Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-03-11
CHAPTER XIII.

, Lucetta met Henchard by accident
Nay or two later. 1t was In the bustie
bf the market, when no one could readily
notice their discourse.
"Aficbael," said she, II must again esk
you, what I asked you years ago, to re-
turn me any letters or papers Of mine
that you may have-unless you have de-
stroyed them. You must see how de-.
sirable II Is that the time at Jersey should
be blotted out, for the good Of all parties"
II have returned the whole lot Of your
letters"
II think not" she said, timidly.
II tell ye l returned every scrap OF your
Observation-Disclosures EN- long ago."
"Then never received them"
II sent them up to you In q packet BY
Elisabeth Jane, to be put into your hands
when you were passing through Caster.
bridge by coach-exactly o. you request.
3D."
"Ah! I did not take that journey Till
some days later"
''Then what did Elizabeth Jane do with
themT' said he. "You had better find
out"
Lucetta's anxiety was now to see Eliza
beth Jane, which there was not much
di6iculty In doing. She called BY request,
and then Lucetta learned how Farfrae, as
may be remembered, had offered to deliver
the packet to relieve Elizabeth from the
tedium Of waiting at the coach ONCE.
Henchard's thoughts were running on Q
parallel line with those Of poor Lucetta's.
A. soon az his work was over, he. too,
went to Elizabeth Jane, to make the In.
Quiry In which Lucetta had preceded him.
TO him also Elizabeth confessed that she
had been relieved Of the parcel by Far.
frae.
A grotesque grin shaped itself on Hen.
chard's face. The next morning he went
to the corn yard as usual, and about
eleven o'clock Donald entered through the
green door, with no trace Of the worship.
full about him. The yet more emphatic
change Of places between him and Hench.
ard which this election hs established
renewed a slight embarrassment In the
manner Of the modest younger man; but
'Henchard showed the front Of one who
had overlooked all this, and Farfrae met
him amenities halfway ut once.
II was going to ask ye," said Hench.
ard, "about a packet that once gave
my stepdaughter to hand to lady In the
Bath coach" And he added the particu.
lars.
"Ahv' said Farfrae; II do remember my
faults this day. could find no lady In
any coach; I called at your house to give
back the parcel; It was the very hour Of
Mrs. Henchard's death. I took It home,
the packet being undone, wrapped II up
again, and there II II now"
ut was not Of much conseQuence-to
me-" said Henchard. But I'll call for Il
this evening, II you don't mind"
II was quite late when he fulfilled his
promise. A curl Of sardonic humor hung
on his lip AZ be approached the house,
% though he were contemplating some
terrible form Of amusement. Whatever II
was, the incident Of his entry did not d.
minish Its force, this being bis nrst visit
70 the house since he had lived there %
owner.
Farfrae invited him into the dining
room, where he at once unlocked IN Iron
safe built into the wall, his, Henchard'a
safe, made by an ingenious locksmith I'M
der bis direction. Farfrae drew thence
the parcel, with repetition Of bis honest
apologies.
"Never mind" said Henchard. dryly
''The fact IL, they are letters mostly
Yes" he. went on, sitting down and un.
folding them, there they be. That
should ever see 'em again! I hope Mrs
Farfrae 10 well after her exertions Of
yesterday
"She has felt bit weary, and has gone
to bed on that account"
Henchard returned to the letters, sort
Ing them over with interest, Farfrae b.
ing seated at the other end Of the dining
table. "You don't forget, Of course" b.
resumed, that curious chapter In the his
tory of my past, which I told you Of, and
that you gave me some assistance In by
taking q journey to Budmouth? These
letters are, In fact, related to that I'M
happy business"
'What became Of the poor girl" asked
Tarfrae.
LUCKILY, she married, and married
well." said Henchard. $50 that these re
proaches she poured out on me do moi
now cause me any twinges, as they might
otherwise have done. Just listen to what
an angry woman will say"
Farfrae. willing to humor Henchard
though quite uninterested, and BURSTING
with yawns. gave well.mannered atten
ton.
"For me-" the letter went on, ''there l,
practically no future. A wife whose hus
band has vanished into thin air, who feel
Il morally impossible that she can be VIII,
Of any other man after going to the ALTA
with you, and who II yet no more you
wife than the 6rst woman you meet In tn,
street. Iquite acquit you Of any intention
to deceive me, yet you are the doc
through which wrong has come to me
That In the event Of your present wife,
death you will restore me to my true DO
sition IL consolation % far 90 II goes
but how far does It 60? Thus cit here
Q widow without the melancholy satisfac
ton Of husbands tomb"
He opened third and fourth letter
and read. This time he approached tn
conclusion 40 II the signature were In
deed coming with the rest. But again b
stopped short. The truth was that, o.
may be OWNED, he had quite intended Il
effect grand catastrophe at the end o.
this drama by reading out the name; h
had come to the house with no othe
thought. But sitting here In cold bloot
be could not do 1t. Such wrecking o
hearts appalled, even him. His qualit!
was such that he could have annihilatet
them both In the heat Of action; but Il
accomplish the deed by oral poison wa
beyond the nerve Of his enmity.
Lucetta leaned upon the baluster witt
her cheek against the smooth hand.rail
90 II she would make friend Of II In he
misery. Rigid In this position, more ant
more words fell successfully upon he
ear. But what amazed her most was tn