Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-07-04
genial disposition. | asked one day if

| have no visitors at Deepdale l go on
a little myself: but I avoid society fol
my daughters sake"
| Does she not care for it, inquired
! No" replied Sir John: but the
| truth is, Clarice has been from her III
| fancy exceedingly delicate and nerv
+, Gus: she is also very eXcitable, and
every doctor 1 have consulted recon-
| mends perfect quietneSs and freedom
from all society and irritating causes. >
1T is rather hard upon you, though
l said, unthinkingly.
Not now" he answered. i am
more than sixty years old, Miss card
ley, and forty years Of my life Were
spent in the heart of the world. l
have travelled much, and | assure you
the quiet and tranquility Of these my
later years is pleasant and soothing.
Does not Miss Leigh herself ever
wish for a more active life:' l asked.
No" was the quick reply. If l
were to insist upon her going into so
ciety. or receiving visitors, I should in
all proba bility cause her some serious
illness. Your brother and yourself are
the only friends we have entertained
for many years. | need not add" con-
tinued the kind old man, with a
courteous bow, that my daughters
pleasure in this instance is as great
as my own"
I thanked him and he smiled sadly.
NJ 4
binary visitor" he continued, she
would have met with the same seem
ing cold reception: but Clarice WAS
with me on the morning l found him
lying senseless at tie foot of the hill,
and her kind heart and feelings were
so much interested, that she forgot to
be shy or frightened.
He rose from his seat, evidently
anxious that the conversation should
end there. l said no more, though it
seemed to me strange.
l did not make much progress in my
acquaintance with Miss Leigh. She
was a brilliant musician and good
artist; she was we'll read and intelli
gent, but I could seldom induce her to
enter into conversation. When Guy
was sufficiently recovered to join US in
the library, l was amused to hear how
freely she converSed with him. He
would read to us. and she would eX-
press to him her opinions of what she
heard, or join in his criticisms, with
out any shynesS or hesitation. Still,
I felt that somewhere and in some way
there was a mystery. l could not tell
what it was or whom it concerned,
but l felt that it was there.
Mrs. Fenton, the woman whom they
called the nurse, puzzled me. True,
she had had the care Of Miss Leigh
from her earliest infancy; but l could
not quite understand her position in
the house.
Sometimes, when I was going into
the library for a book. l heard the low
murmur Of two voices in confidential
conversation / knew them from the
tone, and before | had time to with
draw, l found Sir John and Mrs. Fen
ton with grave faces and anxious
1OOhS. L LII LIZ SlSllouS w ol4dh llsbb q
habit of appearing when least eX-
pected. I might have thought her a
detective, and Miss Leigh a criminal,
from her way Of lowering round her
and watching her every look and word.
Every house has it's skeleton cup
board" I thought, ''and evidently this
is amongst the number"
When the time came for us to leave
Deepdale 1 felt quite sure of one thing
strong or delicate, shy or not, Clarice
Leigh loved my brother with the che
strong, true love Of her life. Her beau
tiful face would light up and glow
with happiness when he came near
her; the strange, intent expression that
distressed me would pass away. l
cannot tell whether Sir John or Guy
noticed it, but I did.
We left Deepdale, grateful for the
great kindness we had received there;
Guy returned to his rooms in the Tenn
pie, and went home to Orville Court.
Miss Leigh wrote occasionally, and l
heard that Sir John correspondent con-
stantly with my brother. was not
surprised at Christmas to receive a
warm and pressing invitation to spend
my holidays there. | could not go, as
[ had been absent so long. Guy went
and enjoyed his visit very much.
I plumed myself upon my sagaclty
when Guy, calling at Orville Court be-
fore he went back to London, told me
he was betrothed to Clarice Leigh.
do you love her, Guy?" 1 asked.
"Of course 1 do, Florry," he replied.
'What a question! Why on earth
should I marry her if 1 did not!''
Il do not know" l replied. ''She is
very beautiful and clever; but there
seems something strange about her.
l believe l should feel happier if you
were going to marry some lively,
genial girl, fond of life and fun"
Il should not, though" said Guy. Il
love Clarice Leigh for her own beauti-
full, pensive self, and it shall be my
care to brighten her life and rouse hel
into liking action"
| "When are you to be married?"
! asked.
THAT is not settled yet" replied
! Guy. L loved Clarice long before we
| left Deepdale in the summer; but
! did not dare, even in thought, to lif-
my eyes to the only child and heires:
, of Sir John Leigh
How have you found courage