The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-08-03

vile ana the child. There was no ii
truth, Mr.. Holmes, in the conjecture
which seemed to US to be probable in
your rooms at Baker street. Mrs.
Rucastle is not mad. l found her to
be silent, pale-faced woman, much
younger than her husband, not more
than thirty, | should think, while he
can hardly be less than forty-five
From their conversation l have gath
cred that they have been married
about seven years and that his only
child by his first wife was the daugh-
ter who has gone to Philadelphia. Mr..
Rucastle told me in private that the
reason why she had left them was
that she had an unreasoning aversion
to her stepmother. AS the daughter
could not have been less than twenty,
cain quite imagine that her position
must have been uncomfortable with
her fathers young WIFE
Mrs Rucastle seemed to me to be
colorless in mind as well as in fea-
ture. She impressed me neither favor
ably nor the reverse. She was a
ninentity. 1t was easy to see that she
was passionately devoted both to her
husband and to her little son. Her light
gray eyes wandered continually from
| one to the other noting every little
want and forstalling it if possible. He
was kind to her also in his bluff, bois-
| ferrous fashion, and on the whole they
seemed to be happy couple. And yet
| she had some secret sorrow, this wo-
man. She would often be lost in deep
thought, with the saddest look upon
| her face. More than once | have sur
prised her in tears. l have thought
sometimes that it was the disposition
of her child which weighed upon her
! l.ind, for | have never met so utterly
spoiled and so illnatured little crea-
ture. He is small for his age, with a
head which is quite disproportionately
large. His whole life appears. to be
spent in an alienation between saw
age fits of passion and gloomy inter
walls of sulking. Giving pain to any
creature weaker than himself seems
| to be his one idea of amusement, and
he shows quite remarkable talent in
planning the capture of mice, little
birds, and insects. But l would rather
not talk about the creature, Mr.
Holmes, and indeed, he has little to
do with my story"
Il am glad of all Details remarked
my friend, whether they seem to you
to be relevant or not"
Il shall try not to miss anything OF
importance. The one unpleasant thing
about the house which struck me al
once, was the appearance and conduct
of the servants. There are only two
a man and his wife, Toller. for that is
his name, is a rough, uncouth man
with grizzled hair and whiskers, anC
a perpetual smell of drink. Twice
since 1 have been with them he has
been quite drunk, yet Mr.. Rucastlt
seemed to take no notice of it. His
wife is very tall and strong woman
with sour face, as silent as Mrs. Ru
castle, and much less amiable. The,
!, are most unpleasant couple, but for
tunately l spend most of my time il
the nursery and my own room, which
are next to each other in one corne
of the building.
!, For two days after my arrival a
the Copper Beeches my life was yer,
quiet; on the third, Mrs Rucastl,
came down just after breakfast ant
whispered something to her husband
"Oh, yes said he, turning to me
we are very much obliged to you
Miss Hunter, for falling in with GU
whims so far as to cut your hair
, assure you that it has not detracted il
! the tiniest iota from your appearance
> We shall now see how the electric
blue dress will become you You will
find it laid out upon the bed in you
, room, and if you would be so good a
7 TO put it on we should both be extreme
: ly obliged
> The dress which l found waitin
for me was of peculiar shade of blue
: 1t was of excellent material, a sort Q
beige, but it bore unmistakable sign
of having been worn before 1t coul
. not have been better fit if | ha
= been measured for it. Both Mr.. an
! Mrs. Rucastle expressed a delight a
: the looks of it, which seemed quit
. exaggerated in its vehemence. The
!, were waiting for me in the DRAWN
\ room, which is a very large room
stretching along the entire front {
: the house, with three long window
= reaching down to the floor A chai
), had been placed close to the centrs
= window, with its back turned towar