Hepworth

“ Elisabeth's cheeks were full of colour; her eyes danced with pleasure, smiles curved her lips as she flung the grain amongst the birds at her feet: Hepworth suddenly recognised that she was a pretty and even fascinating woman. He pushed open the door and advanced into the barn: Elisabeth turned and caught sight of him. She stopped singing, and at the same moment the pigeons and sparrows, frightened by Hepworth's entrance, flew away above the trees outside. The fowls stayed there and pecked at the stray grains with undisturbed industry. ”

“ Hepworth gave her hand a quick, strong grip.
"Yes," he said. "I know. Say no more, Elisabeth. "Let your husband come with me for a minute—I must speak to him."
The two men went into the hut. Once inside Hepworth turned to Verrell.
"You were going to tell your wife that you were not innocent?" he said.
"Yes," said Verrell.
"Don't tell her," said Hepworth. "She believes in you—let her continue to believe. No one will ever be able to persuade her to the contrary. Only," here he laid his hand on the young man's shoulder, "promise me to live worthy of her!" ”

“ In the inn-yard the ostler was yoking Hepworth's horse. Hepworth came out and began counting the parcels under the seat of the trap, to make sure that all were there, and none missing. While he was thus engaged, the stranger came up.
"Can I speak to you a minute?" he said, addressing Hepworth.
Hepworth looked round in some astonishment. It occurred to him that the young man might be a hawker, selling something and anxious to trade with him. ”

“ In the foreground lay red-roofed farmsteads, thick woods newly clothed with fresh green, with the spires and towers of many a quiet village peeping above the belts of elm and beech that fenced them in. Hepworth saw the picture, and thanked God for its loveliness. It was in accord with his mood. That day, he thought, must needs be a day of sunlight and gladness, for it was the day before his wedding. On the morrow he was to call Elisabeth wife. On the morrow all life's sweetness was to be blended into perfect happiness for him. ”

“ Presently Hepworth heard her rating the women in the kitchen. Her voice rose and fell in measured scoldings for a full five minutes.
"Poor old Mally," said Hepworth. "She's a faithful creature, and she loves me. No, I couldn't find a truer friend than Mally."
He finished his dinner and went out into the yard to order his trap to be got ready. He was going to Sicaster, and had parcels to bring back which he could not well carry in the saddle. Then he made himself smart and drove away. In the village he stopped at the gate of the cottage where Elisabeth lived. ”

“ But her husband is dead—she is a widow."
"No, sir. Her husband lives."
At these words Hepworth suddenly regained full consciousness of his own being. He felt a fierce throb of anguish that made him stagger and turn sick. He sat down in the nearest chair and looked earnestly at the stranger.
"Proof of it!" he said. "Proof, man—for God's sake!"
The stranger sank his voice to a whisper.
"I trust to you," he said. "You must be an honest man, or Elisabeth—well, then, I am her husband—I am Walter Verrell." ”

“ Verrell had told Elisabeth all that had taken place between him and Hepworth. But he had resolved while he waited for the latter to tell her something more, and he was beginning this difficult task when Hepworth came up behind them. Hepworth caught the first words. "Elisabeth," said Verrell, "there is something that I must tell you. My dear, we have to begin our life again, and it will be hard—"
"Oh," she said, "as if I cared, now that I have got you back, Walter! We will go somewhere, far away, and we will be happy—happy, my dear, as we used to be." ”

“ Presently the old men who had been waiting his arrival at the door came in with Hepworth, followed by a number of people who had lingered outside until the hour of service was at hand. Hepworth took off his overcoat and ascended the pulpit-stairs. He gave out two lines of a hymn, and there was a rustling of hymn-books amongst the occupants of the pews. Amongst the people sitting on the benches rose an old man, one of those who had waited Hepworth's arrival at the door. ”

“ There's nobody will know you—it's most likely that we shan't meet a soul all the way."
"And when we get home," asked Verrell, "what shall we do? Is—is Elisabeth at your house now?"
"No," answered Hepworth.
"I suppose I had better see her at once!" said Verrell. "Of course, you will have to tell her that the marriage cannot take place."
Hepworth set his teeth firmly together, and brought down the whip in his right hand with savage force across the horse's flanks. The horse started violently and then plunged forward. Hepworth tightened his hold on the reins, and laughed again. ”

“ Let him defy it—let him take the power that life gave him into his own hands and conquer everything by sheer strength of will and purpose. Since everything was against him, let him be against everything. Fate had been kind in one way: it had shown him a means of removing from his path its only obstacle without a fear of discovery.
Hepworth rose. He slipped the revolver into his pocket, and leaving the parlour passed through the porch into the garden and went round the corner of the house, intending to walk across the fields to the spot where he had left Verrell. ”

“ So far he had thought only of himself; since Verrell's admission of his guilt he had begun to think for the woman he loved.
The horse, wearied and frightened by the harsh treatment it had received, dropped into a slow walk, hanging its head and panting. Hepworth let it go its own way. He sat with folded arms and bowed head, thinking gloomily.
"All is over," he said to himself. "I have lived in a fool's paradise, and now I am turned out of it. I used to wonder at Elisabeth when she first told me of her doubts about God, but now I half believe in what she said. What a mockery is life! ”

“ Hepworth began to think. With the power that lay concealed within those shining chambers he could cut the knot that now tied up all the sweet possibilities of life. Verrell was in that lonely grove of trees, absolutely alone, and not a soul in the world knew of his presence there. He was a man already believed to be dead. The law recognised him as dead. He had no friends to enquire for him. The people who saw him drive away with Hepworth from Sicaster would never ask after him, for they knew nothing about him. ”

“ She paused for a moment, and Hepworth saw that tears had come into her eyes. He turned his head away. In his own heart there was a strange feeling. To hear her speak in this way of another man seemed to arouse a sense of jealousy within him. He had allowed himself to regard her as his own, and the sudden shock which came to him when she spoke of her husband created new impressions in his mind.
Elisabeth resumed.
"You will understand, " she said, "that we were poor when we married, Walter and I. His salary was a hundred pounds a year. ”

“ Elisabeth looked at him with an air of doubtfulness.
"Perhaps, sir," she answered, with evident simplicity, "you don't know much of the world?"
"I am a man of middle age," he said.
She shook her head and smiled.
"I don't think that's got much to do with it, sir. It all depends, doesn't it, on how much a person's seen of life?"
"Have you seen so much that you know these things better than I do?" he enquired.
"Oh no, sir; I don't say that. I only say that from what I've seen during my life I've never been able to see that all you preached yesterday is true."
Hepworth reflected. ”

“ Hepworth got down from the gig, and assisted Elisabeth to alight. She stood waiting while he gave some directions to the man as to the disposal of the horse. At his bidding she then followed her new master into the kitchen. A middle-aged woman of a somewhat grim, but not unpleasant countenance, stood by the great fireplace when they entered, evidently superintending certain cooking operations which gave forth an inviting odour. She looked questioningly from Hepworth to Elisabeth.
"Now, Mally," said Hepworth. "I've found a young woman to do the bit of work we talked about. ”

“ He had a full, deep voice, and read with some artistic perception, and the three men on the kitchen bench seemed to enjoy the reading, and kept their eyes fixed on their master's face. As soon as the chapter was finished Hepworth closed the book and stood up. The three men said, "Good-night, maister," and stamped away down the passage.
"Now, Mally," said Hepworth, coming over to the fireside. "You'll see after Elisabeth, I'm sure. You'll know what she'll—"
"Go your ways, maister," said Mally. "Leave women-folk to see to theirsens. Men's nobbut in the way at t' best o' times." ”

“ Elisabeth came back after what seemed a long interval, during which he had sat staring at his untasted breakfast. He dare not lift his eyes when he heard her enter the room. She came to his side and laid the open letter before him.
"I know the worst now, sir," she said. "He is dead—there is no doubt."
She turned away and left the room. Hepworth read the letter, and knew why her voice had seemed so full of hopeless sorrow. The news it contained left no room for doubt. Elisabeth was free. He strode about the parlour thinking over it. ”

“ Verrell followed him to the trap. Hepworth bade him get in and took the reins from the ostler. He drove out of the yard by the back entrance.
"Look here," said Verrell, "I don't know where you're taking me, but I hope it is not through the town. I want to escape observation as much as possible, you know, because—"
"Afraid of being caught, eh?" said Hepworth, and began to laugh again.
"You never know who there may be watching you," said Verrell, nervously. He wished Hepworth would not laugh in so strange a fashion. It seemed to him that it was the laughter of a madman. ”

“ As long-time admirers of these admirable Sabbath sermocinations The Philistine welcomes this innovation. And we think we know the wherefore of it. The Rev. Mr. Hepworth’s name attached to an article denunciatory of sin will have a tendency to strike terror into the heart of Beelzebub, and it was for this reason, no doubt, that Mr. Bennett directed Brother Hepworth to take the field in person.
Unquestionably this will add a new and livelier interest to the church. Each combatant knows exactly whom he is fighting. It is now Hepworth against Satan with a fair field and no favor. ”

“ Her glance lingered for a moment on Wallace Martin, but he returned it briefly and indifferently.
"A young woman who has just married millions needs no family group," remarked Alice Wilstead lightly. "The most effective background is her husband."
"Gad!" Mr. Hewston put down his knife and fork to glare at her. "The idea of looking at Hepworth as a background. He who has always been in the front of everything. ”

“ She was an invalid for many years before her death, and in Hepworth she found a tender nurse. In him, so far as she was concerned, were united feminine gentleness and masculine pity. The country folk made his devotion a proverb, and thought well of him for the manifesting of qualities which are always esteemed by people who are chiefly influenced by their natural environment, and who accordingly esteem the domestic virtues at a high standard. When the old mother died, however, it was usually supposed that Hepworth would soon give a new mistress to the Home Farm. ”

“ He turned to Hepworth. "There's a steward on your ship named Bowker," he began, and John Quincy thought that Jennison stiffened. "How has he been behaving lately?"
"Well, he got pretty drunk in Hong-kong," Hepworth answered. "But that, of course, was the money."
"What money?"
"It's this way. The last time we sailed out of Honolulu harbor for the Orient, over two weeks ago, I was in the purser's office. It was just as we were passing Diamond Head. Bowker came in, and he had a big fat envelope that he wanted to deposit in the purser's safe. He said it contained a lot of money. ”

“ I am not a paper-hanger or house painter to be engaged and then dismissed at the whim of a millionaire. I can not accept a commission from Hepworth and permit him to cancel it by a negligent message, sent through a third person. Absurd!" He frowningly bit a finger. "My plans and arrangements must be concluded for months ahead. They can not be thrown askew like this. Oh, Dita, what did you do, what did you say that brought this about? I worked like a Trojan last night to avert anything of the kind." ”

“ The old-fashioned life which he and his mother lived required no more accommodation than the parlour and the kitchen could give. During his solitary life Hepworth made the parlour his constant abiding- place, eating, reading, and thinking there with no feeling of sameness or monotony. ”

“ I could see it all, and I knew why Stephen Wood had professed his friendship for the man he betrayed.
"I left Bristol, after that, sir, and come to Clothford, where one of my friends had set up a business. I was safe there from Stephen Wood, and I was comfortably provided for until my friend died. The person who took her business over, failed to carry it on, and I was in sore straits until that day you met me in Sicaster market-place. Since then you know my story.
"But now, sir, about my husband. Mr. Hepworth, I don't know, oh, I wish I did!—whether he's alive or dead. ”

“ We were all to ourselves then, and we never wanted anybody else, because—"
"Yes," said Hepworth. "I think I know what you mean. Go on."
"Well, sir," continued Elisabeth, looking at him wonderingly, as if she did not quite understand his interruption, "everything went well with us for a while. I think things began to go wrong as soon as Stephen Wood came to see us. He was a clerk in Water's bank, and Walter looked upon him as his closest friend. One night he brought him home to supper, and after that he came constantly. You wouldn't have thought, to look at that man, Mr. ”