Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1904-07-16 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

CHAPTER VIII. e I e o Gertrude Flexmore's I I o Promise. o I  1 ®_e_o_o_...l  In her Leicestenshire home Gertrude speedily recovered her health. In a week's time she was able to go about among the old familiar scenes, and renew acquaintanceship with all the romantic and picturesque spots on her father's estate.  A.s her health improved, her spirits also rose, and as her father never made any allusions to her recent inistwa.ble experiences they soon began to assume a shadowy and indistinct aspect, as if they had only been the weird and fantastic fancies of some hideous nightmare.  Her long absence had been noted, however, and many conjectures indulged in as to its meaning by the gossips of the neighbourhood, the most of them the reverse of charitable. She noticed that none of her former intimates had ever called upon her since her return, and when she had chanced to meet any of them they had either returned her salutation with cold austerity or altogether ignored her. She began to realise the fact that the future could never be as the past had been. This depressing reflection began at length to tell upon her health, and she gradually sank into as low a physical and mental condition as she had been while under the treatment of Dr.  molar 144,  Her father at length noticed her de. !spondency, and spoke to her about it. " Gertrude," said he one morning, after she had part-1./I*n of the nberest apology for a breakfast, 'what is the cause of your despondency? Why la it that you are so silent and sorrowful? For the first week or two after your return you were in good spirits, and your health improved rapidly; lately you have been growing paler every day. Shall I send for Dr. Marvel to attend to you?" "His skill will be of no avail. You must take me away from hcre. I cannot stay among the old famPiar scenes, and meet the old familiar faces," she replied. "Why, Gertrude, I am sure there is no lovelier sc?nery in England, and all our neighbours are o/d frinds, whom you have known since 0151' hood."  "You do not understand, father. Thetti we may flatter ourselves that we have kept my miserable secret concealed, they have evidently heard some hisperinrps of it. I wads away for many weeks, and it is butt natural that they shouild wonder whore I was. The world is apt to put the worst construction O n everything. No explanation has been given for my absence, and I can see that it is the topic of much comment among my former friend.s." _ .  "Let the-m I>ahhLe to their hearts' content," s•ttici Sir Edward. "If we are satisfied, what need we care what others say or think ?"  "I wiA I could be indifferent to their opinion; but I cannot. They evidently consider me no longer worthy of their esteem; and, while that is so, I can never be happy here." Sir Edward did not speak for s.-yme time. His daughter's words surprsed and pained him. "You are right, Gertrude," he said at length. "We shall leave Bishopeat at once. I will shut up the place, and we shall henceforth make our home at my seat of Ribb;e.swade. It is a nice place • enough, though rather too far away from London. It is a good many yeiuns since you were there, and then you were but a girl. I dcni't suppose that any whisper of your indiscretion will have reached that remote corner of the kingdom." Gertrude rose ansl- approached her father, laying her' hand affectionately upon his shoulder. "Thank you, father," she said; "you have always been most kind and considerate to me. lam unworthy of such considers. "It will be better, perhaps, for both of us, Gertrude. I'll give instructions for e; erything to be got ready for our deporture at as early a date as possible."  In accordance with this resolve, Sir Edward gave the necessary orders; and for the next few days all was bustle and excitement at Risbopseet As Sir Edward considered it improbable that he should ever again reside there, he gave instructions that all the pictures and the meat valuable books on the shelves of the library should be packed up and taken to Ribb wade. The selection of the books he left to Gertrude, as she was more eon. Vexsant with the contents of the library than he. She was busy one forenoon when her father entered the library carrying a newspaper. Be was slightly excited, for as he approached her he seemed unable to find words in which to express himself, for he stood silent a moment, and when he did speak all that he cm/d say WRS to utter the words, " Road that," in $ hoarse whisper. Ho held out the paper to his daughter, pointing with his finger to a short paragraph which occupied a prominent position in the paper. Gertrude took the paper from him and reaorl as follows  " Suicide of a Gambler at Monaco.— We have received intelligence from Nice that the body of an ArnericA named Inglewood, was found on the 27th inst., CC the be/Loh, at a short  &tam< himself and tb4 Cognitic tbeia a gold ' on it body IT, named The pix tbe bod and the shock* affect ti estabilisl On re colour 1, would h  caught "It la  know of Edward. it would "I 611 inured a ber ?at  "Poor, end it wf this dreg me."  She ht  'ere in  the next following stairs ans  a the di aid than; he meal,  iose and after foil< " Gertr "I would [have sc portant* re .suffic:  "I will Ete ope  iom it-a 14 This,), of that rretebed 0 me on  rom Lan whatev it to ter papet ered int 4 word die  te paper. "If you low voio Sir Edw  re and lth eatis rude, I w tal promi at my sa aIIaPPY n  Ind; If ya She hesi "It ia t  rtrucle.  nown, it ntl ambit Still she "Why w 4 ask to need till  lwarance lappiness. bat under rill you kluti me, 01l anyone this dea _" I proni  AG  [tie grea it np, Or of .1A zniore.