The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-03-12
A CROWN OF FAITH


Before ten minutes were over Miss vii
kinson had told the officers all about her
Aunt Tabitha, her large fortune, which
she could not touch for a year. the perfdy
of Richard, and the intolerable %surveil-
lance of Miss Pritchard and her teachers
The simple school girl had gained three
lovers in place of one. All the officers
We'd with one another in paying attentions
of the most respected kind to Jenny and,
finally, Major Barrett brought a kindly
matron. a visitor, on the scene. A sup
ger, and after that a spacious chamber,
with a maid to attend her, were allotted
to JeGIly for that night. The next morn
Ing Major Barrett hoped to be permitted
to escort the young lady to st. Martha's.
CHAPTER X.
Who and what was the young woman
in black, who, having ventuTed to seat
herself upon a low chair a little apart,
had listened to the whole of the talk,
and watched all the persons present, a
smile-half-nervous, half-mocking-on her
thin lips, a startled look in the cunning
blue eyes? She was alone PRESENTLY, for
the officers strolled away and Miss Will
kinson had left with the lady visitor.
She peered about the room, then pulled
some cotton from her pocket. and began
some kind of fancy work. 1t was very
late, but the young person in black went
or with her work and smiled to herself,
and every now and then paused to listen,
when steps or voices sounded in the large
mansion.
Once she got up to put coal or the
fire, and to stir it into a blaze; but pres
emily she sat down again, and resumed
her work. At last the door burst open
roughly, and a stout woman, in black
silk and Dill cap, came into the little
room-a woman of fifty, with red cheeks
and rather angry black eyes.
oh" she said, you are here still
1t is very late, ISM it, to be in a strange
house? l am the Lousekeeper-Mrs. Net
tleby-and / have had the hiring of all
the female servants at the Court, and OF
all the helpers who were wanted for this
ball. 1 never hired youv.
mo, madam"
"And certainly" with a glance at the
shabby black dress-'you were not asked
to the ball."
"Oh! no, ma'am, 1 was not invited
here"
WELL" said the housekecpcr, rubbing
her chin and scanning the cunning young
face thoughtfully; you seem very COOL
young woman"
mo, l have made the fire up" She
laughed as she said th~is-laughed in
solently, but as If she could not help it,
as though she was bursting with the tri-
umph Of possessing some concealed power.
Her had an irritating effect upon
Mrs. Nettleby.
You know very well I DON'T care
whether you are warm or cold. i mean
hat you are cool and insolent. l want
to know what your business is in this
house, unlimited. The police have laid
hold of Mr.. Leigh, the German teacher,
and he says his sister heard you call the
young master into the garden, and there
he was some time with you.' Miss Leigh
will have to come here tomorrow to swear
TO you"
us Arthur Calthorpe .dead?' asked the
girl %fippantly.
mo; and how dare you speak of him
as Arthur Calthorpe?5a creature like
you, l believe you know more about his
being hurt than you will say. 1 can
bear ~impudence! You seem a regular
brazen one, TO my thinking"
"Oh, thank you." The woman tossed
her head. and laughed. A little flush
came to her cheeks. and the long, cunnine
face looked rather pretty for a moment.
What do you want at I;eryl Court,
eh?"
Il never tell my business to strangers
But, young woman, 1t is my business,
as housekeeper, to inquire your business
here in the house on such an evening as
this especially after the dreadful occur
renee"
1T is very dreadful, certainly" observ-
ed the young person. smiling at the thread
which she was fastening off.
"Out of the house you go. Now listen.
Just now Mr.. Arthur woke up, and seem.
ed conscious, and so the policemen took
Mr.. Richard and the young German mas
ter to HIM, and asked him plainly if eth.
er of them was the man who struck him
And he said, No; l did not see the face,
but the man was much taller than either
of them. l saw him run away, and lear
the park paling, and dash into the wood
but Nellie Watson saw him. She knows
Then he tainted. Now, are you Nellie
Watson?'
NO, madam; that is not my name at
present"
"Mr. Arthur called you So"
We'll, he will have to alter his tone,
that's all; and if it should happen that
he is removed from this earthly scene, /
must explain matters to the earl"
DO you mean to i~nsinuate?"
II may as well tell you, plainly. 1 am
Arthur Calthorpe's wife. He has treated
me scandalously but he can's get out oil
it; l am his wife by Scotch law, which
is law for England, also. He wants to
get out Of it, but / have proofs and my
witnesses. 1 hope to be the Countess OF
Beryl some day, unless he happens to
die: but IL he does. why, the old earl
must make it up to me in money"
At that moment the door burst open,
and there rushed in Richard harrington,
or Calthorpe, as he was now known,
Lionel Leigh and the two detectives. The
detectives were calm, but the two young
men were excited. Lionel rushed up to
Nellie.
"Mr. Calthorpe is dying, and he asks
for you, madam. Nellie Watson, he calls
you"
That is moi my name, sir" ~rejoined
Nellie, bowling and blushing, while she
looked into the face of the tutor.
With a stately step, her long black
skirt sweeping after her, this odd creature
followed the two gentlemen and the de-
t~ectives to the yellow drawing room,
where Arthur Calthorpe, supported by pill
lows, white and CHASTITY, sat up, a pencil
in his hand, a blank book before him
The earl held his left hand. Friends
doctors, servants crowded round the vel
low sofa. Nellie walked up to it, and fix
ed her cleaning eyes on Arthur. She
smiled family. Arthur drew a long
breath, shivered, and pointed to Nellie.
"She is not my wife," he said.
Then ne tainted. And while the doc
tors were busy with him, the old earl
walked as fast as his govt would let him
= -. ArzI