The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-03-26


the chimneyplace a little, quaint, wooden
dresser, with queer little cups, and mugs,
and jugs, hanging on brass nails. Before
the smoldering fire, a very old woman was
seated, knitting a stocking. She got up
with some alacrity when the young lady
entered, turned round, and showed a smil-
inc. old. brown face, surrounded by a
clean cap border. She bobbed a curtsy.
please to take a chair, missile"
NO; l think 1 would rather stand, Mrs.
Harrison | can't stop long. I've only
brought half a pound of tea. Don't you
think it's very good Of me?"
That It's. missile, bless your pretty
heart! and send you the finest nobleman
m London for a husband :"
Lionel Leigh looked down ct the brick
floor, and smiled. Ella saw the smile
saw the bitterness n the sadness which
formed its elements.
Mrs. Harrison, / wish / was TO be
married tomorrow. Coach and four milk
white horses, twelve bridesmaids, a box
OF diamonds, a great iced cake, a ball in
the evening. and the next day to be whirl-
ed of to France or Spain on a wedding
trip. Wouldn't it be jollyT"
She wheeled abour as she spoke, and
then began to inspect the little jugs, and
mugs, and cups, which hung upon the
wooden dresser. Then. passing close by
the side of Lionel-who, having placed
the basket on the ground, was standing
with folded arms, following with a somber
smile the movements of Ella-she said, in
a whisper:
Am / not a delightful, angelic crea-
ture? My sentiments express a superb
intelligence, a sympathy with what Is
noble and true. an appreciation for the
poetry of life."
Ella ran out to where all the children
were gathered about the gates. She tool
out her purse, and straightway dealt them
sixpence apiece all round.
"Gingcr-bread, bull's-eyes, and oranges"
said Miss Nycherly. you like those bet
ter than spelling and multiplication. Come
on. Mr.. Leigh. There is one more old
lady to whom we must dispense provis-
ions but she is bedridden and deaf. Don't
you think that 1 am an instructive kind of
young person, just the one to visit these
poor ignorant creatures, and teach them
the road they should walk in? Just turn
round and look at that group of young
faces. How they are all grinning over
their sixpences! If Miss Worthington
had been the dispenser those same faces
would each have heightened half a yard
OF more. She would have lectured them
on their shortcomings and misdoings; she
| would have threatened them with the ter
rors of the law, both human and divine.
Not a hole in their pinafo-es, not a
~,,v1o~ On tbo;r l;t+Io fooo- u-o,rr -.
escaped her criticism. Don't you think
they must like me a great deal the better
of the two?"
She did not wait for his answer, but
led on to the next cottage, where the
bedridden patient received her thankfully.
Now, Mr.. Leigh, we must go home,"
said Ella. looking at her watch. 1T
is four o'clock, and we dine at seven.
A short cut across the park will take us
home in less than an hour. No more
woodland rambles, and the empty basket
is light. and / am in a very good temper.
1t has done M good to see those children
delight over their sixpences. Mr.. Leigh.
how very silent you are! / have been
trying to distinguish myself in your eyes
and you look as glum as if you consid-
cred me stupid and uninteresting. if not
a most orthodox and imprudent young
person. Why don't you talk, Mr.. Leigh?"
II have nothing to say, Miss Wych-
erly."
THAT is a fb. You have a great deal
10 say, only you are afraid TO say it,"
She looked at him as she spoke, dan
gerously, out of her dark eyes. Lionel's
heart trembled within him. What did
this girl mean? What was this odd, fash
ing, beautiful creature, with her smiles,
and her %sallies. and her somber moodsy
1t seemed TO him at times that an ele-
ment of evil mingled with the atmosphere
| that surrounded her. Where il was and
what was it, he could not say. When
size looked at him SO dangerously, and
dared hin to speak, there was in his
soul n strange feeling. Was i. fear or
! sudden revulsion? What was it that made
his heart quake, and his blood run cold?
They had entered a shady alley in the
park. Ella suddenly stopped, clutched
him by the shoulder, and looked him in
the eyes. Her beautiful face was close
to his own. the red lips terribly near.
TIE mans whole soul was stirred within
hin.
~ have made up my mind to tell you
everything" said Ella. Il must have a
confidant-I must have a friend. You
know that night Arthur Calthorpe-"
"What-what?" cried Lionel, in wild
excitement.
Hush! don't speak so loud. Bot I
know how he was struck. and why. 1
will tell you all. Listen ="
She held up her finger. She was very
pale.
"Yo will never betray me?"
Her clutch upon his shoulder was so
desperate, that he carried the marks for
months, and her eyes were filed with q
light that made them beautiful with an
unearthly beauty.
Lionel. looking into the white face of
the girl he loved. read there a story, mys-
tic. perplexing. full of a shadowy horror
1t seemed that for Ella Wycherly the
summer day had no brightness, no heat.
Her eyes were fixed upon vacancy ; she
shivered in the fervent sunbeams; she
was, so it appeared, half-unconscious of
the presence of Lionel.
He, meanwhile, looked upon her face
with q certain .nameless, intangible w
What was it that he dreaded? He had
had his doubts before now in regard to
this most fascinating young creature
doubts vague, yet dreadful. Was she as
as noble, as truly innocent as she SEEM
ed? Was there some latent evil or cru
city lurking within her soul? Why was
she so curbed and ocerced by her mother
and her governess? There was a some
thing, a secret; and wherever there is a
secret there is a wrong, thought Lionel.
At last he spoke.
IF you would trust me- he said gent
ly, Il woul devote my life to do you
service. And" he added, half-bitterly {;
but you know that, Miss Wycherly."
He was right. Ella knew that she held
complete sway over his inmost thoughts,
that his heart, his hopes, lay all within
her power. Her lips moved, but she did
not speak still her dark eyes were fixed
on the far-off sunny landscape. Had
Lionel believed in ~second-sight, he might
| bo va fanciod that this heau.iful creature