The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-09
(Chapter VII continued. !

(Chapter VII continued
Next day all was oommotion at Craig
Castle, tor its mistress was preparing to
go away. She spent the morning in ar
ranging domestic affairs, and dismissing,
with liberal bonus, the chief members
of her establish ent. The Castle was to
remain under the charge of her house
keeper and one or two servants, and the
ooachman and one groom she retained TO
look after the stables. By the afternoon
all preparations were completed,
GATHERINGS heavy luggage despatched by
car to Westport. and arrangements made
for Catherine herself and her maid to be
driven early next morning to the railway
station of the same town.
She had just dined in solitary state,
when servant brought in letter.
"Mr. Langford's waiting at the door,
my lady. He asked me to give you this
and get your answer
She opened the letter, and read as fol-
lows:
"You are going away. For Gods sake
let me speak to you for one moment be-
fore you go. =
Pale and trembling, yet quito collected,
she wrote on the back of the letter in PEN
Gil
II wish to see no one. If you have any
regard or respect left for me, you will go
away as you came. I am going away, as
you say, and it is my prayer that we
should never meet again. She enclosed
the letter in frcsh envelope, which she
sealed, and handed to the servant.
"Give that to Mr.. Langford,' she said,
"aud on no account let him enter the
house.
Early the next morning she left the
Castle in an open car, drawn by two hor-
ses and driven by new coaehman. whom
she had engaged temporarily in place OF
James Eeeney. Only her maid went with
her, and the servants. by whom she was
adored. crowded at the door to bid her
good bye
Poor lady p said the housekeeper.
''she's heart broken entirely, and no won
der. "
1t was q beautiful winter morning, the
sun was shining brightly, and the grass
and trees were sparkling through silver
boar frost. Inland rose the mountains,
and southwark shone the placid waters
of Clew Bay. AS she drove through the
looked on the quiet scene with silent tears
She had grown to love the place, and
her heart ached to leave it,
Shall lever come back?" she thought.
"God knows Perhaps T may find peace
and comfort far away.
AS they passed through the lodge gates,
her heart leapt into her mouth, and she
WcuO ueauly pale. NalbluS on the nlGh
road was a man on horseback, whom she
recognized at once.
Philip Langford.
His pale sad face looked oareworn and
lneXpressibly sorrowful, and he stopped
in the saddle as If under the weight of
years, but when their eyes met, his fash
ed eagerly, and he held cut his hand with
an imploring gesture.
"Drive on i' said Catherine to the
goldman, and ayerted her face.
The coachman whipped his horses. and
the car passed swiftly by. Without once
looking back Catherine chung to the seat
as If in mortal terror; and sobbed, cover
ing hither face with her HANDS.
AS If turned to marble, Langford sat
watching ths car until it disappeared;
even then, he remained immovable, his
face grey and livid. his ewes sunken in ut
ter despair. At last, with an effort, he
shook off his apathy. and rode slowly
homeward, to his house by the sea.
An old man met him on the lawn before
the door, touched his hat and looked
wistfully up into his face.
She has gone, yer honour!'
eyes, Michael and L believe she will
never come back" answered Langford,
alighting from his horse.
Did yer honour spake wild her?''
Langford shook his head, and walked
slowly and feeble. like man death
struck, into the house. He entered a
small sitting room on the ground floor,
and falling into 3 chair, sat with his eyes
fixed before him, looking on vacancy.
A face looked into the room-that Of
an old woman.
God bless yer honour" the woman
said, entering the door. HHave you
come baoke And Miss Catherine? Did
ye spake Wild herr"
He answered her with despairing look
OF his dark eyes.
"She went away without word! ~
cried the old woman. go, wirasthrue.
wirasthrue And she that knew we'll
your heart was breaking for her sake!
May the Lord above punish her for turn
ing away in her pride from. the best man
that ever drew breath!''
Don't say thas, Mamie said Lang
ford, sadly. "Say rather with me, may
Sod bless her, and forgive me for what
I've donst"
While t his scene WAS taking place at
Langferd House, Father John O'Donnell
was seated alone by the fireside, in his
cottage at Mulrany, smoking his pipe,
end perus1ng, with many dolefu1 shakes
1f the head, the manuscript which Gather
3ne had comnftted to his care.
And 1t ran thus:
Chapter VIII.
The house is quite stall, everyone has
retired to rest. and I ann sitting alone
in my boudoir, trying to. piece together
the terrible experiences OF the last few
DAYS and to Write them down Even