The Penn's Grove record., 1894-05-18

VI" me with dIsfayor.
E"Do you think tho landlord knowsi
No answer The caretAker shivere,
in her frowsy red shawl and list slippers
and remarked to the world In geners
that "when doors was KEEP open ther
vas orful draught."
4 took out half a crown.
"Look herer" I said, "this coin shal
be yours If you'll tell me how Ions
you've been here--who the landlord lie
and anything you may have heard from
the tradespeople about the family"
/ ~ never gossip, with tradesfolk no
anybody" was her inspiring reply; bu
she gave me the address OF q firm ii
Gray's Inn and shut the door with oil
possible speed, leaving me on the door
step, which was still marked by the feel
OF the men who had carried out tn,
furniture. They must have moved or
swet day.
Imagine the situation. A young man
goes away to Switzerland to the bedside
0f'a dying uncle, and comes back on the
wings of the wind to lay his newly nc.
CURED fortune at the feet Of the dearest
4 RI in the world, and finds her gone
hopclessly, utterly gone-her house de.
%solate, no flowers In the windows, nc
+, Pa ture in the place, "To Let" starin;
from every window, and only q woolel.
swathcd c~aretaker-a vicious variety OF
charwomsn kind--o1 whom to pour cut
his wrath and his questions. had only
known Clara three months. knew not
o single one Of her friends. knew she
had some few relations-her mothers
family-and I did not even know theil
name. The Vanes knew no one ip Ken.
sington, and they only knew me through
u cat having fortunately been killed
BY their dog. Mr.. Vsue had called tc
apologize, and had asked ne to call, and
] had seen Clara and made my mind up.
One good look at her wa. enough tc
convince any man Of sense that she was
the only girl in the world. But I wa!
poor then, and poverty is proud. The
Vanes dress aud mode of life betokeneC
wealth. I could not tell her | loved
her, and now
The east wind blew caeerlessly up thu
street, driving a horrid army Of rubbish
and torn papers before 1t. The char
woman opened the door again and put
her curlpapered head out to say:
"Theie was a funeral afore the sale
perhaps they'd tell you at the under
Gker's."
A funerali / hailed a passing hanson
end drove straight to Gray's Inn.
"Yes; Mr.. Vane unfortunately diei
at one Of our houses-19 Westphali.
Terrace. Left no estate; had system
atically overshot his income. Sorry
can't give you any further inforpation.'
So replied a dapper clerk, who seemed
absorbed In papers when I was show
in, but whom I saw OF the window as
went through South square, pairing hi
walls and whistling to the sparrows.
Not q clew. The tradesmen knes
nothing, the vicar knew nothing, tn
police, of course, knew nothing and dil
nothing but pocket my money and taxi
down things in notebooks with blum
pencils.
Advertisement failed absolutely. Auc
80 Clara Vane was lost to me-passet
out q my life completely-leaving m
with q really respectable fortune, which
vas entirely out Of the question for m,
to enjoy. never wavered In the leas
in my intention to marry her If sh
would have me, and I simply waited IN
Vi l should SEQ her again.
1t will be inferred that I did not see
her again. I did, but not for four years
-Four long years. Z I won't go SO far a.
to say that an hour never passed Ii
which I did not think Of her, but II
swear that two never did. Y Aud I loved
her moro than ever. ] used to thinl
sometimes In the evenings Of her pretty
gray eyes and her short, dark, curly
hair, and that dear voice Of hers, till
could not stand it any longer, and ther
used to rush out of my lodgings In Re
gents Park and tear over to Kensingtor
and walk up and down outside 10 West.
phalia Terrace, till I might fairly have
Scen described as known to the police.
Well, after four years Of this life
bad my own work to do and my othei
life to live, but that has nothing to dc
with this storY-sfter four years bust
oess took me to T~unbridge.
l went by % express train. I Dough
the papers and got q comfortable corne
in a first class carriage, where I let tn,
pupers lie on my knee and dreamed m
usual dream-Clara, Clara, Clara.
Tho stations raced by, Chislehursl
c~rpiugIon. 1 looked idly out at tn
station gardens, all roses and pluks an
houeysuckle. the Ravens wherein por
ters took refuge from tho Crime OF raj
way life.
Az we swept into Halstead station
looked out, with q torpid curiosity us I
the gardens there, md saw UArai 81
WAS standing on the up-platform,
bunch OF red and pink roses IN her hanC
She had On o gray dress with black ri
Lons and o large gray hat with bla'
feathers, and she had just the san
sweet, dear little face and curling hal
WhiEzi-zz!-whirri The train hi
shot past the station, the carriage wi
dows ratified, tho train vibrated and pr
stated with the increasing speed, aI
every pulse and every vibration W
carrying me away from my hearts hear
leaned out of the window, dazed oil
stupid with the delight at tho nc
S,sbt Of her. I'll could still just sec h
gray gown and bright flowers, til,
some oae Oh the platform stepped b
tween her and me. and my senses 7
turned to me. In q dash ! saw that il
went ON 10 Sevenoaks and got n trs
back, she, who was obviouly waiting +
the nexs up-train, would have left Il
station long before I reached it. Pro-
ably shs vas only spending a day
HAlstead, aud any search for her wou
20 vain.
'uTksrisd 10 grasp this chsnce, a
.Skhev forT Vanra--nriceless yaara