The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-08-17
Che Story Of beley Croft


Heley Croft Is the best old house IN the
Town Of Fensham. It il . quantity ga0led
structure Of Elisabethsn date. covered with
white stucco and wistaria, ana aoutting
tight on the main street Of the town at Its
.Suncture 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 al
most embedded in its crooked walls Other
wise. the house 10 surrounded on two sides
with a garden-a genuine old-fashioned at
fair with lawn like velvet and the shade
bf some venerable elms.
When Whyte took the place he had just
purchased a partnership with the Beddards.
the family solicitors of Fensham. and he
had also just married q young wife. saw
2 good deal of the Whytes about this time.
Curtously enough, had known them both
years before they hrst knew each other
and surprised their friends by their mu-
tual attachment. 1t was . strange mar
fiage. for Tommy Whyte was a smart. level
headed man of the world, and Margaret
Mrs. Whyte l suppose I should call her
was a successful opera singer. an ethereal
beauty. who had been wholly wrapped IN
her art since she was a child. ana whose
purity Of character and superb voice mad
captivated the world as soon as sne ap-
peared behind the footlights. In ordinary
affairs she was a baby, but she and tommy
got on like turtle doves
I see from my diary that it was Oct II
when the story of Heley Croft began for
me. 1 had had heavy day for country
town-41 patients; and, feeling tired In the
evening, l stepped across the street after
dinner to have a chat and cigar with
Whyte.
This is providential. old man." was his
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 ease my mind II you would have
q look at her.
I smiled at the young husbands anxiety.
but received shock when he had hunted up
Mrs. Whyte She had the pallor and heavy
expression of sleeplessness, and sat In q
listless attitude; but, worse than that, her
beautiful eyes had acquired foreign ex-
pression-one Of abject terror. Her wnoie
bearing was utterly strange to her, ana
could not ascertain that there was anything
to account for her indisposition. Her state
was a puzzle. 1t seemed that Whyte mao
gone up to town the previous day on Dusi-
ness. and had been detained over night. out
not unexpectedly. When he arrived nome
he found his wife Just az l had seen ner,
and not syllable of explanation could she
offer.
We sat up chatting long after Mrs. Wnyte
had retired to rest, at my suggestion: and
WHITE explained to me- with agitated ex-
preston, that she had imperatively desired
him to occupy a spare bedroom wnlch
looked out into the street, while she mad
gone to her usual chamber. This was on
the other side Of the house, and had Dig
window commanding the garden.
81 humored her. of course" he said. out'
all 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 to be MT
for work tomorrow. 1 can see 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 says she won't see you
with little romancing I dare say !
can find a reason for coming, laughed
''Dont worry yourself"
Well, next day I went to Heley Croft
again in the evening" and I found Whyte
had worried himself. His wife was worse
much worse. She had just the air of a
woman thoroughly run down, and her fixed
gaze of horror was quite trying 20 look at.
She appeared about five years older, too.
The Transformation in "a hours was so
marked that it gave me disagreeable sur
prise, and the unfortunate husband was
quite distracted.
''She persists" he confided to me, that
she will be alone at night, and 1t was
during last night that she got SO much
worse. 1 never heard a sound. although l
had sleepless time myself through anx-
iety."
1 prescribed a mild tonic and change
of scene for few days, for really there
was nothing in the British Pharmacopoeia
to meet the case as far as could make
out.
honeymoon, and 1t made the Beddards
grumble when he took himself off for an
other week; but he went with his wife to
Malvern, where an intimate friend of mine
is in practice. There was no need to con
suit him, for Mrs. Whyte got rapidly bet
ter, and looked 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 somehow divest my mind of the idea
that there was some connection between the
two solitary nights and the illness We
might have SdVeu ourselves the trouble The
servant made no complaint.
met the Whytes at the station acct
dentally when they returned, and was 90
much treasured that began to feel rathe,
foolish at having been so very interested
In the case. Judge Of my establishment
therefore, when at breakfast table next
morning the following note was handed
to me from Tommy
'Dear Aspley: Come across NJ orco -,
Gods sake! Margaret is much worse than
before IT W.
I fastened across to Heley Croft and
Whyte himself met me at the door look
ing terribly alarmed.
1T is worse than ever" he said ss h1
conducted me inside. Maggie would he
alone last night. and when l got IN this
morning she was simply deathly. Wha,
the dickens can be the matter?''
The patients appearance more than con.
f1rmed his words. She was in shocking
state of prostration, and could scarcely rise
or speak.
Tom" I said. II want a confidential
chat with your wife,
He took the hint and went out We sal
In her old-fashioned. oak paneled boudoi,
or morning room, and l plunged into thu
matter at once.
My dear lady" 1 said, ''if your husband
had to defend case he would require t.
Know all the facts, whichever way the,
might tell, and then use his own Judgment
Now, forgive me, you are keeping some.
thing back You must be cured: but We
cannot get at the seat of tho tro,,h,. 81,