Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-03-05
"Ah! Rachel MarKs said that, did

"Ah! Rachel Marlts said that, did
she?"
Eyes, sirl foolish and girl-like as
l told her, for what use would such
,aluables be to her, specially If shc
was dead. But | feel sure she had
seen them, for she was quite excited
over It. Ny lady WINS rubbing them
with piece of chamois leather, she
said, till they looked like a rainbow of
color. But that's all know about the
Tuesday"
"And the Wednesday, Mrs Nelson?"
"Ah! that was a terrible day for us
NIL sir. Master Charles las he was
thcn) came down from London by the
eleven o'clock train, and saw Sir Henry
in the library. There was high words
between them-we servants could hear
them plainly down in the kitchen, and
It frightened us to death-and my
lady was listening outside in the hall,
too, with face like sheet. We heard
Sir Henry say: That's right! strike
your father it will be only another
crime added to your record!' and Mas
ter Charles repliel: If l was to kill
you il would be scarcely worse crime
than that woman (meaning her lady
ship, if you please, sir,), has induced
You to commit against mel We was
oil listening in the passage, sir, and our
hair stood on end to hear them. Mr.
Goddard, he WINS for breaking in the
ioor to prevent bloodshed, but present
~ Master Charles came out, looking
very white, and he says: 'Good-by to
Sou oil. L shall never darken these
loors again!' and he rushed away into
the grounds, and we saw no more of
aim till he came down for the funeral.
There was no sound from the lib, AIRY,
nd after awhile my lady went in, and
gave scream, and then we all fol-
lowed her, and there was my poor old
master sitting in his chair with his
mouth drawed to one side. Goddard
md me, we saw it was a stroke ut once,
and when we'd carried him up to his
ped, we sent for the doctor. MIR. Cod
lard, he was told off to see after Sir
1cnry, and by evening he seemed q
goodish bit better, and the doctor
lidn't think there was any danger, so
Mr. Goddard left him for bit with
little Miss Craley, who couldn't be
persuaded TO leave his side-she was
that fond of him and Master Charles
md came down TO tell me how he was
getting on. And then it was he told
me of the tigger that he had seen loiter-
ng about the premises some days be-
ore, and how he's seen it again that
fery momevt, entering the shrub
berries"
What did you say to that?"
"Why, sir, my first thought was for
my lady, who had left the house but a
hort time before. Whatever would
she do, l said, if she met the man and
he was rude 10 her. / had seen he,
in the hall wrapping u dark mantle
round her head and shoulders, and
1ad ventured to say, surely she was
never going out at such time-half
past six, sir, and such a dark even
,ng-and she replied that she had .
headache and must have some fresh air,
SO. of course, l said no more. Mrs. God
dard and me, we watched at the dining
room windows for over half an hour,
and then we saw my lady coming out Of
yhe Strawberries by herself. went tc
meet her in the hall, and her cloak
was wringing wet. | said: 1T is to
be hoped that you won't catch your
death of cold, my lady!' And she said:
I'm so upset about this affair, Nelson,
that don't know if I'm standing on my
head or my heels But l never saw
nothing of the man, sir, and when ]
asked my lady if she'd met him, she
called me fool, and said it was too
dark TO see anything! Which it was
sir!"
"On what terms have you servants
usually been with the Dowager Lady
Eliesmere, Mrs. Nelson?" | asked.
"Well, sir, not what yon may call
over and above goodl Many's the time
would have given warning, if it hadn't
been for the old master. Her tenn
per's high, and she haven't much con
sideration for her servants. Nor she
hadn't for Sir Henry, neither, though
he wouldn't hear word against herl
But /, for one, wasn't surprised, when !
heard the contents of the will, for
knew he loved his son at heart, though
my lady had come so much between
them of late years. He never really
meant to leave his money away froIn
Master Charles, not for one moment.
and my lady, she knew as much, too!
I've heard her coax him again and again
to give her them jewels, but he always
made the same answer, that they
weren't his to give!"
, us this oil you can tell me, Mrs. Mel.
SOM"
1T Is all, sirl"
| (Which of the other servants saw the
most of Sir Henry in his last hours p
"Only Rachel Marks, sir!"
We'll. send Rachel Marks to me
here!"
, The old woman curtsied herself ON,
, of the room again, and in another min.
ute her place was taken by bright,
rosy-chcekcd girl of about twenty, all
giggles and bushes, stufiing corner
of heriapron in her mouth the while she
spoke to me.
Are you called Rachel Marks?" ]
began.
"Oh, yes, sir; but ] hope you're NOT
/ going to write down anything say
because ! never set eyes on them Jew.
els till my lady called me to her AND
-. 4 w . Il. "a Il ~ X I. !. *. - N ...l. "