The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1921-06-23

TT WAS a'close and sultry night ear
ly in August. And l, Walter Hart
right, master of drawing, aged
twenty-eight, was walking from Hamp-
stead to London. In one moment every
drop of blood in my body was brought
TO a stop by the touch of hand laid
gently on my shoulder. There, in the
middle of the high road, stood wom-
an dressed from head to foot in white
garments. She asked me the way to
London. / told her; and we parted.
Ten minutes later a carriage passed
me and few yards beyond stopped
near policeman. A man put his head
from the window and asked: "Have
you seen a woman pass this way-a
woman in white? She has escaped
from my asylum" At shake of the
policeman's head, the carriage drove
rapidly on.
The next day was at Limmeridge
house, Cumberland, in the service of
Frederick Fairlie, Esq. was there
to instruct his two young nieces in the
art of painting. found Marian Hal
combe to be dark and ugly, but intel
Iigent. Laura Fairlle, her half-sister,
was light, pretty and dependent. They
were devoted TO each other, and be-
fore my engagement was up. admired
the one and loved the other.
My feelings were the cause of my
leaving Limmeridge house. Marian
Halcombe brought to me a realization
of my own heart. you must leave"
she said, mot because you are only
teacher of drawing, but because Lau-
ia Fairlie is engaged to be married"
A few days before l left Cumber-
land. while walking alone in the eve
ming, / was confronted by the same
face which had first looked into mine
on the London high road by night.
But I was startled less by its sudden
temperance than by my immediate
between this fugitive from the asy-
lum and my fair pupil at Limmeridge
house. Still greater was my conster-
nation when the woman admitted hav-
ing come to the nelghborhood for the
sole purpose Of thwarting the proposed
marriage Of Laura Fairlie.
/ left Limmeridge house, and soon
after embarked on an expedition to
Central America. The same year Lau-
IA Fairlie became the bride Of Sir
Percival Clyde, Bart, and with her
sister went to live at Blackwater park,
her husbands country estate. Count
Fosco, an audacious and domineering
Italian, and his wife were guests of
the household. But all was not as
harmonious as an English country par
ty should be. Lady Clyde and her sis
ter, as inseparable and confiding as
ever, felt a perceptible GOODNESS rising
between them and the two gentlemen.
Goodness turned to suspicion and soon
10 fear.
Then It was that Lady Clyde met
the Woman in White. The mysterious
person stole noiselessly up to her In
the twilight one evening and whis-
pered: IF you knew your husbands
secret, he would be afraid Of you. He
would not dare use you as he has used
me. / ought TO have saved you before
II was too late" But before the Sc
cret was told there were footsteps in
the distance and the woman moved
stealthily away.
Sir Percival learned of the brief In
terview, and was afraid OF his wife.
He demanded, begged, threatened her
TO tell him all she knew. What had
been. battle Of wits between the two
sisters and the two men became a
struggle Of strategy, and the women
lost the fight. Lady Clyde was de
coyed into leaving Blackwater park
for Count Fosco's London home. Less
than two weeks later a tombstone in
Cumberland bore this inscription: "Sa-
cred to the memory Of Laura. Lady
Clyde"
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