The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-04-14
(Continued)

The natural whiteness of the cross was
little clouded. here and there. by wealth
er-sta.ns: and rather more than one half
OF the square block beneath IL, on the
side which bore the inscription. was IN
however, attracted my attention at once
! by its singular freedom from stain or
| lmpurity Of any kind. / looked closer,
and saw that It had been cleaned recent
ly cleaned. In a downward direction from
top to bottom. The boundary line be-
tween the part that had been cleaned
and the part that had not. was traceable
wherever tho inscription left blank
space OF marble-sharply traceable as n
line that had been produced by artificial
means. Who had begun the cleansing
of the marble, and who had left IL un-
finished
looked about me, wondering how the
question was 10 be solved. No sign or
a habitation could be discerned from the
point at which / was standing: the bur-
playground was left I'm the lonely possess
ION OF the dead. | returned 10 the church
and walked round II till | came to the
back OF the building. then crossed the
boundary wall beyond. by another of the
stone stiles. and found myself at the
head OF path leading down into de-
serted stone quarry. Against one side
OF the quarry a little two-room cottage
was built; and just outside the door an
old woman was engaged in washing.
] walked up To her. and entered into
conversation about the church and burial
ground. She was ready enough TO talk;
and almost the first words she said IN
formed me that her husband filed the
two offices OF clerk and sexton. I said
few words next ia praise OF Mrs, Fair
IT,.
her head. and told me- that had not
seen It at its best II was her husbnad's
business 20 look after it. but he had been
so ailing and weak. for months and
months past that he had hardly been alb
10 10 crawl into church on Sundays 10 do
his duty: and the monument had been
neglected I'm consequence. ITc was got
tins a little better now. and IN a week or
ten days time. he hoped 10 bc strong
enough to set 10 work and clean a.
This information-eNtrac from a long
rambling answer. In the broadest Cum
berand dialect-told me all that / most
wanted To know I gave the poor wo-
man trne. and returned az once 10
Limmeridgc House
The partial cleansing OF the monument
had evidently been accomplished by n
strange hand. Connecting what 7 had
q discovered. thus far. with what I had
NNNpfflft Nlitr NftllNE lnF STORY OF the
ghost seen az twilight. ! wanted nothing
moro Co confirm my resolution 20 watch
Mrs. Fairlie's grave. I'm sacret that even
ing. returning 20 ~ AZ sunset. mi wait
INK Within sight OF u tin the night fcll
The work OF cleansing tho monument
had been left unfinished. and Tho person
by whom n had begun might return and .
complete &c.
ON getting back 90 tho house 7 INFORM
ed Miss lialc0mbc Of what I Intended to
DO. She looked surprised and uneasy.
while ] was explaining my purpose; bat /
she made no positive objection 90 tho /
execution ~ a. She oulv said ~ hopc
u may end well just as she was lcav- .
ING me again. ! stopped hcr 90 ln0ulrc.
as calmly as ] could. after Miss Fairies .
heaith Sho was iu better spirits: anI Il
Ms Halcombe houcd she might bo in.
duced 20 take "a little walking exercise
While the afternoon sun lasted.
returned 90 by own room. 20 resume
setting the drawings in order. m was
necessary 10 DO the. and doubttv nee.
essary 20 keep my mind employed on amy.
ming that would heip 10 distract IN, a.
tenuon from myself, and from tho hone.
less future that lay before mo From
Time 10 time ] paused in ms work 10
look out of the window aud watch the
SKY as the sun sunk nearer and nearer
10 the horizon. ON one Of those occa
sious ! snw "a figure on the broad gravel.
walk under my window. u was Miss
Fairilc.
/ had not seen her since the morning.