The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-05-27
THE WOMAN IN WHITE
BY WILLIAM w. COLLINS.

Catherick!" she repeated. as, II had not
heard her "Oh, Marian, / have such
things 10 tell you. Come away--we may
be Interrupted here-come at once into
my rcom.'
With those eager words. she caught me
by the hand and led me through the ii.
brary. 10 the end room on the GROUND
floor which Md been h,ted ~ up FOR r, her own v.n
maid, could have any excuse Tor surpIls.
ing us here. She pushed me In before
her. locked the door. and drew the ehintz
curtains that hung over the inside
The strange. stunned feeling which had
taken possession OF me still remained. But
a growing conviction that the compllca'
tions which had long threatened TO gather
about her and to gather about me, hao
suddenly closed fast round us ootn, was
now beginning 10 penetrate my mlno.
SSogd not expgesz Iss,e u aimiy IN my o owD
thoughts Anne Catherick! | whis'
pered TO myself. with useless, helpless re-
iteration--'Anne catherlck. eco, 80
ottoman I'm the middle OF the room
Look" she said; look here and point
ed to the bosom of her dress.
brooch was pinned in ITS place again
There was something real in the sight OF
II. something real In the touching or IL
whiri and confusion in my thoughts. and
TO help me TO compose myself.
Where did you find your broochg' Tht
first words I could say TO- her rs",,e, Were the n,
words which put that Trivial question al
the important moment.
she found 1t, Marian
"Where?"
"on the floor of the boathouse. Oh
how shall begin--how shall / tell you
about IT? She talked TO me so strangely
she looked so fearfully hl-she left me
so SUDDENLY
Her voice rose as the tumult OF her
recollections pressed upon her mind.
The inveterate distrust which weighs
night and day, on my spirits In this
house instantly reused me TO warn her
Just as the sight OF the brooch had reused
me 20 question her, the moment before.
Speak low" / said. The window Is
open. and the garden path runs beneath
It. Begin at the beginning, Laura Tell
me. word for word, what passed between
that woman and you"
Shall I close the window frstr'
Moor speak low ;only remember that
under your husbands roof Where did
you first see her?"
IA the boat-house, Marian. / went out.
a you know, TO find my brooch: and /
walked along the path through the plan-
tation. looking down on the ground caro-
fclly at every step. In that way got on,
after a long time. TO the boat-house; and
o $ soon as / was inside II ! went on my
knees to hunt over the floor. I was still
searching, with my back to the doorway,
when / heard a soft. strange voice, be-
hind me. say Miss Fairlie.'"
Miss Fairlie!"
"Yes-my old name-the dear, familiar
name that ! thought had parted from
forever. started up-not frightened. the
voice was too kind and gentle to frightet.
anybody-but very much surprised
There. looking at me from the doorway.
stood q woman, whose face / never re-
rIembered to have seen before"
How was she dressed?"
''She had neat, pretty white gown on,
and over IL poor worn thin dark shawl.
Her bonnet was OF brown straw, as poor
and worn the shawl. l was struck by
the difference between her gown and the
rest Of her dress, and she saw that no
ticed H., Don't look at my bonnet and
shawl, she said. speaking in quick.
breathless. sudden way: If I mustn't
wear white don't care what ! wear.
Look at my gown as much as you please;
I'm not ashamed OF that. Very strange,
was IL not? Before | could say anything
TO soothe her she held out one OF her
hands, and ! saw my brooch in II. / was
so pleased and so grateful, that l went
quite close to her TO say what / really
felt Are you thankful enough to do me
one little kindness?' she asked. Yes. In
decd I answered: any kindness in my
power i shall be glad to show you Then
let me pin your brooch on for you now
4 nave IDuHu IL, lttT request was 81
expected. Marian, and she made II with
such extraordinary eagerness, that /
drew back step or two. not well know
ing what to do. 'Ah? she said, your
mother would have let me pin on the
brooch There was something In her
voice and her look. as well as In her
mentioning my mother in that reproach-
ful manner. which made me ashamed OF
my distrust ] took her hand with the
brooch in It. and put 1t up gently on the
bosom of my dress. You knew my
mother | said. Was IL very long ago?
have / ever seen you before? Her hands
were busy fastening the brooch: she stop
ped and pressed them against my breast.
You don't remember a fine spring day
at Limmeridge.' she said, and your moth
er walking down the path that led to the
school. with n little girl on each side OF
her? have had nothing else TO think OF
since: and | remember IL. You were one
OF the little girls. and | was the other.
Pretty clever Miss Fairlie. and poor
each other then than they are now
Did you remember her. Laura, when'
she told you her name?"
'Yes--I remembered your asking me
about Anne Catherrick at Limmeridge,
and your saying that she had once been
considered like me-
What reminded you OF that. Laura"
she reminded me. While ! was looking
at her. while she was very close to me.
IL came over my mind suddenly that we
were like each other, Her face was pale
and thin and weary--but the sight OF II
startled me, as If II had been the sight of
my own face In the glass after a long
Illness The discovery don't
know why-gave me such a shock. and
was perfectly incapable OF speaking TO
her for the moment"
"Did she seem hurt by your silence?'
I'm afraid she was hurt by IL. You
have not got your mothers face. she said
'or your mothers heart Your mothers
face was dark; and your mothers heart.
Miss Fairlie. was the heart OF an angel
r am sure 7 feel kindly towards you
I said. though 7 may not be able 20 ox-
press II "a 7 ought. Why do YOU call
me Miss Fairlie--g Because | love the
NAME ~ r.afrlfa and hate tho name OF