The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-04-29

entered its peaceful street 1t wore
distinctly old-world air. At the end
of the church yard wall stood the typ
ical village blacksmith, brown faced
and brawny swinging his hammer
with musical clang upon his anvil set
beneath great chestnut tree in full
bloom; further along stood the schools,
from the playground OF which came
the joyous sound Of children's voices;
and across the road was the only inn,
the Sussex Arms, where on more than
one occasion | had spent an hour in
the bare and berry tap room, chatting
with the garrulous village gossips, the
burly landlord and his pleasant spouse.
The air was heavy with the scent OF
June roses and the old-fashioned flow
ers growing in cottage gardens, while
the lilaes sent forth perfume that in
my perturbed state of mind brought
me back to realization of my bitter
ness. Lilac was Elias favorite scent,
and it stirred within me thoughts OF
her. How, wondered, had she borne
the news of Dudley's tragic and mystic
rious end? How, I wondered, would
she greet me when next we met?
Yet somehow distrusted her, and as
I walked on through the village to-
ward the Ockley road, noddng me-
chanically to a man knew, was Sc
riously contemplating the ACCESSIBILITY
of never again seeing her. But I
| loved her, and though l strove to rea-
son with myself that some secret tie
existed between her and Beck, found
myself unable to break off my engage
ment for was held in her tolls by the
| fascination of her eyes.
For fully an hour l walked on, as
cending the hill swept by the fresh
breeze from the Channel, only turning
back on finding myself at the little
hamlet at Kingsfold In that walk
tried to form resolutions; to devise
some means to- regain the confidence
OF the Earl, and to conjecture the
cause of Dudleys death, but all to no
purpose. The blows that had fallen
in such swift succession had paralyzed
me. / could not think, neither could
l act
Repassing the Sussex Arms turned
in, dusty and thirsty. In the bare tap
room, deserted at that hour, old Den
man, a tall, tight-trousered, splay-
looted, gray-haired man, who drove
the village fly and acted as hostler and
| h pIu q ha hnc to1r VIC c
busy cleaning some pewters, and as
entered looked up and touched his
hat
We'll, Denman," l said you don't
seem to grow very much older, eh?"
The man, whose hair and beard were
closely cropped, and whose furrowed
face had habit Of twitching when he
spoke, grinned as he answered;
mo, sir. People tells me bear uE
wonderful well. But won't you come
into the parlor, sir?"
Declining, told him to get me some.
thing to drink, and when he brought
it questioned him as to the latest news
in the village. Denman was an invet
crate gossip, and in his constant drives
in the rickety and Anticipated vehicle
known as "the fly" to villages ant
towns in the vicinity, had knack o.
picking up all the news and scanda
which he retalled at night for the de
location Of customers at the SUSSEX
Arms
Il dunno as anything very startling
has happened lately in Warnham. Thu
tumble sale came off at the schools las
Tuesday fortnight, and there's crick
ct match up at the Lodge next Satur
day. Some gentlemen are coming
down from London to play"
Anything else?"
Denman removed his hat an,
scratched his head
ooh, yes" he said suddenly. "Yo,
known Mr.. Macandrew, what's stewar,
for Mr.. Thornbury? Well, last Mon
: day week an old gentleman called &
his house up street and asked to Sc
him. His wife asked him into the par
lor, and Mr.. Macandrew went in. Ar
you Mr.. Macandrew? says the oil
gent. I am says Mr.. Macandrew
Well, l shouldn't ave known you
says the old man. And 1t turned GU
" afterward that this old man was actu
ally Mr.. Macandrew's father, who
lived ever so many years in America
and hasn't seen Mr.. Macandrew sine
he wor boy. l did laugh when
heard it,"
Extraordinary! Have you had an
!. visitors down FROM London?" inuuir
ed, for sometimes people took tn
houses of the better-class villagers fur
nished for the season.
I'VE had lively young gent stayin
here in the inn for four days last weel
He was friend of somebody up a
the Hall, think, for he was there
good deal. He came from London.
wonder whether you'd know him?"
( What was his manner"
Funny NAME" Denman said, grin
ming. "Ogle. Mr.. Ogle."
s "ogle!" gasped. What his Chris
} tian name?"
( Dudley, fancy 1t was"
} Dudley Ogle," l repeated, remen
bering that he had been absent frol
Shepperton for four days, and ha
( told me he had been in Ipswich visi
ing some friends. "And he has bee
here?"
s Yes, sir. We made him as comfor
able as we could, and / think he Ell
( joyed hisself."
} But what did he do? Why was /
( down here?" inquired eagerly.
do you know him, sir? Jolly ger
tleman. isn't he? Up to all manner