The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-02-13
A CROWN OF FAITH


When Lionel stood in the street, look
ing up at the gloomy sky. and hesitating
about an umbrella. Mrs. Clayton came
INTO the porch and signed to him with
uplifted lsIger.
Mr.. Leigh, rot a word, please, about
that cupboard door. You see. if they get
tales of ghosts about, it will injure the
sale Of the business, if my husband wishes
to part with It, which he may do"
Il win not say a word, Mrs. Clayton
And Lionel went his way. The rain
kept off. There was a warm though
clustering wind, and he decided to walk
the two miles to Woodmancote village.
and TO Wycherly Hall, which last old
mansion was his destination that day.
Three times a week, between the hours
Of eleven and one, Lionel Leigh, professor
Of languages. gave a lesson in German to
Ella Wycherly. only child and sole heir
ess of Colonel Wycherly, of Wycherly
Hall.
Nearly always there sat in the room an
English lady, called Worthington. a tall.
gaunt, pale person, of middle age. Such
q rattlepate as Richard harrington would
have spoken of this lady as high in bone
AID spare in flesh, q blue stocking or the
5luest, a spinster OF the sour order.
Lionel Leigh was not of that stamp.
He never Knocked at what was faded, and
sad, and joyless but b had not an atom
OF liking for Miss Worthington. An at
nosphere of cold opposition TO him and
his every word. and look, and unspoken
thought, pervaded that lady's whole be-
ing. She seemed TO move and breathe IN
frosty air.
Lionel Leigh entered the Wycherly
Woods. They were wide and rich, pictur-
esque and lovely in summer and autumn !;
but now, In the late November, the trees
were nearly stripped. the birds had fiown
to the south and, as Lionel strobe over
the dead leaves and listened to the wind
signing and rocking the branches high
above his head, it seemed to him chat he
was treading on the raves of dead hopes,
and that the grand old Wycherly Wood
wasNa great cathedral, where a requiem
was chanted by choirs of spirits
Suddenly he heard steps-steps which
set his heart beating. his blood rushing
through his veins, and tingling at his I'm
ger ends, and then came fear, n the
wish TO escape and hide-that incompre-
hensible c~owardice of first love before it
Is sure OF its object.
Down the steps, coming to meet him,
with smiling lips and outstretched hand,
and the haunting eyes shining with a
warm, soft light which did not always
dwell in their depths-f1r they could
dash with scorn. and cloud with pride.
and sparkle with mockery-Ella Wych-
erly advanced to the sward close to
Lionel, and positively her hand was plac-
ed in his-her small, ungloyed hand-it
was r. first time, the very first time,
that he had so held it
MIR. Leigh, no lesson to-day, please.
Mamma has one of her dreadful head
aches: she is very Ill. Papa is with her.
and DIT. Dundas, and Miss Worthington."
She was pulling to pieces a little twig
plucked off a bush as she spoke, and look
ing at the grass. To say that Ella
wycherly was beautiful does not express
the charm, the grace, the fascination Of
her manner-does not impress one with
an idea of the wonderful sweetness of her
voice. 1t was a beautiful face, with a
bloom. a delicacy, a softness of complex
ion seldom equaled. with an exquisite
mouth, and small, pearly, glittering teeth,
with the daintiest of little noses. with the
l~oveliest eyes and e~yelashes. and dark
eyes, black in shadow. Then dark-brown
hair was wreathed about the small, su-
perb head in many folded plaits- She
wore a green cloth costume, Il hat and
feather Of the same.
81 will walk through the woods with
you. Mr.. Leigh" she said, "and will
take you to my own little summer house.
I have one that was built purposely for
me when 1 was a child. I used to keep
my dolls houses there; now l keep books
my favorite books: and l have a little
piano. I have a fire lighted there every
day all through the winter, whether l so
there or not. Will you Gomez
Lionel bowed, and muttered something.
he did not know what. He seemed to
tread on air: and while he walked now
over the fallen leaves with his young
~enchantress by his side, it sounded TO him
as IL the winds amongst the topmost
bows had tuned their voices TO a heaven
~ melody, and were singing of hope and
ecstasy, a future paved with gold and
strewn with roses
Ella walked along silently. Her dark
eyes were On the fallen leaves. CHANGING
sideways at her. Lionel perceived that
they glittered with tears, n that he
corners of the sweet mouth trembled.
1T have one question 20 ask you, Mr..
Leigh" said the heiress suddenly.
"