Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-04-18
%Re SiIene@ Of
Dean QaitIand.
BY NR>MELL GREY.

it! Athout twas Mr., Mattanu ms
self" he added, with intense sarcasm,
"or may be Mr. Cyril, Zomehody done
1t, that's as plain as plums,"
Tile never done it," repeated the
sturdy blacksmith, finishing his ale
and stamping of homcward with a
sulleu Goodnight" to all,
There was Alma Lee" continued
the landlord, who never liked Il good
argument conducting 10 the drynesS Of
the inner man To drop, "shc kuowel
who done It, And she swcared dead
agcn the doctor, she did"
And She med swear" commented
William Grove; "Shc was Il had 'un.
Them there stuck.up gals isn't never
up to no good, Mr.. Maitland, and they
up rectory, they had the sp'ilin' o
she"
"Ay" growlcd the whcClwright;
poor Charlie Judkins! What he took
out to 'Merriky wi 'un warnt no nc
count, nohow"
"A haddish cargo twas" added Tom
Hale; and the whole company joined
In condemning the unfortunate girl
with the Wholesale condemnation dealt
out by men to the woman who makes
the smallest slip on the slippery path
of right.
Jus then the dear old familiar voice
of the church clock told the hour
sending n CULVER through Evcrards
frame with every stroke of Its mellow
bell; and passing through the garden
gate into the village street. he bent
his steps toward the rcctory.
II was no fancy. 4 tangible, soltd
wuman'S form was indeed pacing,
heavily pacing, the gravel drive; the
form was stout, the hair iron gray, the
gait clumsy. A sick fear took him.
and he remembered that Lillian was
fve-and-twenty eighteen long years
ago. The lady opened the gate and is
sued forth, her features showing dis
tinctly In the rich sunlight They
We're heavy, commonplace, and quietly
| contented, and he did not recognize the
once pretty Miss Garrett of Northovcr,
now the mother of half II dozen stout
lads
He recovered from this miserable,
nervous weakness, and walked stoutly
ON. growing palcr as he approached
! the beloved house. II was n delicious
evening. The air was still and pure
/ and bnlmy with the scent of flowers
and hay; the long sunbcams touched
the woods and downs with tender
glory: the swallows were dartinG
round the tower, whose gray face was
j gilded by the western glow, and glarc.
! ing across the pure. pale sky, Their
! bodies glca ming with gold like the
doves OF Scripture, whose feathers are
! like gold" down In the thickets the
thrushcs and blackhirds were pouring
out their evening lay; and n pair OF
! larks were maddcning each other Will
the rival rapturcs of their song over
head,
lie passed the bit of green ON which
Lennie and Dickic stevens were fight
ing on the winter afternoon when h,
left 1t, handcuifed and amazed. lie
opened the gate and entered. Thcr,
was the lahurnum planted on the birth
day, a great tree now; down there they
used to play at Robinson Crusoe. I'll,
great pear-tree was still standing from
which Cyril fell that far.oT autumn
day he could now see the boy lyinl
white and still on the grass, heal
! Lillian's cry OF terror, and recall III,
sick pang with which he thought ht
might be killed.
lie reached the door, and II mis-
came before his eyes, whirling 80 thai
+. he could not see the bell-handle for ;
few seconds, and had to grope for 1t
The bell echoed through II silent house
he heard footsteps coming along Tho
1 well-known corridor and through tn,
hall. the door opened, and disclosed
the blooming face Of parlOr- maid
who regarded him without interest
! rs Miss Maitland Mt hOmeW he asked
In voice from which every yestIgc o
tone had vanished.
Yes, sir. What name, If you please.
Doctor Everard" he faItcTed husk
iIy, and a terror came over him ant
made him think that he should have
to turn back, unable to face the mo
ment.
The maid, however, whskcd airilS
on to the drawing-room door, which
she opened, pronOuncing his nam,
with metallic clearness.
In the well-known room all seemed
dark after the bright external sun
shine. The Venetians were CLOSED
against the western glow, and the deel
gloom was emphasized here and there
By 4 long rod Of golden light failing
| through the chinks. lie stood rrcso
/ Lutte just within the door. A figure
rose from the far end, and he heard In
/ I.iIans pure and silyery tones, one cry
Of Henry" as she moved toward
him.
For space he seemed both blind
and deaf and then all the painful agi'
tation fell away from him, the sick
| yearning of the long years was stilled
the nervous weakness gone. He was
! healed and Gained, himself once more
I gnr IN .rag indeed Lillian who stood be.