Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1907-01-25
CHAPTnR II.-lContInnad. !

starred passion. His manner to women
was naturally tender, and to Grace, with
her destinations unconsciously brought to
bear upon him, dangerously warm. That
he never for one moment had outstepped
the bounds Of friendly intercourse Grace
attributed entirely to the self-restrAint
imposed by his inferior positions but she
did not doubt he loved her in secret.
While at dinner he told them, jokingly,
as he had told Edith, that the parish
wanted him to marry. Lady Avon re-
marked, in answer, that he could not do
better; parsons and doctors should al
ways be married men.
Yes, that's very right, very true" he
returned in the same jesting tone. "But
suppose they have nothing to marry
uponT
But you have something, Mr.. Baum
garten."
yes, I have two hundred a year and
no residence"
The rectory is rather bad, believe"
see it,
Mr.. Dane ought not to have allowed
It to get into that state" she remarked,
and the subject dropped
AFTER dinner Mr.. Baumgarten stood on
the lawn with Grace, watching the glories
OF the setting sun. Lady Avon, indoors,
was beginning to doze; they knew better
than to disturb her; this after-dinner
sleep, which sometimes did not last more
than ten minutes, was of great moment to
her, the doctor said.
Mr.. Baumgarten had held out his arm
to Lady Grace in courtesy as they be-
gan to pace the paths, and she took it.
They came to a halt near the entrance
gate, both gazing at the beautiful sky.
their hands partially shading their ewes
from the blaze Of sunset, when a little
man dressed in black with white neck
tie was seen approaching.
Why, here comes Moore"" exclaimed
Grace.
He was the clerk at the Great Whitton
church. Limping up to the gate, for he
was lame with rheumatism, he stood
/ there and looked at Mr.. Baumgarten, as
/ If his business lay with him. But Grace
withdrawing her arm from her compan-
ion, was first at the gate.
1 beg pardon, my lady, l thought it
right to come up and inform the countess
OF the sad news-and I'm glad did. see
Ing you here, sir. Mr. Chester Is gone,
my lady"
"GOne!" exclaimed Grace. "GOne
where 2"
He is dead, my lady-he is dead, sir.
Departed to that bourne whence no trav-
eler returns" continued the clerk. wish
Ing to be religiously impressive and be-
heYing he was quoting from Scripture.
Surely It cannot be !" said Mr. Baum
garten.
/ "Ay, but it is, sir, more's the pity.
And frightfully sudden. After getting
/ home from afternoon service, he said he
felt uncommonly tired, he couldn't think
why, and that he'd not have his tea till
later In the evening. He went up to his
room and sat down in the easy chair there
and dropped asleep. sweet, TRANQUIL
/ sleep 1t was, to all appearance, and Mrs.
Chester shut the door and left him. But
after an hour or two, when she sent up
to say he had better wake up for his
tea, they found him dead. The poor old
lady is quite beside herself with the sud-
denness, and the maids be running about
all skies and seyens."
II will go down with you at once
Moore" said Mr.. Baumgarten.
"But you win come back and tell us
and tell us how Mrs. Chester isl" said
Lady Grace, as he was passing through
the gate.
Yes, certainly, If you wish It." he
answered, walking away with so feet a
step that the clerk with difficulty kept up
with him.
Il fancy it must have been on his mind.
sir" said he; mot direct, perhaps. but
some inkling like of what was about to
happen. This afternoon, when I'd took
of his surplice in the vestry I went and
put things to rights bit in the church
and when / got back into the vestrv 70
lock up, | was surprised to see the rector
still there, sitting opposite the outer door.
! WHICH stood open to the churchvard
Don't you feel elI,sirY said l. 'Ob' YES
I'm WE'LL he answered, but I'm tired
We must all all get to feel tired when
the end of our life is at hand, Moore. and
mine has been long one Yes, II has
sir, and happy one, too said. thank
God With that he rose up from his chair
and lifted his hands towards Heaven
looking up at the blue sky. Thanks he
to my mereiful God he repeated, sol
EMMY, in a hushed sort of tone. For
that, and all the other blessings of nv
past life on earth, thanks be unto Him +
With that, he took his hat and stick and
walked out to the churehyard," concluded
the clerk, 'leaving me a bit dazed as
'twere, for l had never heard him talk
like that before he was not the sort o
man to do It."
Within an hour Mr.. Baumgarten was
back at Avon House. Lady Grace was
still lingering in the garden, in the sum-
mer twilight. he told her in a hushed
voice all he had to tell Of the general
Utate of things at the reotory, Of poor Mrs.
Chester's sad distress.
mamma is expecting yOu," said Grace.
Il broke the news to her but she wants