New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-02
THE STORY OF HELEY CROFT.

From Chambers's Journal
Iolov Croft is the best old house in the town
of Fensham. 1t is quantity gaDlea sti t,uoo
Of Elizabethan date covered with "hlte SUI SUI
and wistaria and abuttng right on the Ihd.u
street of the town at its tuncture WIN NoI 20
Lane At the end of the North Lane no.' ~.
HoIev croft there are two or three cottages
which run I'D into the corner OF the Croft, one
being almost embedded IN its crooked vans
Otherwise the house is surrounded on TWO siues
with a gardcn-a genuine old-lashl0heu alaii,
Win lawn like velvet and the shade OF some
venerable elms. ia tue. mr.
When Whyte took the place he had JUST puI :
chased partnership with the Beddards the
family solicitors of Fensham, and ne mao als0
lust married a young wife. ! saw COCO uea
of the Whytes about this time. CuriousIy
enough | had known them both years peioie
thev first knew each other and surprised thelr
friends by their mutual attachment II was
strange marriage, for Tommy Whyte Was d
smart level headed man of the world, ana Mar
paret-Nrs Whyte | suppose should call her-
was a successful opera singer, an ethereal Deau.
tv who had been wholly wrapped III nel ar
since she child, and whose purlt! Oh cna i,
octer and superb voice had captVated the "oIlo
az soon as She appeared behind the footiiehts;
In ordinary affairs she was a baby but she anu
Tommy got on like turtle doves. -
| see from my diary that it was October II
when the story of Heley Croft began for me
had had heavy day Tor country low .T" a,.dng
one patients and. feeling tired in the evening.
! stepped across the street after dinner 10 nave
a chat and cigar with Whyte
This is proVidential, old man., was ms greet
ing NV wife has been upset all day, and
would not hear of my sending for you Sne
saws there's nothing the matter; but IL would
ease my mind if you would have a look AT her.
| smiled at the young husbands anxiety, but
received shock when We had hunted up Mrs.
Whyte She had the pallor and heaVy EXPIRES
sion Of sleeplessness. and sat in llstless atu-
.ude. but worse than that her beautful eyes
had acquired a foreign expression one oI az.
ject terror Her whole bearing was utterly
strange to her. and | could not ascertain that
there was anything to account for her lndlspo-
stion Her state was puzzle III seemed mat
Whyte had gone up to town the previous day
on business and had been detained over night,
hut not UNEXPECTEDLY. When he arrived home
he found his wife just as | had seen her. and
not a syllable of explanation could she offer
We sat up chatting long after Mrs. Whyte
had retired to rest. at my suggestion; and
Whyte explained to me- with agitated EXPIRES
sion that she had mperatively desired him to
occupy spare bedroom which looked out into
the street while she had gone to her usual
chamber. This on the other side Of the
house and had big window commanding the
garden. a., -
the same | do not understand the wish She
seemed so very intent upon it.
mo doubt" ! replied "she is only afraid OF
restlessness. and wants you 10 be fit for work
tomorrow. | can she had poor night last
night l will look in again tomorrow"
But listen. Aspley' objected Whyte she
says she is not i'll. and that there is no need
to see you further professionally. In fact, she
saws she won't see you"
with a little romancing, dare say can
a
worry yourself
Wen. next day went to Heley Croft again
=, the evening and | found Whyte had worried
himself His wife was worse-much worse. She
Had lust the air OF a woman thoroughly run
down. and her fixed gaze of horror was quite ,
irving TO look at She appeared about five
years older. too The transformation in TWEEN /
ty-four hours was marked that 1t gave me a
surprise and the unfortunate hus r
Sand was quite distracted.
"She persists" he confded to me, that she .
will be alone at night, and it was during last
night that she got so much worse. never heard
sound. although had a seepless time myself
through anxiety"
I prescribed mild tonic and a change OF
scene for a few days, for really there was moth
ing in the British Pharmacoppia to meet the
case as far as could make out.
Whyte had only just come home from his
honeymoo and ii made the Beddards grumble
when ne took himself off for another week; but
he went with his wife to Malvern. where an
intimate friend OF mine is in practice There
was no need to consult him, for Mrs. Whyte got
IA pdy better and looked almost herself when
she returned to Heley Croft. While she was
away too tried little experiment and in
vented an excuse for putting one OF the ser
wants in her room at night for / could not
somehow dvest 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 accidentally
phen they returned. and was 30 much treasured