The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

ate CHAPTER The Sevly married couple were 0 |, 00g on first, and then pro- eeed to Paris and other Continen-1, tal cities for their bridal trip. The sacred service, the pealin rgan, the wedding breakfast, wi its laughter, buzz of voices, gorge: ous dresses and flashing jewels; the hurfied removal of her bridal ar- ray for her travelling gown, all "had passed to Nauoy as a curious dream. She moved about like one who is absolutely conscious of no- sthing, who is led by some strong in- » fluence, but beyond that is power: Jess to act for herself, Bhe heard the false, honeyed con- gratulations in a dim, far-off way, feeling 1t must be some other per- son who stood theie with a bouqiiet of flowers in her hands and a car- 'viage waiting to convey her away. - But she woke with a sudden pang of agony fo. know that it was no dream, but all hideons reality, as Dorothy flung her arms about her! and kissed her farewell, weeping unrestrainedly as she did so. Not till 'this moment did Nancy comprehend the fulness of the ag- aves '| roused her ire beyond desc 0! "We shan't be together long,' shie said to herself, grimly, as she stood waiting for her young mis tress to come, "befors I give him a pide 'of my mud, or my name ain't Esther Baines." ; And at that moment she descried the carriage furning the corner © the lane; and prepared to receive Nancy. L An angry flush spread over her honest, face, followed by an angry best of her heart, as she saw Mr. Crawshaw treat his young wife with such scant courtesy; butiher anger soon changed into fear and disap: pointment as she saw that her new. master was coming direct to. her, tand that his face boded no pleasant or good news for her. ; "What are you doing hers?' de- manded Crawshaw, roughly, scan: !ning her 'ap and. down with his deep black eyes, his hands plunged ony entailed by the sacrifice she had as usual into his trousers' pockets. taken on her young shoulders; not till now did the fulness of her hor- ror, her fear, ner loathing of Thomas Crawshaw come to her, As her distraught = eyes, shining like sapphires in their deep-blue glory, rested on his common face, full of savage triumph and unmeasurable . conceit, she gave oue great shudder, and, drawing her hand from Doro- thy's, she ran down to the carri- age and entered it. If she stayed another moment, she felt ghé should eling to Bir Humphrey, or to Dr. | "1 am. going ps maid to Mrs.' {Crawshaw," poor: Baines. replied; her heart beating fast as she read her sentence in those eyes. } "Oh, you are--sroe you; and pray who fold you you was to be maid ito Mrs. Crawshaw?' Nancy was exehanging a few hur ried, nervous 'words with the old stationmaster. » She never passed any one by without a kindly ex: pression, and after that long, hor- rible silence it was a pleasure to exchange greetings with a sympa- be forth. She had dome wit and sunshine, happy, dreamy in the summer air--all was pg from her, without hope of ret With an irrepressible' she 'dropped the custly bo "| the platform; and wen ried, nervous steps to th carriage which Thomas Ora i money had. procusad to. bear him self and Fis newly:made Wife tothe May Thy prom metropolis. While at bettq The porters and a few rustios who | May Thy power divine' ie IWer had congregated to see them May we triumph in «cast qurious glances at her. RGR ap their. dense minds grasped the fact | ; that this was no common marriage, Tona Station, O and that the white-faced bride de- | == -o served their pity; and Jot their.good vy wishes. -- i ) But Nancy heeded none of them. Sha flung herself on 'the cushioned seat, and buried her face in her hands, mot even stirring when Crawshaw entered, ~ The door wag slammed, and tho train steamed slowly away. : : ly overwhelmed, crushed to earth, now that the nccessity for bearing Salad , ninutes "She was not crying ; she was simp- The most hight clicient a 3 and Ti Goitre, Neck, Glandular Enlargemets. Grantley; who was 'there as her|thetic person. Her husband's loud, P the strain of the last few weeks te 2 any and all | a on Sir Bu LA you 'can color eit oldest friend, and implore them to|ooarse tones grated painfully on her had gone. id ot os hy ol ly relieved and | {, fal butter. Jods] pfctl; frome her, and save her from alear; she turned 'quickly, and her! Crawshaw appeared to fake no a Sire suffering, 00 ; fre 3 J he Good ee ife of torture with this man for her|eyes « rested on = William's | pale; notice of her, He opened a news- y 5 SN Aen Sethe? bi PUT fresh aie . . Te husband, smooth' face; set in' outward civil- Paper and commenced to read, |} 0" Miled on receipt od price; Crawshaw was quick to see that ity, but = wearing an expression whistling softly under his 'breath : ne ORONTO shudder and that look of horror: His face grew very dark, and wore # nasty expression as he. took his seat beside her and the carriage rolled away. He said nothing to her, however, and, horrible as his sullen presence was to her, Nancy could mot but 'be grateful for this silence. Alas! she soon learned that this calm was but the prelude to a storm of impotent rage, before which she shrank 'aghast, and" beneath 'which she cowed, not from fear, but from disgust and despair. The country lanes were bordered with the villagers, who had come out to. catch a last glimpse of the bride; but neither the man nor the girl made any effort to return their cheers and kindly greetings by even & bow or a smile: Surely, never so curious a bride and bridegroom was ever seen be- fore. Nanoy, still grasping the bouquet of delicate, hothouse flowers in he hand, crouched back in' her corner, and kept her white face 'steadfastly turned from him; and be sat with his arms folded, his brows knit, and his eyes, still. wearing that evil, ernel expression, fixed on her as a hawk might watch its prey: "The drive to the station was: longy but Nancy wished it could have been even miles farther. For one hour did they sit in the carriage and roll throfigh the sunlit country, just beginning to show a trace here and there of coming autumn, and hever exchanged one word; and 'as each landmark and well-known spot van- ished behind 'her, her couragé and strength faded, too till, as they came to a standstill at last, she as trembling' in every. limb. h made her blood boil. She walked across to Baines. "What is the matter--what is wrong I'! she. asked, Tn scarcely au- dible tones. i Baines half turned to hep; the woman's lips were trembling and her eyes were full of tears; but be- fore she could utter a word Craw- has had gone on furiously address-| sorap.of attention to Nancy's ques: tion; or even to her presence. "80 now you know, and you can go back to the Hall as fast as you like; and tell Miss Leicester T'don't intend to let no spies of hers come gnivelling after my 'wife. Be oft with you; Mrs. Orawshaw don't want no maid, and if she do, well, I will get. her one; but it won't be av old fossil frown that lot over there, I've done with them all from to-day--turned my back on them-- and I won't have nothing more to do' with them, so you ean under. stand me clearly.' In his 'anger, Mr. Crawshaw spoke with a less regard for gram- mar than usual, With difficulty Baines restrained her tears; she felt she must mot break down, or: Nancy would be move distressed - than ever. - She looked at the: girl imploringly.., XP "What am I to do, miss?' she asked; hurriedly. 3 This "direct indifference to him lashed Orawshaw to fury: © % "Do!" he shouved, ** what I tell you--be off, Come, I shan' stand any impudence" or nonsen oft you gol" ae, Nancy put her hand up to her throat; the. white flowers" inher the while; but his eyed went every : AR now and then to that bowed figure, (f " WEST QUEEN STREET and he bit his lin with savage an- ger as he realized that, though he had won-"though he had compelled | secs her by cruel means to bow bemeath |' his power--he was, if anything, more 'destestable and contemptible} in her eyes than before. ) Nancy in new feathers, and she} would be a% his feet immediately. It seemed an utter impossibility than any woman could resist him and his wealth, more especially one who had lived in such poverty and(#t hardship as Nancy had done. . 1H He had a long arrear of petty! 'spite and grudge to settle with this girl, and his whole mind had bem occupied, directly she disappeared; in saving money to track her out} and bring her to her bearings. Fate, or the devil, was good to him, for he came into his unexpeet-| ed fortune at the very moment when he learned, through his com ion, William, of her. presence position at Ripstone Hall. 3 From that moment Crawsha possessed but ne 'motive: in ith 'Nance struggle not forg | had brooded 0 come' infused 'in 3. and this ' bouquet were nob 80 'pale as her the car- 4 of the | BOND OFFERINGS He had flattered himself that he| : May, ton. ing her, and not bestowing a single Would guly have to show himself tol é i