The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-06-29

the acquaintance of Charles Dickens.
TT WAS a'close and sultry night ear
ly in August. And I. 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 q 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. I told her; and we parted.
"a Ten minutes later a carriage passed
me and a few yards beyond stopped
near a policeman. A man put his head
from the window and asked: Have
you seen a woman pass this way-a
womac in white? She has escaped
from my asylum" At shake of the
pollceman's head, the carriage drove
rapidly on.
The next day I was at Limmeridge
house, Cumberland, in the service of
Frederick Fairlie, Esq. I was there
to instruct his two young nieces in the
art of painting. I found Marian Hal
combe to be dark and ugly, but intel
ligent. Laura Fairlie, her half-sister,
was light, Pretty aud dependent. They
were devoted to each other, and be-
fore my engagement was up, I admired
the one and loved the other.
IS 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 a
teacher Of drawing, but because Lau-
"a Fairlie is engaged to be married"
a A few days before left Cumber.
land. while walking alone in the eve
ming, I 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
recognition Of an ominous Likeness:
between this fugitive from the asy
lum and my fair pupil at Limmeridge
house. Still greater was my conster
W nation when the woman admitted hav
ing come to the neighborhood for thu
sole purpose Of thwarting the proposed
marriage Of Laura Fairlie.
IA I left Limmeridge house, and soor
after embarked on an expedition t
Central America. The saRs year Ian
IA Fairlie became the bride Of 81
Percival Clyde. Bart, and with he
sister went to live at Blackwater park
her husbands country estate. COun
Fosco, an audacious and domineerini
italian, and his wife were guests O
the household. But all was not a
harmonious as an English country par
ty should be. Lady Clyde and her sis
ter. as inseparable and conading a
ever, felt a perceptible GOODNESS risinI
between them and the two gentlemen
Goodness turned to suspicion and sool
to fear.
Then it was that Lady Clyde me
the Woman In White. The mysteriou
person s.ole noiselessly up to her II
the twilight one evening and whis
pered: IF you knew your husband
secret, ne would be afraid of you. IL
would not dare use you rs he has use
me. ought to have saved you befor
I It was too late" Bur before the Sc
cret was told there were footsteps Il
the distance and the woman move'
stealthily away.
j Sir Fercival learced Of the brief in
terview. and was afraid OF his wife
He demanded, begged, threatened he
to tell him all she knew. What ha
been'a battle Of wits between the tw
sisters and the two men became
struggle Of strategy, and the wome
lost the fight. Lady Clyde was de
coyed into leaving Blackwater par
for Count Fosco's London home. Les
than two weeks later a tombstone 4
Cumberland bore this Inscription: "Sa
cred to the memory Of Laura, Lad
Clyde"
On my return from Central Ameelc