Mortomley's Estate, Vol. III (of 3)

and languid, after watching her gliding about his sick-room, said-feebly it is true, but still a

ough to carry them. In that pleasant country place the cloud which had for so long a time obscured his mental v

all that weary time at Homewood, during the long sickness at Clapton, duri

r called upon them once a week at least; where the rector's wife visited Dolly every day during the worst part of her husband's illness; where fruit and flowers came every day from the Great House of the neighbourhood by direction of the owner, who was rarely resident; and where the gentry who were resident thought it not beneath their dignity to leave c

was no lon

fe that day; "my husband is dreadfully weak sti

; she could not explain how when she heard them spoken she understood Archie, her Archie, had been for a long time away, and was now com

vibrate, up to-day for one,

om that very morning when Archie came back to life and reason, Mr. Forde knew for certain Kleinwort's little game was played out and that he had left England, himself not much th

in "the house," as she still contin

ging it audibly. She was very happy, and though she had cause for anxiety best known to herself, he

his temples, and the songs of birds and the perfume of fl

sther had gone to the nearest town to make so

sitor. He never looked to right or left, he never paused or hes

and Dolly rising, advanced to give him admittance. Through the glass she saw him and he saw her.

Wer

, it is I," he answe

s a matter of taste, I should n

s not," was the reply. "As a

nd for a moment his glance wandered over the room with its floor paved with white bricks

ferns and bright flowers piled up in the fireplace. He saw wonderful palms and distorted cacti, all presents g

hadow of the Mrs. Mortomley he remembered, it is true, clad in a gorgeous muslin which had seen service at Homewood, her hair done up over frizzetts w

r no human being could have conceived she had passed thro

d up in a small knob at the back of the head with adversity, a

usband?" he in

ut as you have inquired I am happy to say he is better, that

s he do

, or was ten

at, I meant in the

ions relating to our private a

nt, a sad smile, full of some mea

" he asked after

have imagined you would care to

e an exceptional woman, I should not ha

woman that she desires no complime

d again

pay compliments to any one-not even

king that diffidence does not appear to

will do me this kindness

o understand what this favour migh

lly and bodily. I assure you when I have told you all I have come to tell,

for her, and the

to you about a very se

ted entreatingly. "I have been so happy this morning, and I cann

omley. It is a singular fact, but true nevertheless, that they are only two souls out of a population of thir

olly quickly, "for I had a l

exhaustive budget of the state of the family health. But still what I have to

le little German calle

ember his-so

mber hi

of this country and got ten days' start of any one who might feel inclined to follow. He was not able to secure much booty in his retreat; but I fancy,

that I occupied. I was healthy, wealthy, and, as I thought, wise; I was doing a safe trade, I had a good connection; I

e suffered for it), and I did also. If I had stopped then I could not have paid a shilling in the pound; but no one knew this, my cre

se to where he sat. He poured out a gl

that of Forde. He wanted to build up the standing of the Gener

a man to whom his situation was so important that he would have sacrificed his first-born to retain his post; a man who would have been honest enough had no temptation been presented to him; a man who was not possessed of sufficient moral courage

and then

n foundation after another, believing foolishly it may be and yet sincerely the turn

but he had not power to fulfil his part of the bargain. There was an antagonistic influence at work, and we never traced it to its source until a few days since. Then we found that a new director had been quietly looking into your affair, and as a natural consequence into the affairs of other customers. He discovered how bills had been manipulated and accounts cooked,

?" Dolly

t it is useless my remaining to fa

. Mortomley, "that you intend to go

recisely m

will Leo

stances, and that brings me to the favour I want you to do me. I want you to take charge of this parcel, and give it to my wife at the end of six months. Give it to h

olly. "There is mone

s money in that parcel. You understand now why I ask you

er," was the

uestions

thing," sh

be silent

I will do it. Tell me one thing, how

rising as he spoke. "Good-bye, Mrs. Mortomley. God

"I do this for your wife, Mr. Werner," s

tomley, I wish before we part you would say, 'I forgive

he answered; "so hard

wife's

r the sake of a third

hat I might be beggared and ruined-beggared more completely, ruined more

ds repeated in cold blood. "I have no doubt," she went on, "that I meant every syllable at the time, but I ought no

easier for you to shake han

he had known for years. And you never wrote through all the weary months that followed to say you were sorry-you never came or sent to know whether he was living or dead-whether we were starving or ha

vely and so persistently. There was a time when I did not like you, when I thought your husband had made a mistake in marrying you, when I regarded my wife's affection for you as an infatuation, and would have stopped the intimacy had it been possible; but I tell you now I find myself utterly in error. Regarding

there are, there must be years of ha

ose wearily, and would have passed out through the door but that Dolly stopped him. "Do

interrupted. "Good-bye, Mrs. Mortomley. I need not tell you to love my wife

nd then she relented. It seemed to come to her in a moment that, in this as in other things, she was but the steward of the man she had married so l

ssed by this expression used con

ut many men would not care to gi

er, might safely have made affidavit she was and would be as utterly without reproach as without fear; but there is another, and if one may say so,

and cab-drivers, considerate to the governess, a stranger within her gates-beyond all things fair in her dealings with her

t of the man who chose her, and it is more than probable Dolly thought this too, for ere Mr. Werner ha

r!" she cr

d and retraced his

bear it,

t down on the bank by the wa

ie would be vexed if he knew I refused to be friends with you. So please, Mr. Wern

hing else, Doll

all women when nature asserted itself, to cal

reat deal easier. I do hope God will forgive you too, and us all, an

nd clasped in his, lo

ords you have spoken this minute. Thank you very, very much. No," he added, in answer to a request that he would return to Wood Cottage; "I have had p