San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-10-27
CHAPTER XVIII.

! turn of Moll and her husband, telling
him of their complete happiness, Moll's
increasing womanly beauty and the pros
porous aspect of our affairs (for had
that day positive assurance our seal
would be obtained within a month";, l
concluded by asking if his exile might
not now be stopped, and he be in posi-
ton to come to Chiselhurst and see her
as he had before
mo, Kit, thanking We kindly" says
he, after fighting it out with himself in
| silence a minute or two, better not. [
am getting in manner used to this
solitude, and bar two or three days a
week, when 1 feel bit hangdOg and
hipped a-thinking there's not much in
this world for an old fellow to live for
when he's lost his child, am pretty
we'll content 1t would only undo me.
| If you had a child-your own flesh and
blood, part of your life-a child that
had been to you what my sweet Moll
hath been to me, you would comprehend
better now feel. 70 pretend indiffer-
ence when you're longing to hug her to
your heart, to talk Of fair weather and
foul when you re thinking of old times,
and then to bow and scrape and go away
without a single desire of your aching
heart satiSfied-'tis more than a man
with spark of warmth in his soul can
bear.
And then he proceeded to give doz-
ell other reasons for declining the tempt.
ing bait, the sum of all proving, to my
conviction, that he was dying to see
Moll, and 1 feared he would soon be do
ing by stealth that which it were much
safer to do openly.
About week after this got letter
from him asking me to come again as
soon as l might, he having cut his hand
with chisel, $50 that cannot work
my lathe, and having nothing to occupy
my mind do plague myself beyond en-
durance.
Much concerned for my old friend, l
lose no time in repairing to Greenwich,
where / find him sitting idle before his
lathe, with an arm hanging in a hand
kerchief and his face very yellow, but
this, think, was of drinking too much
ale. And here he fell speedily discours-
ing of Mol, saying he could not sleep
of nights for thinking of the pranks she
used to play US, our merry vagabond
life together in Spain ere we got to
Elche, ETC., and how he missed her now
more than ever he did before. After
that, as anticipated, he came in shut
fling, roundabout way Gas one ashamed
to own his weakness) to limiting at see
| Nn11 1x-c hn III
rather see her for two minutes now and
again peering through bush, though
she should never cast a glance his way,
than have her treat him as if she were
not his child and she had ceased to feel
any love for him. But seeing the peril
of such ways would by no means con-
sent to his hanging about the court like
a thief, and told him plainly that unless
he would undo us all and ruin Moll he
must come openly as before or not at ali.
Without further demur he consents to
be guided by me, and then very eager
" asks when it will be proper for him
to come, and we agree that if he come
in weeks time there will be no
thought III anybody's mind of cur hav-
ing conspired to this end.
As the fates would have it, Mr.. God
win finished his painting on the Satur-
day following (the most wonderful piece
of its kind I ever saw or any one else i'll
my belief, and being justly proud OF
his work and anxious Sir Peter Lely
should see it soon he resolved he would
carry it to Hatfield on Monday. Moll,
: who was prOuder of her husbands piece
r than if it were of her own doing was
t not less eager it should be seen, yet the
o thought that she must lose him for fou1
e days (for this journey could not well be
l accomplished in less time) cast down
r her spirits exceedingly. Twas painful.
s to see her efforts to be cheerful despite
;, of herself. And, seeing how incapable
S she was of concealing her real feeling
n from him whom she would cheer, she al
n length confessed to him her trouble. 81
II would have you go and yet I'd have yor
q stay, love-" says she
y IT'S but little while we shall bC
% parted, says he.
"a little while?" says she, trembling
N and wringing one hand within the 9th
|, en- ut seems to me as if we were part
d ing forever"
# why, then" returns he, laughing
,r 1--WE will not part at all You shall
n come with me, chuck What should pre-
II vent your"
it She starts with joy at this, then look
,r at him incredulous for a moment, anC
l. so, her countenance falling again, sh'
9, shakes her head as thinking, take it
le that if it were advisable she should g,
lie with him he would have proposed i
rs before.
(, NO." says she, twas an idle fan
as cy, and I'll not yield to it. shall be
in come burden rather than helpmat
Of if you cannot stir from home withou
lie me- Nay" adds she, when he woult
n override this objection, "you must no
la 1, 4