The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-07-08

4
whether Mrs. Clements had communicat.
ed with Mrs. Todd during the past few
months. How Mrs. Clements had been
separated from Anne. II was impossible
Tor us TO say; but that separation once
snected. II would certainly occur 10 Mrs.
Clements TO Inquire after the missing
| woman I'm the neighborhood OF all others
to which she was known TO be most at
! tached-the neighborhood OF Limmeridge.
| saw directly that Marfan's proposal Of
fered us prospect OF success. and she
wrote TO Mrs Todd accordingly by the
| days post
While we were waiting for the reply. I
made myself master OF all the informa-
tion Marian could afford on the subject
of Sir Percival's family and OF his early
life. She could only speak on these topics
| from hearsay. but she was reasonably
certain OF what little she had TO tell.
Sir Percival was an only child. His
father Sir Felix Clyde. had suffered
from his birth. under a painful and in
durable deformity. and had Stunned all
society from his earliest years. His sole
happiness was In the enjoyment OF music
and he had married a lady with tastes
similar TO his own. who was said TO be
most accomplished musician He inherit-
ed the Blackwater property while still
young man. Neither he nor his wife, az
ter taking possession, made advances OF
any sort toward the society OF the neigh
borhood. and no one endeavored to tempt
them into abandoning their reserve, with
the one disastrous exception OF the rector
OF the parish.
The rector was the worst OF all nno-
cent mischief -rr1akers-an overzealous
man. He had heard that Sir Felix had
left college with the character OF being
little better than revoutionist in poll
tics and an infdel in religion, and he ar
rived conscientiousy at the conclusion
that IL was hts bounden duty to summon
the lord OF the manor 10 hear the sound
views enunciated I'm the parish church.
Sir Felix lercely resented the clergy
mans well-meant but ill-directed inter-
ference. insulting him go grossly and so
publicly that the families In the neigh
borhood sent letters OF indignant remon-
STRANGE TO the park and even the tenants
on the Blackwater property expressed
their opinion as strongly as they dared
The oaronet. who had no country tastes
or any kind. and no attachment 10 the !
estate, or to any one living on It, de- |
clared that the society at Blackwater |
should never have a second chance OF an |
noying him. and left the place from that
moment
After a short residence I'm London. he
and his "ire departed for the continent,
and never returned 10 England again
They lived part OF the time in France,
anS part In Germany, always keeping
themselves in the strict retirement which
the morbid sense OF his own personal de-
formity had made a necessity 10 Sir
Fellx. Their son, Percival. had been born
abroad. and had been educated there by
private tutors His mother was the hrst
of his parents whom he lost His father
had died few years after her either IN
NO or 1926. Sir Percival had been in Eng
ANA, as young man once or twice be-
ore tnat period; but his acquaintance !
with the late Mr.. Fairlie did not begin
,lil after the time of his fathers death.
lhey soon became very intimate. al
.hough Sir Percival was seldom. or never
It Limmeridge House in those davs Mr.
frederick Fairlie might have met him
'hce or twice in Mr.. Philip Fairlie's
company. but he could have known little
y him at that or any other time Sir Per
NaIs only intimate friend in the Fairlie
amily had been Laura's father
These were all the particulars that 7
ould gain from Marian They suggested
lothing which was useful To my present
'urpose, but ] noted them down careful ,
" IN the event Of their proving TO be OF
Importance at any future period
MT Iodds reply addressed hv our
"n wish. 10 postofice at some dis
ance from us) had arrived AT its destina ,
, ,oh when l went to apply for H. The
hances. which had been all against nc
itherto. turned. from this moment IN ,
ur faVor Mrs Todd's letter contained :
ne nrst item Of information Of which
'e were I'm search
Mrs Clements. II appeared. had (as we
al conjectured) written 10 Todd's cor ,
er. asking pardon. i'm the first place FOR =
10 abrupt manner in which she and Anne
al left their friends a. the farmhouse
IN the morning after I had met the =
oman In white in Limmeridee church
ardD; and then informing Mrs Todd Of r
nne's disappearance. and entreatlnr !,
lat she would cause inquiries 10 be made
the neighhorhood. on the chance that )
le lost woman might have strayed back O
) Limmeridee. In making this request G
RS. Clements had been careful to add
II the address at which she might {
ways be heard Of: and that address q
RS. Todd now transmitted 70 Marian n
was in London. and within an hours r
ak ~ our lodging
In the words Of the proverb. I was re . g
lived not Ia let the grass grow under o.
V feet The next morning I set forth 10 m
ELK an interview with Mrs Clements =,
his was my first step forward In the
vestigation. The story ~ the desperate .
tempt ~ which | now stood committed
gins here.
D.