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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Times, 1900-09-21, Page 7V E I"'�'• : ; ! [Ar {e ., q:a aud(1enly lost ail that timid nervous, Nr atter-'--etessas - !rte Copyright, 1899 11y aciennettq i . Walworth, Use '1► :•r !•r ,, . ii ' i' • ,.•i ' . ia,4tais.q," • Et i iia q Baal' ,q A • A, night of the last: 80 years elgetnever" t Tree mother Imo nervi reeretieg v;t,'et•a "Yes, but not"-. that belongecj to the Broxton estate! g ; 1i'itlt never a thou tint as to the etllles of ilia ease she spread out Impel' after paper, mastering the character of each cis it mother you Lire talekin '-,about? YOU slant to knew 1f 1 ars afraid to stay stere alone with another Oh, not She ane I are used to it," Miss Laetltia gave a little gasp and glanced toward the room for whose passtvo tenant she ana Alrs, Lyons bad done everything decently and le or, der, "Yes; but, Malaita, you know It is different now." "Yes; some things are different. It is not a very far era to your house o> to Mrs, Lyons' either, Letty, if should need anybody, aur you have both been awfully kind." After that there was nothing to do but to leave her alone with her dead. The clock was striking , 10 as Aitss Alatt•aua turned ti1,e key in ber •front door, shutting out all, intruders effec- tually. Lifting the lamp from the cen- ter table. she passed with it into her Mother's presence. Clasped in the fetl- ed hands were some flowers that Oliv- ia bad come back to bring as a peace offering. "1 wanted to bring them myself," she said, lifting heavy eyes to Miss alalvina, "so that you should feel very Sure that all the hardness bad gone out of my heart. I could not stay at home, Father still refuses to let me Come into his room. 1 wanted some- thing to do, so I came," Then she had flitted out into the darkness again, a. lonely pathetic figure. Alalvina stood pondering, not the flowers; but the stet she had resolved upon, "I night as well do it now as at any other time. It will help me though with my Iouely vigil. It is a simple aet of justice to yell, mother. 1 am go- ing to put that wild notion about those papers to rest. 1 can't bear to have other bands searching among your things, though I did promise twat poor unhappy child she might. Yon know it Is not I that am mistrusting. you, moth- ' er, dear, sand I taink you are well • pleased to have me clear your naive from the suspicion of Biding papers that diel not belong to you." • With this apology to her dead for what she was about to do she returned to the sitting room. The gay chinas covered chair had been pu lied back against the wall. She advanced to- ward it resolutely. "I believe I'd rather have the plain black horsehair showing anyhow. It is more in koepfug with a funeral," she said and went to work. "The title «cels to Braxton Ilea!" document with a clear, practical In- ' sight fol• details which had. been her '.most marked mental attribute always, 1 "The inventories! foor, .clear moth- er! She always maintained that there were inventories of the Broxton plate and jewels that Toru ought. to have. Aiy, but what a lot of it there was! "The title deed to Broxton Hall. made out, I suppose, by that old ing- ltsbinan who built the Hall aucl opened c up the place! But" -she :had unfolded a single small sheet of paper, yellow with age, covered with writing in the small, cramped letters in vogue in the days of her remote ancestors -"what, on earth?" i Pushing all the other .papers aside, the spread this one • Immediately un- der the lamp and, with both elbows • planted on the table, concentrated every faculty of her brain upon it. • Finally, with a deep sigh of relaxed attention, site leaned back in her ante. "This, then. is what' poor mother meant when she lard that Broxton Hall could not be sold; that she was going to put Tom in the way of get- ting it back. Why. Mr, Westorer's title is not worth a shoe button. 1 see -I see it all now. Slie kept her secret from ole for fear I would • carry' the papers straight to Ail'. Matthews, which le just what I should •do xow, only"_ . A sudden knock on her front door brought her to her feet with a start. t$he opened the big family Bible on the table and swept the papers into It for concealment. "It was nobody but sista. Deb and Letty come back in spite of her." She opened the door with an unwelcoming smile. Claretu;e Westover stood outslaw Fier first thought was of the lawyer, "Wily, Mr. Clarence. is he gone?" "I have come to take Olivia home." "Olivia! Why, she isn't hese." "Not here? Then where?" • He stepped inside with the words, Ile was a young loan two cordially resented being taken unawares. • "Oh, it is all right. 1 presume she went home by the line, and I missed her by coming around tbe long way. I. suppose she has shut herself up in her own room. The old small still re- fuses to admit iter to his room, and it madq hoe restless. Reuben said she told him she was going to bring yoti some flowers. I am lawfully sorry for you. :hiss Malvinas" "Thank you: Mother was full of years. and she was ready to go." "Yes. exactly -perfect Cbrlstian and ail that sort of thing. I suppose." "I am sorry you were not watchful enough to keep her from annoying M1•, Matthews the other night. I'tn dread- ; fully sorry. es much on Olble's account as anybody else's." "Well, you see. It was this way: Dv- erytliing Was so peaceful end quiet the. first part of the night that I fell into a sound sleep. When 1 waked up..the first words t caught made me hesitate to go in. I was afraid of mating mat- ters worse and supposed she would go away without any harm coming of it. I was afraid of adding to Mr. Mat- thews' exc•ltetuent by revealing my presence at that bola' of the night. Things were considerably mixed up. yon see." "Yes, dreadfully mixt'd up. 1 know it:" Ile addedan to on nous f ettut to Miss Al'tiwina's decorous little sitting room with his high heed fare and ! 'sic Amiable gat.'b. As long tis Olivia was net there to Ile fetched iiotne he had better be going. Ile offered 50010 tiiort" ready Made tondolences anti turned to- wnie"! o- wr r lthe1 lleivina stopped ped hits ac doo , li , With a pleading look. "Don't go yet, pleae0, Air. Ctat•etiee. It loots its If Providence had sent you herr: on purpose toulght. I have as fe• vor to ttek of you," "Certltinl3", anything I ran de." he saki, politely enough. but he'looked at trifle beret). Ile Was net dct"oid of kindly feelings, but !"tally the." -rater"' old terrty who had just Angled off this mortal eoll n.nd the unlmautlful spin- ster upon t'hotn he land intruth'tl In ecitreh of Olivia" lead never appealed very strongly to the aesthettcc tilde of lalm, Miss Mativlritt etee4 with her hands routing reverently on the big 'Bible. Ile Itopi±cl'sbe tette not going to eel: lam to react !t portion of S2cripturCe with her, That w'ouirl be toe emelt for'[tienerveaf. ,fie if 'tilted eontnet with the book had brought stroixetli to bo'. Miss :Mattioli Kneeling before the old chair, she set 1 about untying the numerous tapes that kept the slip cover in place, 'Many a knot was Tendered all the more refrac- tory by the tears she dropped upon it. The old armchair was very intiinate- Iy.associated with her life. As a child she had watched her father's pen trav- eling patiently by the hour over the pa- per spread upon tae little shelf attach - •ed to its right arm. She had a vague 'recollection of a mysterious drawer, lo- tated somewhere • under tine ample seat, which bad an incousidetate habit of tumbling out of Its socket at the most unexpected moments. scattering its contents in the rnost unseemly fash- ion. Many a time bad it compelled her to go down. on her knees to recover the disjecta nreutbra of the nest Sunday's Sermon. Later, when the Rev. Air. Spillman had been transferred to a world where there was neither writing nor prealch- in„ of sermons, the chair had becotue identified .completely with her mother. But the drawer, which had been voted a fnmily nuisance when subject to eaieless masculine bandlina, had never pia5l;d any part in latter clays. "Moth- er" Spillman had long ago tarried into ofl"eet her threat to itx it so it should cease from troubling -how, Atalvina lead never thought to notice. "Yes," she said, rising to her feet after conquering the last knot, "I'd rather never see this Old slip cover aigniu. livery flower in It would set Me to thinking about mother, and that Won't be good for mc." . With a skillful jerk she drew the ,cover from its Loosened moorings. A loud noise necowpanied, the act. It Startled 'her. corning so unexpectedly Upon the solemn stillness. The old !'Ira wer had fallen out once more, "To a thi 1. n 1Ot h i s 1cIa ` h to foegotten the ole drawer: Mother unist have crisseroaeed aotneof these strings about it`te keep itin lattice." She stooped to repairthe mischief [she had done. A paekttge of papers hacb ['alien out ot'the drawer, She was , ;suet, she had Hetet seen tbotir before. ,With a frightened try site gathered therm into a parcel," A long envelope, e.. nailed and unaddressed, bad fallen ottt p ter the papers. Mistily repineing the, d •alter and r'evereftTy folding the old lav er 'u'n a inthe x ., I yr deet, . ,• she carded rt It c 1 tete package neater to the latish for es• a.tulnation. With a strange souse of rc?nctanee upon her slie drew a Chair tip to the table and carefully arinnitplt- yattedthe lamp. She WAS, dallying with ' the Itlotnerits. She sans sure lues' moth. Lir had never tnafte tiny 11Se of that drawer. Title pneknge Would prove to Tse[ a lot of worthless ohl papers left, over from the dilys of lice father's a;'. et/Pettey. The tint paper w'ltielt her • treniblltrg fingers tuifOlded settled that point forever, Then ail that tall: about ten ers that toneerne(1 'fhotuns t i'ot:IOu Ibntl' riot been the fancy of at rile:rt•ut'rea iuln:TT Slit* t'iune in contact with this elegant. tither ban„ bty young. Cellon, who made her "feel like a milkmaid for elmaeleess," Tills man al 011vttt it 8Ii1- atteed husband and Lite ow'ne'r of Woe, ton Hall .had a nxucli better t'Ight that She had to knoll; about that pnrtesuler !raper. Site enter(=ct atilruptly! Ripon the tael; she batt) set lawsuit. don't know that you ever heard of it, Ur, Clarence, but My poor mother bad Ti mania," "Spare yourself, Miss Splllntau, I hear([ every word sl10'8a14 to Mi'. Mat- thews last night," ""stbouta-about-seine papers and thiugs?" "Yea, poor old lady: She WAS really unsparing, dreadfully s'at),:ttc, Out of course It trent rat' nolieut , We all knew, don't you know," Miss Alallvitin flung back the ltd of the big Bible and revealed. the." papers. "TIere are the paper's my mother Spoke about." In life she bad helpedl the woridl to caet diser'cc11t upon tier mother. '1'o Shield Horace Mattiic'ws she Glib put at naught her mother's words. 111 cleans she wouki•111aka reparation, s0 far es was possible, Westover welled au 00- comprebendiug attire front the oid pa- pers -to the plain, twitching face tit?oa whicil the lamp clist uneanna shades. "So then there were some bideen documents. stay ltlriportapee, do you Suppose?" thililc s0, There aro tbe inventories. of the jewels and the plate which I suppose al•0-oha well. what do I. know about any of it; I do trent you to read just that one shirt paper, Me. Westover," She banded to him the slip of paper over which she hall pored in growing perplexity for halt' an hour before las corning, She ttatt:Mel hien while tie react it, and she knew from the- quick Mounting' of tete hot blood to itis tem- ples that she had not overestimated its import:wee.. He looked tip at tier pees- entty with knitted brows, "By Jove: And this Was among the papers taint Matthews allowed to be lost?" "I don't know that we ought to say that he 'allowed It to he lost: You see, Aix'. Westover. it was ley fault that his horse shied and Blade him drop Isis bag just outside our gate. How moth- er ever got bold of them is one of tbe mysteries that •con never be solved mile. It was only when that poor, 4b- happjacllitd came Isere begging me` to search for them that I did it just' to quiet her." • Westover made It clearer.,"She said something the other night bout 'Tim, tole Martin finding them ani her pur- posely keeping you in, the dark for feat' ;you would give the' papers. she wanted Braxton to have to Alr. Mat- thews." • "Which Is ,Vest -het I should bar done, just;; a:stat I shall do as soon a he gets better." ""That is what he was never do." said Westover gravely. "Covengives hint. only a few clays amore." "Dear Lor(]: And that poor cedar- -avian not be left entirely trithour friends," said 011ie's lover stiffly. "Qh, T know it! I know thtlt silo is lest as fond of .ecu as can be. flet e s about these papers. What am I to 0o! I don't even know where Tom Beoston is." "Neither do 1. But this paper" -he was folding the oldest sheet of writing into compact shape -"concerns my fa- ther as purchaser of Broxton Hall more nearly than it does.any one else just at present. I should like to show 1t to him, Miss Malvin.." Miss Afalvina looked wistfully teem the pile of papers to the young loan. Westover interpreted the look prompt- ly. "You are afraid you are not doing the right tiling by your friend, Mr. Broxton. 1 respect your anxiety rind pledge you my word of honor as a gen- tleman that hit, interests shall not suf- fee in my hands. how such a weighty paper as this should have been left to 'mischance it is useless to Conjecture now. Mr. Matthews Is done with all worldly cares and responsibilities. 'I simply ask you to leu4 we this paper long enough to show It to my father. It it is genuine. his title to Broxton Itall is not worth the paper it is writ. ten ou." Malvina locked her thlu tingers nerv- ously about 'each other. "I was just thinking that for 011ie's sake and "fonts sake"--- "Alay I take this paper?" Westover rose with it in his hands, "Why. yes. It dou't belong to me, does It?" "Lly right of discovery, In the pres- ent mixed State of alt'airs, 1 suppose you could hold on to it. Possessiou is nine" points of tae law. But" --here 511011 e. winning senile broke over the young fellow's handsome face that Miss ltalrina forgave. 011ie's 'Infatua- tion for ltitn "If 1 pronilse you t':lat 110 use shall be made of It that does not take Tote iBroston's best iuterestslnto colsittered-on will yeti trust sue with it •and believe le iii?" "•1 trust in you, and t belIO're In you," t 11 Aliss Maisano, , ho ting out a rata fying baud, "And the Inleutories what Abell I do with there? 'There is a Catalogue of paintings, too, end" - Westover waved the proffered paper's back, "With them the Westovers hale nothing to do. 1Keep there, or send them to 1'Broxtou, rather, They have belong- ed to him ever singe he tame of age. Perhaps you might hold ate to them un- til"- IIe left the Sentence Uniltrished, Aires 111alt'liut knew that he meant until 11or", nee Matthews should be beyond the fret and worry of all things, "Ah, well, just As you eheose ,"bout the rent of the pews! 1 thought may. be you could talk them all oyer" with Tom. I)*ttr Mei Thu° inventories etautl for tnoittatistlble wealth to me, What ate extravagant fellow obi' deer ri oitt mutt have been tis 4 •ealtette beer -"College boys are not AA Wale cline#,. its it rule," said Claming) and with It "good night" Ales Alaivina eat where be bad lett bet' ti long Halle', She t'ouud the papers describing Thomas"- departed glories intensely Interesting reading, "Poor old tnotheri Bite had been eight all the way tili'ougil. even to the description of Lueetta Ii,roxton's necklace," She bald bee lunuls upon the package of papers: and sighed,. "In spite of all this,Tlioras Broxton is a pauper. The Hall could not be scold, but It Is sold. How do wen man - " to blunder so?" Not yet was her loyal soul ready to Indorse her mother's; w01'st susptol0ne or Hlorace Matthews' stewardship, CIU;tPTLR X I. A n'rx a r vriti;ii's [loaaat l ttD, '"Ho Is tt•auting to see you."" I, altlit"i':f„ "Who else?" never conspicuous for suavity, lose or rest awl the universal upheaval of his long estabilshea routine had. brought oil Reuben to a pitch of surli- ness bordering 00 bearishness. Dr, Go- van's Revere reprimand fat' Itis deser- tion of bis post the night before added the last drop of bitterness to his cut?, and it overflowed upon poor little Olive's unoffendiug bead. Ou his tenure from the Spillman cot- tage Clarence Westover had come In for a share of the old man's amanita lated acrimony, after which be had monntod 1a1s horse and riddeu home to ax frame of natal scarcely less cynic- al than Peuben's own. Said the old servitor: '"Tliei'e ain't a mite of common sense in emu' goln; all to pieces about that child, I've boon kuowing her ever since she was big enough to be strap- ped into a baby earrings., which she generally was trying to kick all to paces like an unbroken colt, If any- body crossed her, she would just go off and hide. Many a bad scare bas she given us all, just to :wind up by walk - lug In its smiling as a May morning and laughing at us for the pack of fools we undoubtedly was. She is bid - On somewhere about the hoose now. She won't turn up smiling this time, but you may as well stop worrying about her." Westover looked sea;-ebingly into the old man's face. He would much prefer to tbluk that "that old hag's" arraign- tnent or Olivia's father bad beenbeard by no outsider but himself. As he was going to Marry Horace Matthews' daughter he should like the name to bre kept as clean as possible, With the paper «•bleb Miss Ai(tivina bad con- fided td lits care .i-ciposiug la his poc::et he was in a combative mood. Ile owed It to himself to see that the local gos- sip niel was supplied witb no more grist. "Who bas crossed her this tune?" he asked sharply. "Pm not saying anybody has, sir. I Was just telling you what her custom was. I guess she's gone off to have a cry where nobody can't hear lint•. De. Co - Tau don't give the old man vouch of a ,show." ""BBut Miss Matthews has not been told that?" "No. sir. no: but she Ls mlgbty Sharp . at forming her own conclusions. She is mighty fretted over being kept out of• the old man's room. I don't see into that myself. I should think, es fond as he is of her, he couldn't keep her close enough for the little time that's left. But the old man always had his own way of doing things." "And you have searched the house all over, Reuben?" "All over, sir, but that don't prove anything. Tbere ain't but two plaices for her to be -Miss Malvina's and here. She is. somewberc about, but I think she has made it plain enough that she wants to be left to herself. If 1 was you, Alr. Clarence, I'd take things easier." "That last piece of advice is rather good, Reuben. I will try to follow it. I shall gallop over home and back again by midnight. I 'do not believe I shall be wanted:' Reuben had gladly seen him carry this resolution into effect. 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