The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-11

good cheer which would be cheated on the morrow. will himself knew that his Christmas dinner would differ in no way from the hard fare Of other days. He had very little money, as he had been unfortunate of late in having his writings returned, and he was consider- l ing whether he would use the money in buying his next days dinner or employ 1t in going down to Essex. Ellen must be at the Hall." he thought, as | he looked out of the window with un- seeing eyes. Mrs. Trail would not dare to ask me unless Ellen had given | her permission. But why should Ellen wish me to return to the scene, of my disgracef She never truly loved me, | or she would have believed in my in- noncence. It is impossible that she can have learnt the truth. But did | she know that I took Franks burden on my shoulders for her sake and for the sake of her dear mother. surely she would welcome me again. Shall l gor A wrestling with thoughts and feel ings followed. T will go." he decided at length, and there was shining light | in his eyes, T am sure this unex- | pected message means that the time or sorrow is over. Ellen, no doubt, means to take me back to her heart. But | dare I tell her that am innocentr' He smote his hands together in per- plexity. NO! To do so should have
 to betray Frank. He is dead. and dear Mrs Manners has passed away, but
 Ellen would grieve bitterly did she know the truth. have borne much. and I shall bear in silence to the end. If Ellen welcomes me I will spend happy Christmas, and when we part
 again more kindly feelings will be left l behind I will go."
 ! And he did go. Late that afternoon
 he walked to Liverpool Street Station
 dressed in his best clothes, which were
 poor enough, and carrying a small valise containing a change of linen. He did not know if Ellen would invite
 him to stop at the Hall, but he had
 enough money to procure a nights
 lodging. Yet he sighed when he
 thought how dearly he would like to
 sleep in the room which had been his
 in the dear dead days. And. although he was obeying the message, Will was
 puzzled to know why Mrs. Trail had invited him. She had given but scan- ty information in her letter, and had made no mention of Ellen Manners. Yet
 Mrs. Trail must have known. How
 ever, Will. trusting that the message was from God, walked hopefully on.
 and took a third-class ticket to Ender-
 we'll
 This was a small waSside station five
 miles from Laybourne, and on arriving
 there at o'clock Will shouldering his
 valise trudged bravely along the road,
 which he had known. So well twenty | years before. He saw people in the dimly-lighted streets of Enderwell buy ing their Christmas cheer with bright
 faces, and even on the dark highway he heard voices singing carols which
 brought back the past years. Every
 one was joyful and gay. whether rich | or poor, and the peace of the season seemed to abide in every heart. Ii was truly a Christmas that Dickens | with his great tender heart would have
 loved. Looking up into the starry | frosty sky, Will almost expected to see | the glorious band of angel messengers | proclaming the great news to the | doubting world.
 | As he trudged between the Ieafiess
 hedges and over the frozen snow. his heart grew light and swelled in his breast with joy. He would see dear little Dorothy. whom he loved SO well;
 he would see again the old Hall, where
 he had spent so many happy hours, and 1 above all he would gaze again on that
 dear face which had haunted his sleep-
 less pillow through many weary years Sad as had been the past. uncertain as 1 was the future, the mans faith made him happy.
 | So. merrily he trudged along, and once found himself singing under his
 breath carol of joy and hope. Ev- anywhere voices seemed to be hymn ing the season. On the common. as he walked betweerr the gorse and fern
 crunching the hard snow with swift steps. he heard snatches of song from | belated peasants homeward bound Will knew many of the faces of those who passed; but what struck him most was the absence of children. These should certainly be everywhere on Christmas Eve. But he did not see one until he came within sight of the Park gates. Then a child peered into
 the wanderers face as he came within