Wylder's Hand

Enter the D

e, too, was a dream, and, I dare say, her money spent by this time. And that other dream, to which she often led me, with the large hazel eyes, and clear delicate tints — so sweet, so riante, yet so sad; poor Lady Mary Brandon, dying there — so unhappily mated — a young mother, and her baby sleeping in long ‘Broderie Anglaise’ attire upon the pillow on the sofa, and whom she used to show me with a peeping mystery, and her finge

lemn clump of elm-trees, flitted by on my right; and in a moment more we drew up at the great gate on the left; not

haise rolled smoothly, and through the fantastic iron gate of the courtyard, and with a fine swinging sweep and a je

trunks and roots of the trees. Through the stone mullions of the projecting window at the right, a flush of fire-light looked pleasant and hospitable, a

nd and was greeted very

ward. We allow Wylder, you see, to come every day to his devotions. Bu

e direct to the Ha

, with the grinning griffins for supporters, and flaunting scrolls all round, and the ominous word ‘resurgam’ underneath, proclaimed itself sadly and vauntingly over

the noble peer for a few minutes at the door, while my valise and et ceteras

s was his wont, and very unceremoniously he took possessi

a lot of things to be arranged — settlements, you know — and I can’t make head or tail of their lingo, and a fellow don’t like to sign and seal hand over head — you wo

ts, Mark, than Wylder versus Tru

cy, and his hands in his pockets. ‘But I know you’ll hold the tiller till I get through; ha

ow as six years ago in “Wylder and Brandon;” but su

him, and I do know you — don’t you see? A fellow doesn’t want to put himself into

ollision with Mr. Larkin either; and, on the whole, notwithstanding his modesty, I thought Wylder very well able to take care of himself. There was time enough, however, t

e, from which diverged two other solemn corridors, and a short puzzling turn or two brought us to the head

ose old stairs and floors — no spring in the planks, not a creak; you walk as over stra

e and a pair of dim soft lamps near the sofas and ottomans, lofty, and glowing with rich tapestry c

stately old-fashioned insolence, as if I were a candidate footman, and so dismissed. On a low seat, chatting to her as I came up, was a very handsome and rather singular-looking girl, fair, with a light golden-tinted hair; and a countenance, though then grave enough, instinct with a certa

me speak of him; and I want you to shake hands and make his acquaintance, a

altogether disconcerted me confoundedly. Wylder’s dress-coats always smelt of tobacco, and

than the Grecian models, and with a wonderful transparency, like tinted marble; and a superb haughtiness, quite unaffected. She held forth her hand, which I did little more than touch. There was a peculiari

itting upon it, though I should much have preferred stan

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