Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-03-18
CHAPTER XIV,

Henchard went home. He liahted biz
Ore and Sat abstractedly beside Il. He
had not cat there long when gentle foot.
step approached the house and entered the
passage, Q finger tapping lightly at the
door. Henchard's face Frightened, for hs
knew the motions to be Elisabeth's, She
came into bis room, looking pale and sad.
"Have you heardf' she asked. mrs.
Farfrae7 She is-dead! Yes, indeed.
about an hour ago."
II know Il. Ihave but lately come from
there. You must BE- tired with sitting up.
Go and rest In the other ROOM"
To please her father and herself the
lonely girl did % he babe her, and lay
down on sort Of couch which Henchard
had risged up out Of q settle In the id.
Joining room. She could hear him moving
about In bis preparations, but her mind
ran most strongly on Lucetta, whose
death, In such fullness Of life and amid
such cheerful hopes Of maternity, was
appallinsly unexpected. Presently she fell
asleep.
Meanwhile her step.father In the outer
room had set the breakfast In readiness;
but finding that she doxed he would not
call her; he waited on, looking into the Ore
and keeping the kettle boiling with house.
wifely care. as II II were IN honor to have
her In his house. In truth, great change
had come over him with regard to her,
and he was developing the dream Of III.
ture lighted by her filial presence, %
though that way alone could happiness
lie.
He was disturbed BY another knock at
the door. and rose to open II, rather depre.
eating call from anybody just then. A
stoutly built man stood on the Doorstep,
with IN allen. unfamiliar cir about bic 6S.
ure and bearing-an cir which might have
bssn called colonial By people Of cosmo.
politan experience. Henchard nodded and
looked inquiry.
"Good morning, good morning." ssid
the stranger, with profuse heartinse0. IL
Il Mr.. Henchard ! am talking tor
my name 10 Henchard."
"Then ! caught ye at home-thst's
right. Mornings the time for business,
says !. Can ! have q few words with
by oil MEANS" Henchard answered,
showing the way In.
you may remember mel" said his Vic.
itor, seating himself.
Henchard observed him indi6erently
and shook hia head.
"Well-perhaps you may not. Ny name
10 Newson."
Henchard's face and eyes seemed to die.
The other did not notice II. ~ know The
name WE'LL" Henchard said at last, lock.
Ing on the 6oor.
II make NO doubt Of that. Well, the
fact ID, I've been looking for ye this fort.
night past. went through Casterbridge
on my way to Weydon Prlors, and when
got there they told me you had some years
before been living at Casterbridge. Back
came again, and by long and BY late I
got here by coach, ten minutes ago. He
lives down by the MILL says they. 30
here am. Now-that transaction between
US some twenty years agone-'tis that
I've called about. Twas Q curious bust.
ness. was younger then than ! am now,
and perhaps the less said about It, In one
sense. the better"
Curious business? Twas worse than
curious. ] cannot even allow that I'm
the man you met then. ] was not In my
senses, and mans senses are himself"
I'VE were young and thoughtless," said
Newson. However. I've come to mend
matters rather than open arguments. Poor
Susan-hers was strange experience"
1T was"
"She was warm.hearted, homespun
woman. She was not what they call
shrewd or sharp at all-better she had
been"
"6he was not"
"As you In all likelihood know, she was
enough to think that TIE
sale was binding: She was % suiltlsss o
wrons.doins In that particular % saint
In the clouds"
II know It, know It. I found Il out
directly" said Henchard, still with avert.
Cd eyes. "There lay the sting OF to me.
II she had known the truth she would
never have left me. Never! But how
should shs be expected to know3 What
advantages had shef Nons. shs coul6
wSite hes own name, andfno more"
90 b conunuoAl