The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-07-17
THE WOMAN IN WHITE

BY WILLIAM w. COLLINS.

been prying into my private affairs. You
think you have found a lost woman 10
| deal with, who lives here on surerance
and who will do anything you ask for
fear you may inJure her I'm the opinions
| OF the towns-people. ! see through your
! precious speculauon-l do! ana IL
! amuses me. Hal hal'.--
She stopped for a moment; her arms
frightened over her bosom. aand she
laughed 90 herself-a hard. harsh. angry
laugh.
You don't know how have lived In
this place, and what have done I'm this
place. Mr. What s. your name" she went
on. I'm tell you, before / ring the bell
and have you shown out 1 came here
a wronged woman. ] came here robbed
of my character, and determined TO claim
II back. I've been years and years about
it-and have claimed Il back. have
matched the respectable people fairly and
openly, on their own grounds. IL they
say anything against mo now, they must
say II in secret; they can't say IL, they
daren't say it openly. I stand high
enough in this town 20 be out OF your
reach.
The Clergyman bows TO me.-Ahal you
didn't bargain for that when you came
here. Go TO the church and inquire about
me-you win ind Mrs. Catherick has her
sitting like the rest OF them. and pays
town hall. There's a petition lying there:
a petition OF tho respectable inhabitants
against allowing circus to come and
perform here and corrupt our morals:
yesl our morals. / signed that petition
this morning. Go TO the boolSselling shop.
The clergyman's Wednesday even lectures
on Justification by Faith are published
there by subscription--rm down on the
list The doctors wife only put a shilling
In the plate at our last charity sermon
! put half a crown. Mr.. Church-warden
Seward held the plate, and bowed to me-
Ten years ago he told Pigrum, the
chemist, ought 10 be whipped out OF the
town at the carts tnh. Is your mother
alive? Has she got a better Bible on her
table than 1 have got on miner Does
she stand better with her tradespeople
than i do with miner Has she always
lived within her income? have always
lived within mine. All there is the
clergyman coming along the square.
Look, Mr.. Whats-your-name-loo IL you
pleasel'
She started UP, with the activity OF a
waited till the clergyman passed: and
bowed TO him solemnly. The clergyman
raised HIS hat and walked
on. Mrs. Catherick returned TO her
chair. and looked at me with a grimmer
sarcasm than ever.
fIntre! sne baiu. Wnat 90 you tnink
OF that for a woman with a lost char
acter7 How does your speculation look
noY2,.
The singular manner In which she had
chosen TO assert herself. the extraordl-
nary practical vrndication of her position
in the town which she had just offered
had so perplexed me that / listened to
her in silent surprise. I was not the
less resolved however. TO make another
effort to throw her off her guard. II the
woman's fierce temper once got beyond |
her control and once famed out on me !
she might yet say words which would put |
the clew In my hands
How does your speculation look now7' |
she repeated.
Exactly as II looked when first came |
in,' / answered.
II don't doubt the position you have |
gained in tho town. and don't wish to |
assaI II even II l could. came here