Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-05-11
CHAPTER XI.

Alice Maybcrry fingered on for weeks.
We never saw her, for she remained
wholly in her mothers charge. con
fined to the rooms which had been
assigned her. Everything which the
tcndrrcst solicitude and love could
have devised for her comfort and wei
fare were procured for her by her
husbands orders. At that time, OBJ
serving how cousiderate OF her well
being he was. and how constantly he
cndcavorcd to render her afIiiction less
intOlcrable. | often speculated as to
how much love for her might linger
in the depths of nature which was
no open book to me, even after !
had been subjected to a long aud inti
mate companionship with it Perhaps,
/ thought. Madam's conclusions had
been mistaken after all. and The pas
sion with which Alice Mayhcrry had
inspired him had gone deeper thun she
believed. and it's roots still chung TO
their places aud were throwing out
fresh shoots of tender regard.
Later ! learnt TO know how fallac-
ious were nay suspicious, and discover
ed beyond pcradycnture that nothing
instigated Darrac0tts magnanimous
conduct towards his erring wife but a
divine charity that held sacred and
unaccountablc Il creature so punished
by higher Dispensation. But ut that
time had no such cause for feas-
surance, and spent many Wretched
hours dwelling upon fear that was
Intolcrable TO me.
But these hours were not occupied
by speculation and reflection alone.
Mayhcrry utterly refused to share the
care of her daughter with i nurse,
and therefore her duties as house
keeper were sadly neglected. Madam
talked of procuring a substitute. but
/ saw that the idea of another strang-
err in the house, under existing cir
cumstances. was most unwclcome to
her. Therefore | proposed that !
should myself undertake the position
temporarily, and my proposition. after
some demurring on the grounds OF c&-
ccssivc employment, was gratefully nc
ccpted by Madam. The demands OF
double calling gave me little leisure
for my own affairs, and | was CRATE
full for occupation which took me out
of myself and allowed me almost no
time for retrospection.
After that one scene in the morning
room there were no tender passages
between Darracott and myself. He
was careful TO preserve a distant court
csy i'm his manner towards me, and !
held myself as aloof from contact
with him as possible. | had discovered
that association wiRl him bOded dang
cr to my peace OF mind, and the in
stinct of representation led me TO
avoid him.
On rare occasions he would join
.Ig.f,. -. n
cup of tea, and | was always hopeful,
at such times, of nearer rapproche
ment between mother and son. But,
alas. my hopes never fulfilled them
selves. While he never again for an
instant lost sight Of the final re
spect due a mother from her son, and
ever manifested the most cousiderate
thoughtfulness in his conduct towards
her. there never transpired any abridg
ment of the unnatural distance which
separated them. such as | was con
stnutly on the alert for. AS time went
on began to suspect that the presence
In her home of this son whose love
she was powerless TO win was a SOrer
trial to her than his absence had been,
and ] lamented in vain over the sad
situation; for | began to discover that
my beloved lady was by degrees los
| ing something of her strength and vi
| tality, and I feared greatly lest she
| should fade into weakness before we,
| her constant associates, should fully
| realise her condition.
mentioned my fears to Dr. Spencer,
| who had resumed a partial intimacy
| at The Ivics; but he seemed to think
| little of indications which had aroused
my apprchensions. Inability to con
| tinue her customary exercises, short
ness of breath, and a frequent and in
| voluntary placing of the hand over
| the region Of the heart, appeared to
| him but the natural result of the re-
| cent severe strain upon her emotions.
! was uneasy, nevertheless, and con
| tinued to watch her closely. One
afternoon. late in May, the season be
| ing unusually advanced, we were sit
| ting, Madam, DR.. Spencer and !, in the
/ far end Of the entrance hall, grouped
| about the French window of stained
| glass. one half OF which stood open
| TO admit what faiat breeze might be
| stirring. It wanted but n few minutes
of the dinner hour, and Darracott had
not yet put in an appearance. We
! were most costly established, and were
| engaged in a familiar, desultory dis
| cussion OF village affairs when. sud
denly, a light step came bounding
! across the turf outside, and in another
| moment wonderfully beautiful vision
filed the space left open to the even
| ing air.
That side of the window which had
! been set ajar was the one on which
was painted the form of the reDentaut