April 11, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
517 
EILiEV DEAfiE, 
By Evelyn C. Griffiths. 
(All rights reserved.) 
CHAPTER XIII. 
At Mary Graham’s.—Eiley returns to The 
Manor. 
A month passed at the Hampstead villa, swiftly and 
pleasantly. Eiley was herself again ; the roses had 
returned to her cheeks, and the dark eyes had lost 
their sad expression. 
She was standing one morning looking out of the 
library window; one of her small feet tapped the 
floor impatiently, and her fingers were nervously 
destroying an unfortunate Chrysanthemum which 
she held. A merry laugh from the end of the room 
caused her to look round. 
" What are you laughing at ? ” she inquired. 
" At you, dear ! ” replied Mary, as she rose from a 
writing table, where she had been busily jotting 
down a long list of groceries. Going up to her 
friend she put her arms around her, kissed her soft 
cheek and said playfully— 
" Was she very cross then, because the postman 
did not bring her a letter ! " 
“ I think it is very unkind,” cried Eiley, her eyes 
filling with tears. “ He promised faithfully that I 
should have a letter by the first post.” 
‘‘ Nonsense, Eiley, dear ! First of all, give me 
that poor flower which you are torturing so cruelly ; 
and now listen to reason. It is quite true that 
Arthur did promise you a letter by the first post, 
which, to say the least of it, was very foolish of him, 
inasmuch as being loath to leave his pretty sweet¬ 
heart, he left himself but short time in which to 
catch his train ; and it is more than probable that 
the dear fellow missed it ; the consequence of which 
would be, that he would arrive at Bewdley after the 
post to London had departed. In that case you 
could not receive his letter until the second post.” 
“ That is no excuse,” said Eiley, giving a pretty 
little pout. " He could have sent me a telegram.” 
“ And a nice estate of fright it would have thrown 
you into if he had : you would have imagined every 
possible horroi had occurred to your beloved one 
ere you would have opened his telegram. But here 
comes the postman to put an end to all your doubts.” 
Eiley herself ran to meet the bearer of news and 
returned with the longed-for letter in her hand, 
her cheeks flushed, and her eyes sparkling with 
pleasure. 
Having read the epistle through, she glanced 
across at her friend, the tears once again gathering, 
and this time overflowing. 
■' Why, what is the matter now ? ” asked Mary 
kindly. “ Was ever maiden so hard to please ! 
First she cries because her lover does not write ; 
then, when he sends her a letter as long as one of 
Parson Soothem’s sermons, even that does not 
satisfy her ! What has he been saying, dear ? Tell 
me all about it.” 
” Mary, Arthur says he cannot return to-morrow, 
as he promised he would, nor the next day ; perhaps 
not for a whole week ! ” 
"Why not? ” asked Mary, surprised. 
“ He does not give any reason,” Eiley answered, 
shaking her head sorrowfully. " He says he is very, 
very sorry, but finds it quite impossible to return to 
town as soon as he expected. It really is unkind of 
him ; don’t you think so, Mary ? I could not have 
gone away like that, for a whole week.” 
“ Do not fret about it, dear ; you may be sure that 
he will come back the moment he is free to do so. 
Arthur so seldom goes down to the Manor, there is 
certain to be a long arrear of business before him to 
attend to.” 
Eiley did not seem half convinced, and was very 
quiet and altogether out of spirits all the remainder 
of the morning. The two girls were sitting at 
luncheon, little Mary making herself very unhappy at 
Eiley’s want of appetite, when they heard the sound 
of wheels coming up the carriage drive. 
The next moment a servant informed them that 
Lady Bewdley wished to see Miss Deane. 
Eiley had not seen Lady Bewdley since her dis¬ 
missal from the Manor. The same unaccountable 
feeling of repugnance towards her which she had 
before experienced, came over her when the servant 
announced the visitor. 
" What can she have come for, Mary ? ” 
“ I cannot possibly say, dear ; go into the drawing 
room and you will soon ascertain.” 
" I cannot bear that woman,” Eiley said, shudder¬ 
ing. 
“ Why, dear ? ” 
" I do not know, Mary. It is a sort of unexplain¬ 
able feeling I have towards her; half dislike and 
half fear. But when you ask me why, then I am 
puzzled to give you an answer. I am like dear old 
Carlo ; we both have an antipathy to. Lady Bewdley 
without any reason so far as either of us can tell. 
I think it must be her eyes ; they look so cruelly cold 
always.” 
“ Now this is quite too foolish of you, friend 
Eiley ; and utterly unworthy of your sensible self. 
Go into your visitor at once, dear, and do not be non¬ 
sensical. Perhaps she brings news from Arthur,” 
But Eiley would not go unless Mary accompanied 
her ; so the two girls repaired to the drawing room 
together. 
My dear Miss Deane,” cried Lady Bewdley, 
rising as they entered, going up to Eiley and kissing 
her affectionately. "How do you do, child?—but 
there, I need not ask ; how well you are looking ! 
Naughty girl ! ” she went on playfully, " not to write 
and tell me of your engagement ! But Arthur has 
confessed, and I really must congratulate you both, 
for I think you will suit each other admirably.” 
“You are very kind, Lady Bewdley,” said Eiley. 
"Allow me to introduce my friend, Miss Graham — 
Lady Bewdley.” 
Lady Bewdley bowed coldly, and favoured little 
Mary with a scrutinizing glance ; then, turning again 
to Eiley she said. 
" I have brought you rather bad news about 
Arthur.” 
" About Arthur ! ” exclaimed Eiley, turning pale. 
"Yes, but do not alarm yourself, my dear ; it is 
nothing very serious. Upon arriving at Bewdley 
Station last evening he alighted from the train 
whilst it was still in motion ; consequently sprained 
his ankle. The carriage was at the station awaiting 
his arrival, so he was driven home at once, poor 
fellow, and I sent for Dr. Curum. Now, Arthur 
did not wish you to know anything about his accident, 
Eiley ; but I thought that, as he is likely to be laid 
up for at least a fortnight, it would be kindness to 
come and tell you and take you back with me to the 
Manor ; feeling sure you would like to come and 
help nurse him. 
“Yes, yes,” cried Eiley eagerly. “ Thank you so 
much, Lady Bewdley. You are sure Arthur is in no 
danger ? ” 
"Quite sure,” said Lady Bewdley. "I would 
have told you had it been otherwise. It is just a 
sprain—a bad one certainly, and exceedingly pain¬ 
ful ; but not dangerous. If you make haste we may 
catch the three o’clock express.” 
So it came to pass that Eiley went to Bewdley 
Manor a second time to nurse an invalid. 
CHAPTER XIV. 
Lord Bewdley Sends for Dr. Hardman. 
"You are looking pale, my darling,” said Lord 
Bewdley one day three weeks after his accident, to 
Eiley who was sitting near him as he lay upon a 
couch in the drawing-room at the Manor. 
“ You have not been looking well for the last week. 
You sit too much in the house with me, and the want 
of fresh air has robbed the roses from my little girl’s 
cheeks .It is a beautiful day ; go out now, dear, and 
take a walk in the park, it will do you good. Carlo 
will take care of you.” 
“ I would rather not go out, Arthur. I like sitting 
with you; and I feel too tired for walking.” 
Arthur Bewdley looked at her with an anxious 
expression in his face. Taking her hand, he said. 
” Eiley, I am troubled about you. What is it, dear ? 
Do you feel ill ? ” 
Eiley looked at him with a bright smile and played 
with his curly locks as she replied, " You dear, silly 
fellow ; there is nothing the matter with me. I am 
quite well; it is only your fancy.” 
He did not reply, but continued gazing at the face 
he had noticed getting pale and thin again, and saw 
that the bright smile vanished as quickly as it had 
appeared ; and the weary look returned. 
For two or three days Eiley went for a walk with 
Carlo just to please her lover, but upon each occasion 
she returned so faint and ill that he was obliged to 
content himself with getting her to drive out with 
Lady Bewdley, until he was able to walk about again, 
and then he took her for drives himself. 
Eiley, however, becoming gradually worse, Dr. 
Curum was sent for. The little man was not very 
gracious when he discovered who his patient was ; 
but upon being informed by Lord Bewdley that she 
was to be the future mistress of the Manor, he 
became more affable. 
At Lord Bewdley’s request he called every day to 
see his patient, though to little purpose, for she 
steadily grew weaker, and could scarcely rise from 
the couch upon which she now lay the greater part 
of the day. 
“ I cannot make it out,” he soliloquised one 
morning after seeing her. " Cannot make it out at 
all. She must be doing it on purpose to annoy me ! 
I always said she was obstinate ; anyone else would 
have recovered long ago under my treatment. 
Dear, dear; it is very provoking, very. Lord 
Bewdley is not satisfied with me—I know he is not ; 
I can read it in his face. What did he want to fall 
in love with such a sickly, anaemic girl for?—Oh, 
good morning, my Lord. I was waiting to speak to 
you about Miss Deane. I do not find her any better 
to-day ; in fact, my, lord, I am sorry to say she is 
weaker, decidedly weaker, and I tell you honestly, 
I cannot find out the cause; so perhaps it will be 
advisable to call in another doctor. What do you 
say, my lord ?” 
" You do not anticipate any danger, doctor ?” 
“ Well, not just at present, my lord,” replied the 
doctor, cautiously. "Not just at present; but the 
young lady is certainly becoming very weak, very ; 
and I would like your lordship to consult another 
medical man: it will be more satisfactory to all 
parties.” 
“ I quite agree with you, Doctor; in fact I had 
intended suggesting sending for a London physician. 
I will at once telegraph for Dr. Hardman.” 
Dr. Hardman, a noted London physician, arrived 
at Bewdley Manor the next morning. Having 
examir 2 dthe patient and consulted with Dr. Curum, 
he sent for Lord Bewdley. 
Dr. Hardman was a man of middle age and 
height; he was dressed in a dark grey suit, and had 
scanty hair of an iron grey colour; whiskers of the 
same hue ; small, deep-set piercing grey eyes, and a 
stern unreadable face. 
He shot a scrutinizing glance at Lord Bewdley as 
he entered, and the sharp eyes never left his face 
during their interview. 
"What is your verdict, Dr. Hardman?” Lord 
Bewdley asked, anxiously. 
“ I have thoroughly examined the young lady, my 
lord,” the physician replied in a dry tone, " and I 
find nothing whatever the matter with her. All the 
organs are perfectly healthy.” 
"Nothing the matter with her!” cried Lord 
Bewdley, in an agony of despair. " Nothing 
the matter with her, did you say!—when I 
can see her strength ebbing day by day; I see her 
dying inch by inch, and yet you say there is nothing 
the matter with her ! ” 
" I think you misunderstood me, my lord. I meant 
to say, I find nothing organic the matter with the 
patient. There is prostration ; very great prostra¬ 
tion.” 
" But what is the cause of it ? ” 
Dr. Hardman kept his eyes fixed upon his 
questioner for a minute or two without replying ; 
then he asked, in the same dry voice, " Are you the 
owner of this place ? ” 
" Yes,” replied Lord Bewdley, somewhat surprised 
at the apparent irrelevancy of the question. 
There was a pause; then the doctor spoke 
again. 
" What relation is the young lady to you ? ” 
"My affianced wife.” 
Another pause. 
" Who is the lady I saw sitting with the patient ? ” 
" My step-mother. But what has this to do with 
the case, Doctor ? ” 
No reply, and another pause longer than before. 
Then the physician asked in his indifferent way : 
"Who would come into this property, my lord, if 
you should happen to die a bachelor? ” 
“ Really, Dr. Hardman ! " cried Lord Bewdley, 
angrily, his patience giving way, "I do not under¬ 
stand you. What can the disposal of my property 
possibly have to do with Miss Deane’s health ? ” 
Dr. Hardman slowly rose from his seat and com¬ 
menced leisurely to encase his slender fingers in a 
pair of gray kid gloves. 
" You want my advice : you shall have it, my lord. 
Miss Deane is exceedingly weak and is likely to 
become worse. I can only see one way of curing 
her. If you wish her to live, marry her and remove 
her from Bewdley Manor at once. Take her 
abroad.” 
" But, Doctor !” exclaimed Lord Bewdley in a 
tone of surprise. “ Is Miss Deane strong enough to 
travel ? ” 
" I have given you my advice, my lord,” replied 
the doctor, dryly. “ You can follow it or not as you 
please. You had better decide quickly or you may 
be too late.” 
Later in the day Arthur Bewdley was sitting at 
the side of Eiley’s couch, holding the sick girl’s hand 
between his two as if by that warm clasp he could 
keep his darling from slipping away from him, which 
he felt but too surely she was doing. 
"Eiley, darling,” he said, softly; "Dr. Hardman 
thinks it would do you good to go abroad, a sea 
voyage might make you strong again. He advises 
our getting married and going as soon as possible. 
What do you say, love ? " 
Eiley gently placed her arm round his neck, all the 
love of her young heart beaming in her soft eyes. 
" It is too late now, Arthur,” she said, in so low a 
voice it was almost a whisper. " I shall never leave 
the Manor until—until I am carried to the little 
churchyard. Arthur, have me put near to my 
father ; I-” 
" Eiley, Eiley, do not talk so—you break my heart. 
I will take you to the sunny south and you will get 
well again there. I want the right to nurse you 
myself; do not refuse me, dearie. The wedding 
could take place quietly here at the Manor, so as not 
to fatigue you.” 
The sick girl’s eyes filled with tears as she looked 
at her lover's pleading face. 
" I would do anything to please you, Arthur; only 
I love you so and could not bear to feel that I was a 
burden to you, as a sick wife would surely be. I do 
not know what it is, but there seems to be some 
invisible power which is gradually drawing my life 
away. I feel so tired and weary that if it was not 
for you, dear Arthur, I should not want to live.” 
“ It is because you are so weak, love; that feeling 
will pass when you get stronger. When shall it be, 
Eiley? The doctor said it was of the greatest 
importance that you went abroad at once. Will you 
say next week, dear ? ” 
The faintest tinge of pink suffused Eiley’s pallid 
face as she whispered, ” Yes, if you really wish it, 
Arthur.” 
(To be continued.) 
