The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-07-11


Heley Croft is the best old house In
the town of Fensham. Ii is a quantity
gabled structure of Elizabethan date
covered with white stuco and wistaria
and abutting right on the main street
of the, town at dts 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 In It's crooked walls. Other
wise, the house is surrounded on two
sides with a garden--a genuine old
fashioned affair, with lawn like velvet
ana the shade of some venerable elms.
When Whyte took the place he had
Just purchased a partnership with the
Beddards, the family solicitors OF Fen
sham. and he had also jlst married a
young wife. | saw good deal OF tlt
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. IL was a strange marriage,
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 oper singer an
ethereal beauty. who had been wholly
wrapped IN her art since she Was a
enid, ana whose purity of character
and superb voice had captivated the
world as soon as she appeared behind
the footlights. In ordinary affairs she
was baby but she and Tommy got on
like turtle doves.
1 see from my diary that II was Oc-
tober IL when the story of Heley Croft
began Tor me. i had had "A heavy day
Tor country town-forty- patients.
ana, feeling tired IN the evening, /
stepped across the street after dinner
In have "A chat nd al.
This is providentiel. 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 moth
ing the matter: but 10 would ease my
mind IL you would have a look at her"
l smiled at the young husbands an
xiety, but received shock when we
had hunted up Mrs. Whyte. She had
the pallor and heavy expression OF
sleeplessness. and sat in a listless atti-
1ude; but worse than that her beauti-
ful eyes had acquired foreign express
sion-one OF abject terror. Her whole
bearing was utterly strange 10 her, and
i could not ascertain that there was
anything to account for her indisposi-
ton. Her state was a puzzle. II seemed
that Whyte had gone up TO town the
previous day on business, and had been
detained over night. but not unexpect-
edly When he arrived home ne found
his wife just as ! had seen her. and nor
syllable OF explanation could she Of
fer.
We sat up chatting long after Mrs.
Whyte had retired TO rest. at my sug-
gestion; and Whyte explained to me
with agitated expression. that she had
lmperatively desired him 10 occupy "A
spare bedroom which looked out into
the street. while she had gone to her
usual chamber This was on the other
side of the house and had a big win
dow commayding the garden.
Il humofed her, of course" he said.
but, all the same, do not understand
the wish. She seemed so very intent
upon it,"
mo doubt" | replied. "she is only
AFRAID or restlessness. and wants You
10 be ht for work tomorrow. / can see
she had poor night last night | 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 profess !
slonaIly, In fact, she says she won't |
see you"
With a little romancing. dare say
i can hnd reason for owning I !
laughed. Don't worry yourself
wen, next day went 10 Heley Croft |
again IN the evening. and | found |
Whyte had worried himself. His wife |
was worse-much worse. She had just /
lne ar OF woman thoroughly run
down. and her fixed gaze of horror was
qurte trying 10 look at Sac appeared
ABOUT nVe years Older. too. The trans
Ioffnatlon In tWenty-four hours was so
marked that IL gave me a dsagraaable
surprise, and the unfortunate husband
was quite distracted
she PERSISTS he confded To me
that she will he alone at nigh and !,
was during last night that sh, got so
lluch worse. never heard a sound al
though had "a sleepless time myself
through anxiety"
prescribed n mild tonic and
ehahge or scene for few days for
really there was nothing in the British
Pharmacopoeia to meet the case as far
as ] could make out
Nhyte had only just come home from |
nus honeymoon, and il made The Rcd
uafus grumble when he took himself
OF Tor another week; bu. nc went w'th
sni ,na VIE 10 malvern, where an intimate
irlend or mine Is i'm practica. There v,ss
no need TO consult him, for Mrs. Vhvt,,
Sot rapidly better and looked alntost
nefset when she returned 10 Helev
troft. While she was away. too NC
trled little experiment. and lnysnted
an excuse Tor putting one OF the SER
wants In her room at niphs. for 7 co,Ia
not somehow divest my mini az ,h| |
iuea that there was soma connection
between the two solitary nights AMI tbn
illness We might have saved ourseI,ss
,ne , trouble. The servant made no com
l met The Whytes at the station ac-
cidentaly when they returned an1
was SO much treasured that I began a. |
ieel rather foolish at naving been So
nelg interested In the case. Judge of
NY astonlshment, therefore. when al
breakfast table next morning the fol-
Tommy: N t'Vni
Dear Aspley: Come across at ,rco
Tor Gods sake. Margaret is muoh
worse than before.
IT. w"
! fastened across TO Heley Croft and
Whyte himself met me III the dUor
looking terribly alarmed
1T is wousa than ever" he safI as ba
conducted me inside Maggie wo,Ild
DE- alone last night. and when got up
ms morning she was simply deathIy
What the dickens can be the mattcr?''
Tho patents appearance more than
'Onfirmed his words She was i'm a