The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
The STORY QE HELEY CROFT

| the town at its juncture with North
lane. At the end of the North-lane front
Of Heley Croft there are two or three
cottages which run up into the corner Of
the croft. one being almost embedded i'll
it's crooked walls. Otherwise, the house
is surrounded OH two sides with Il garden
ii genuine old-fashioned affair, with
lawn like velvet and the shade of some
venerable elms.
When Whyte took the place he had
just purchased partnership with the
Beddarls, the family solicitors of Fen
sham, and he had also just married a
young wife. l saw IL good deal of the
Whytes about this time. Curiously
enough, | had known them both years
before they first knew each other and
surprised their friends by their mutual
attachment. 1t was strange marriage,
for Tommy Whyte was Il smart, level
headed man of the world, and Margaret
Mrs. Whyte [ suppose | should call her
u -.N a successful opera, singer, an
wrapped in her art since she was q
child. and whose purity of character ind
superb voice had captivated the world
as soon as she appeared behind the foot
lights. In ordinary affairs she was Il
baby, but she and Tommy got on like
turtle doves.
| see from my diary that It was De-
tober II when the, story of Heley Croft
began for me. had had heavy day
for, a country town-forty- patients:;
and. feeling tired i'll the CIV enihs,
stepped across the street after 1inNer to
haye a chat and cigar with Whyte.
greeting. MY wife has been upset, all
day, and would not hear Of my, sending
for you. She says there's nothing the
matter; but it would e,tse my mimi if
you would have look at her."
l smiled at the young husbands anx-
lety, but received shock when he had
palor and heavy expression of sIeepless-
hess, and sat in a listless attitude; but
worse than that, her beautiful eyes had
acquired a foreign expressioh-oiie of alb
ject terror Her whole bearing was ut
terly strange to her, and l could not as
certain that there was anything to nc
count for her indisposition. Her state
WAS Il puzzle. 1t seemed thai WHITE
had gone up to town the previous day on
business, and Mad been detained over
night but not unexpectedly When he
arrived home he found his wife just as
had seen her, and not syllable of expla-
nation could she offer.
we sat up chatting long after Mrs.
Nhyte had retired to rest. ut INV sugges-
ton and N'hyte explained to me, With
agltated expression that she had impera-
lively desired him to occupy a spare bed
room which looked out into the street.
while she had gone to her usual chamber.
This was OIL the other side of the house,
and had big window commanding the
garden.
II humorcd her, of course" he said;
but. all the same, l do not understand
the wish. She seemed SO very intent
upon it,
NO doubt replied, "she is only
afraid of restlessness, and wants YOU to
be tit for work tomorrow. can see she
n; poor night last night. will look
But listen, Aspley," objected WHITE.
She says she is not ill, and that there is
no need to see you further professionally.
IN fact: she says she won't see YOU"
with little romancing, dare saw
can ca, tina reason for coming" l laughed.
Don't worry yourself.'
Well next day l went to Heley Croft
had worried himself. Els wife Vas
Worse-much WORSE. She had just the
air Of a woman thoroughly run down,
and her fixed gaze of horror wAs tuite
trying to look at. She appeared about
i've years older: too. The transformation
| IN tWenty-four hoars was so marked that
it gave me a disagreeable surprise. and
!
| tracteti s
She persists he con6ded to me, "that
she will be alone at might. and i vas
during last nirht that she got so much
worse. never heard sound, although
| mad 4 sleepless time myself through
| prescribed a mild tonic and chance
of scene for a few days, for really there
was nothing in the british Pharmaco-
| Docla to meet the case as far as T could
make out.
.Whyte had only just come home fren,
ms honeymoon, and it made the Bed
| dards grumble when he took himself off
tor another week; but he went with his
friend of mine is in practice. There wa
no need to consult him. for Mrs. Whyte
got rapidly better, and locked almost
| herself when she returned to Heley
| Croft. While she was away, too, we
tried little experiment, and invented an
excuse for putting one of the servants in
| her room at night, for | could. not sone-
how dlyest my mind of the idea that
| there was some connection between the
two solitary nights and the illness. We
might have saved ourselves the trouble
| The servant made no complaint.
| | met the Whytes at the station acci-
dentally when they returned, and was
so much treasured that l began to FEEL
| ~
| tercsted in the case. Judge OF my aston
lshment, therefore, when at breakfast
table next morning the following note
was handed to me from Tommy:
| Dear Aspley: Come across at Once,
t fIa GG %af9x sake! Margaret is much worse
1 fastened across to Heley Croft. and
ing terribly alarmed.
| ut is worse than ever" he said as he
conducted me inside. "Maggie would be
alone last night and when I got IN this
morning she was simply deathly. What
the dickens can be the matter?"
! Inc patients appearance more than
confirmed his words. She was in a
shocking state of prostration, and could
scarcely rise or speak
chat with your wife"
He took the hint, and went out, We
sat in her old -fashioned, oak paneled bou-
| doir or morning room, and plunged into
| the matter ht once.
MY dear lady, 1 said, 'if your hus-
band had to defend case he would re-
e"ire to know. all the facts, whichever
| way they might tell, and then use his
| own Judgment. Now, forgive me, Won
are keeping something back You must
be cured; but we cannot get at the seat
Of the troubleatil we know all about it.
| have been. hiding from Tom"
| Her whole frame trembled and shud-
| dered; but she made no answer.
l. pressed the matter again, and then
she spoke, in little more than a terrified
whisper: ''-'e0
"Dr. Aspley," she murmured, "you
would not believe me. It is too horrible"
ION the contrary" replied, ave doc
tors have to believe what seems to he
Impossible every day. 1 won't rest till
YOU" ~ 'e''e'e
She shuddered again.
;s " t!I;nn , she said. ut is horrible! 1t
1T may kill you if you won't lot mo
h help xhI :; Iep phed,a but there is no rea
Dr. Aspley she ' osk .et me ter nght it,
her beautiful but horror-struck ewes.
can you fight occult powers?"
"Certainly,' l said. ,"Why not? o.
tions.' ~-, - =
There were, fortunately, no theoso-