pres
ent Mr.. Sinclair should refrain from
seeing his wife.
81 can feel for you, my dear sir, he
said, sympathetically. 81 quite under
stand your anxiety, but you may trust
me and the nurses, You will have all
intelligence of progress. The mind at
present Is somewhat a,tray."
"Do you think it will always be 500"
asked Sinclair "Will she never recover
her senses"
"Mly dear sir there is everything to
hope, She is 50 young, and the disease
is altogether so mysterious whether
the effect of the blow-that unlucky
fall-Or whether simply development
of the brooding melancholy which we
had to fight against before the acct
dent, it is impossible to say. We are
quite in the dark. Perfect seclu sion
and tranquility may do much"
Lord Clanyarde came to see his
daughter nearly every day, He had
come back to Marchbrook from far
more agreeable scene on purpose to be
near her. But his presence seemed to
give Constance no pleasure. There
were days on which she looked at him
with wandering gaze that went to
his heart, or blank and stony look that
appalled, him by its awful likeness to
death. There were other days when
she knew him. On these days her talk
was all of the past, and it was clear
that memory had taken the place OF
intelligence.
Lord Clanyarde felt all the pangs of
remorse as he contemplated this spec
tunln nf n hpnlynn hfOpt N mi ind uyI.nnlynI
by sorrow
yet can hardly blame myself for
her sad fate, poor child" he argued.
She was happy enough, bright
enough, before she lost her baby"
The new year was week old, and
since the first rally there had been no
change for the better in Constance
Sinclair's condition; and now there
came decided change for the worse.
Strength dwindled, dull apathy took
p session of the patient, and even
memory seemed blank.
DR. Webb was in despair, AMI fairly
owned his helple IS. The London
physician came aud went, and took his
lee, and went on diagnosing with pro-
Goundest science, and tried the last re-
oOulCcS VI JlS pHdTlLdCOpCbLd, WIFI Hn
evident conviction that lie could min
lister to q mind diseased; but nothing
came of his science, save that the pa
tient grew daily weaker, as if fate and
physic we're too much for one feeble
sufferer to cope withal.
Gilbert Sinclair was told that unless
change came Y cry speedily his wife
must die.
'"lf we could rouse her from this apa-
thetic state, said the physician; "any