Year: 1874

been almost thankful for such solution
of the affair The next few words, how
ever, convinced me of my mistake.


"Can | see her ?" inquired the man,
gravely, his fudded brains appearing to
have become cleared a little by the great
ness Of his loss "If | had thought her
to have been so bad, would not have
gone up.street to the ale house


you couldn't have saved her, Alec
naught could have saved her, and naught
but harm could come now Of going to
look at her.


The only thing to be done is to keep all
quiet. She is n heavy loss to me and
the brands but we shall be well nigh
ruined if the inn folks should be frighten.
cd away from us.


The inn folks! Here was family
who evidently derived their living from
the customers at the inn. The man per.
haps had boat for hire; the woman
doubtless took in the washing of the visi.
tors--our washing amongst others
Whether it was smallpox or scarlet fever,
we were equally doomed if any article
was used from that cottage and silently
resolved that it should not be used. The
things from the wash, the landady inform
cd me, would be sent ,me toward the
end of the week and in the meantime !
would devise some excuse for leaving
Clovelly without if possible, giving any
shock to poor Lucy.


"But how are we to help the inn folks
and every one else from knowing it 2"
urged the man. I'VE must get the cer-
tiicate-"


whist Come in. I've plan to
manage that Then the door closed bo.
hind him, and | heard the steps of both of
them ascending some rickety stairs to the
upper floor.


Though almost breathles5 with terror,
| contrivcd to stagger away from the
hateful house, the very touch of which
seemed to be contagious, and reached the
bench Of which had spoken, at tho top
Of the steps, and there sat down to think
the matter out,


The atmosphere was as heavy as wool,
and dry as Gidcon's fleece. How the
morrow's sun would scorch up that mar
row street, and fructify the seeds Of dis.
ease and death The least itching in my
limbs or features seemed to be the precur-
sor Of smallpox, and every flush the
herald Of scarlet fever. | saw Lucy e
frightened look when the news should Grst
be told her of tho enemy that had made
its appearance amongst US, and her hopeless
face as she bent over her dying boy. OF
course it was wrong and wicked in me,
and showed great lack of faith but at
all events my tears were not for myself.
thought of the delicate mother and her
frail child, and Of her dear handsome
Frank smitien down in his youth and
happiness.


OF course we could not leave the vii.
lage that night, but resolved to hasten
our departure for the projected picnic as
much as possible, and that, once away,
we should never return to Clovelly. |
would tell Frank what had happened at
the place it had been agreed en- that we
should dine, and then he would break the
news to his wife, and then we would take
up our quarters clsewhere-in some town
thathad resident doctor-and await oul
fate. II the disease was in the air, as the
papers said we should probably carry it
with us but at all events we should be il
a better position to combat it than where
we were at present. To 10 10 Olo~oliy
as it seemed to US, was to lie down in ou
coffins at once and indeed there was no
much more room to turn round in it
My morbid faucy pictured sad process
sion winding up that very street, carryir,
on their shoulders dreadful something
with white pail up,u it, and which con
tanning our little Baba.


When l reached tne-i | found to IN,
great relief, that all our party had retire,
to rest F.; for. indeed, to have to convers
cheerCully with any Of our dear ones wit
such burden on my mind would be al
ordeal but the good landlady was u


and about, and as brisk as usual.


I'm afraid. ma am, you won't get you


clothes from the laundresses quite S


soon as had expected" were her frs


W ords, "ior her sister, who helps her wit


the washing, has fallen i'll All the sma


things shall, however, be sent withou


fail, she says"


My heart seemed to stop beating, We
} | somehow contrived to say that ther


was no hurry about the things. If s
much as Il collar or pair OF cuffs ha
come | would have burned them with III
! own hands. occupied myself at one
with packing up not only my own cloihe
but all Of Lucys that | could lay hand
, on, in order that they might be ready t


send after us, and then retired to bed
not to rest, but to think aud fear.
In the morning, Frank got up betme.


as was his custom, to 20 down to BATH
As he ran whistlng down the stairs,
f thought with IA shudder how he woul
have to pass the infected house, aud PEI
, haps bring back with him the very per
] from which | would have preserved him
still | dare not speak. knew his ner,
| Gus organization, aud that he would n,
h. be able to keep the dreadful secret frol
Lucy for single hour At breakhs
1 all save myself were in the hig CHEST spirit


looking forward to their day of ploasur
, and even planning others to be enjoye


"while this beautiful warm weathe
Q lasted 1"


r 1t seemed to me as though the poo
O deluded creatures were dancing upon tn


brink of thier own graves.


At last | got them off, and we wake
o together to the top of the hill, which WI
y the nearest spot to which carriage couI


be brought, and began our journe
!. Every mile which we put between ou
a seIves'and the village took load fro
g my heart, and yet they rallied me upo


my silence. | did my best to seem iii
Q myself, but the effort was beyond n
o power. Every ring of Baba's Taught
e went through me like knel, and fea