“Anna thought she did, but did not deem it advisable to enlighten her husband, whose letter she only answered because of her anxiety to hear again from Eugenie. All her hopes for the future were centered upon that woman for whose recovery she prayed many times a day, wondering if any letter had yet gone across the water, and waiting so anxiously for the response it was sure to bring.
CHAPTER VIII.
MORE NEWS WHICH CAME TO MILLFIELD.
“It was generally known all over Millfield that poor Anna Strong was a lunatic. ‘Hopelessly insane,’ was the last message from the disconsolate husband, who wrote regularly and affectionately to the sorrowing family, which still occupied the small red house by the mill-pond; for Mrs. Strong was not dead, though her brown hair had all turned gray, and her face wore continually a look of sorrow and anxiety. Grief and concern for Anna weighed heavily upon her, and she could not rid herself of a presentiment that there was something behind—something which had never been told her. Haverleigh’s letters were exceedingly kind, and often contained money-orders for the family, who were far better off in worldly goods than when he first came to Millfield. Fred was ready for the Sophomore class in college; Mrs. Strong’s sign of ‘Dressmaking’ was taken down, and Mary only taught a select class of young ladies who came to her to recite.
“In a pecuniary and social point of view, the Strongs had been gainers by Anna’s marriage; but they missed her terribly, and mourned for her as for one worse even than dead. Very eagerly they watched for Mr. Haverleigh’s letters, which at first were frequent and regular. Latterly, however, they had grown less frequent, and it was now some time since Mrs. Strong had heard from him, and she was beginning to get impatient and anxious, when one day, the last of February, there came to her two letters bearing the foreign post-mark. Both were from Paris, and one in Mr. Haverleigh’s well-known handwriting. This was opened first, and said that Anna was better, and had recognized and talked with her husband the last time he saw her, and was beginning to manifest some little interest in what was passing around her.
“‘Thank Heaven for that,’ was Mrs. Strong’s fervent ejaculation, as she folded the short letter and turned to Fred, who was studying the superscription of the other envelope, which he had not noticed particularly before.
“It was in his mother’s box, and had been handed to him with Haverleigh’s, which, as the more important, had received the first attention.
“‘What does this mean, and whom can it be from?’ he said, reading aloud the novel direction, which was written in that small, peculiar hand common to the French.
“‘To the friends of Madame Ernest Haverleigh, nee Mademoiselle Anna Strong, Millfield, Wooster County, Massachusetts, United States of Amerique, in New England. P.S. If the friends may be gone forward where they may be.’
“So much writing covered nearly the entire side of the envelope, which looked soiled and worn, as if it had been long upon the road, which in fact was the case.