The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-04-16
THE WOMAN IN WHITE
BY WILLIAM w. COLLINS.

4, heard mother speak OF him. Father? Ah'
/ dear! he is dead, suppose
And your mother?'
! Il don't get on well with her. We are a
: trouble and a fear 10 each other
\ trouble and "A fear 10 each other! Al
! those words, the suspicion crossed my
/ mind for the first time that her mother
| might he tho person who had placed her
under restraint
Don't ask me about mother" she
went on. "Id rather talk OF Mrs Clements
Mrs Clements is like you, she doesn Z
think that ought 10 be back in the asy-
um and she is as glad rs you are that
/ escaped from a.. She cried over my mis-
fortune and said IL must be kept secret
from everybody"
Her misfortune" In what sense was
she using that word. In a sense which
might explain her motive In writing the
anonymous lcttcrH I'm a sense which
might show n q be the too common and
too customary motive that has led many
a woman 10 interpose anonymous hindr-
ances TO the marriage or the man who
has ruined her? resolved 20 attempt the
clearing up OF this doubt before more
words passed between us on either side.
what misfortune?" I asked
"The misfortune OF my being shut up"
she answered, with every appearance OF
feeling surprised at my question. what
other misfortune could there be?'
I
forhearingly az possible. IL was OF very
great Importance that | should be abso-
lutely sure OF every step I'm the investiga-
tion which now gained in advance.
There Is another misfortune" said,
"to which woman may be liable. and by
which she may suffer lifelong sorrow and
shame"
What is IT." she asked, eagerly.
THE misfortune OF believing too inno-
Gently I'm her own virtue, and I'm the
faith and honor OF the man she loves"
answered
She looked up at me with the artless be-
wilderment OF child. Not the slightest
confusion or change OF color: not the
falntest trace OF any consciousness OF
shame struggling to the surface. appeared
In her face--that face which betrayed ev-
cry other emotion with such transparent
clearness. No words that ever were
spoken could have assured me as her look
and manner now assured me- that the
motive which had assigned for her writ
ing tho letter and sending II to Miss Fair
lie was plainly ands~<ts tinctly the wrong
one. That doubt at any rate was now set
at rest: but the very removal OF II opened
n new prospect OF uncertainty. The let
pointed at Sir Percival Clyde. though II
did not name him. She must have had
some strong motive. originating In some
deep sense OF injury, for secretly de-
nouncing him to Miss Fairlic. In such
terms as she had employed-and that mo-
tive was unquestionably not TO be traced
10 the loss OF her innocence and her char
acter Whatever wrong he might have
inflicted on her was not OF that nature.
OF what nature could H. be7
IL don't understand YOU" she said. af-
ter evidently trying hard, and trying in
vain to discover the meaning OF the words
had last said to her.
It'd xoA Txnl
on with what we were talking about. Tell
me how long you stayed with Mrs. Gle
ments I'm London, and how you came
here"
How long?" she repeated. II stayed
with Mrs Clements TIL we both came to
this place. two days ago"
You are living In the village, them" 1
said. ut is strange ] should not have
heard OF YOU, though you have only been
here two days"
mo. no: not IN the village. Three miles
away at a farm. DO you know the farm?
They call II Todds Corner"
remembered the place perfectly; we
had often passed by IL In our drives. 1t
was one OF the oldest farms In the neigh
borhood, situated in n solitary, sheltered
spot. inland at the junction of two hills.
"T'hey are relations Of Mrs Clements
at Todd's Corner" she went on. ''and
they had often asked her TO go and see
me with her. for the quiet and the fresh
air. IL was very kind, was Il not? /
would have gone anywhere 10 be quiet.
and safe, and out OF the way. But when
heard that Todd's Corner was near
Limmeridge-oh! ! was 80 happy / would
have walked all the way barefoot to get
there. and sec the schools and the village
and Llmmeridge House again, They arc
very good people at Todd's Corner. |
hope shall stay there n long time. There
is only one thing l don't like about them,
and don't like about Mrs. Clements"
What In it,"
They will tease me about dressing all
In white-they say n looks 30 particular
How do they know? Mrs. Fairlie knew
best Mrs Fairlie would never have made
me wear this ugly blue cloak! All! she
was fond OF white I'm her lifetime: and
here IL white stone about her grave--and
| am making u whittier for her sake. She
often wore white herself: and she always
dressed her little daughter I'm white. IL
Miss Farlie well and happy? Does she