The record-union., 1897-09-12

as not"
"A Mr. Fossbrook it was she disap-
peared with, was it?" Siah asked, ig-
noring Tippet
1T was" replied Absalom. He was
a good looking gentleman, bright and
laughing in his ways. More so than
the Squire, who was mellower by some
twenty years. Ellen Winks. she speaks
up for the Squire; naturally so, seeing
that Ellen is of a contradictory turn.
Dave Brand here. and Ellen, have some
big tussles over it; and Dave, he does
lay it on heavy, having a gift of words
which do as well as swearing without
being wicked
The cloud began to lift from Dawes
forehead, but Tippet would drag the
subject back to the possibility of Guest
wick Hall being engulfed.
The hall stood on a slight elevation
but in nearly every direction was
marshland, through which an indefinite
kind of river, called the Sough, crept
along. There were many embankments,
and, under favorable circumstances, a
practiced walker could cross the
marshes on the elevated footways The
chief danger which was to be feared
arose from what was called marsh
steam-a white mist which often float
ed in thin layers over the spongy
ground. The travellers head might be
above it, and his feet might be plunged
in dense white fog, which would pre-
vent him distinguishing between solid
earth and reedy pools.
Lundley village was not more than
mile from the hall, and the people had
been familiar from their earliest years
with the mysteries and dangers con-
nected with the Marsh. Some of them
believed that the hall itself might sink
out of sight
IT'S bad enough to have the hall
blighted,'' said Tippet sorrowfully
but what should we do if it was
swallowed up? 1t will be bad job
for the laboring people if the hall be
shut up at Christmas time
THE place has been blighted that
is true" said Absalom, "since Mrs
| Guestwick and that young Mr.. Foss-
brook disappeared
THE Squire moping about, nobody
knows where" continued Tippet, as if
the song had done it all. Here's
Christmas coming. What are labor
| ing folks to do?"
The company broke up soon after
wards, and Siah Hudson took his de-
parture, feeling thankful that his hap
piness and prosperity did not depend
upon the village of Lundley or the
integrity of Guestwick Hall.
CHAPTER II.
A YOUNG WIFE AND AN OLD SAYING.
1t was indeed a serious matter for
Lundley when Guestwick Hall was
| closed, for it was closed, except that
one or two servants remained. and the
nurse, who had charge of Rosy, the in
FAINT daughter of Squire Guestwick. Alb
SALON Enderby was the Lundley patri-
arch, and he could not remember the
time when any such calamity had be-
fallen the place.
| My memory is clear since I was
that high" said Absalom, indicating
about three feet from the ground; "boy
and man have lived here, as you can
testify, and I have never seen the
| likes"
Being the patriarch of Lundley was
an enviable position; the misfortune
was that nobody could enjoy the honor
long, for a man or woman was sure
to be advanced in years before he or
she became the oldest inhabitant. Alb
SALON thought it was too bad that,
when his turn came, there was nobody
from the hall to stop him and ask him
his age, or to listen while he related
what he had seen seventy years before.
| He said it was just like his luck. for
| things had always been a bit awk-
ward with him. If he had a hen that
was better layer than usual. she was
sure to be one of those contradictory
creatures which would rather lay away
| than at home
Lundley people could endure the mis-
| fortunes of their neighbors with quite
an ordinary amount of euuanimity;
but, unfortunately for them, as they
sometimes said, what bit. one bit all,
and they were ready to render an
amount Of sympathy with Absalom
which took him by surprise.
Coverwood Guestwick, or the Squire,
as he was called, had not followed the
Guestwick custom of marrying young.
The villagers at one time were troubled
| in their minds lest he should remain
bachelor all his life. The only Guest
wicks whom they had ever heard about
who did not marry were said to have
| been a ''sorry lot" and fear was ex-
| pressed lest Coverwood should act in
| the same manner. To them. sequence
meant consequence, and they did not
| take pains to disentangle ideas which
were unwelcome to them and caused
them pain. But, at length, all need
| for nice distinction of inference was
removed by the Squire bringing home
a wife
'She is not more than half his age"
pened to be Absalom Enderby's uncle.
old Saul Barker, land there is some
| thing about halving ages and doubling
| risks, if I could only just put my
tongue round it."
Saul never did put his tongue round
| it, because he died soon afterwards.
and one of his deepest regrets was that
his place of honor would next be filled
by his own nephew, "a lad of S2,'
| The wife whom the Squire brought
home soon won the hearts of the peo-
| pie, and her husband appeared to love
her with that jealous love which was
customary with all the Guestwicks.
There never was a Guestwick," said
Absalom Enderby, who was not jeal-
Gus. But that is So just as the hall
is near the marsh. Things often look
| more than they are. I have known
| strangers come into these parts. and
| they thought the hall was unhealthy
| because of the mist; but that's all fam
| cy. The village is near the marsh,
| too and yet, barring asthma and rheu-
matics, and now and then a touch of
| ague there is not much TO he said