The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Hermit of Far End, by Margaret Pedler

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Title: The Hermit of Far End

Author: Margaret Pedler

Release Date: April 5, 2006 [EBook #3159]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HERMIT OF FAR END ***

Produced by Dagny; John Bickers

THE HERMIT OF FAR END

By Margaret Pedler

First Published 1920.

PROLOGUE

It was very quiet within the little room perched high up under the
roof of Wallater's Buildings. Even the glowing logs in the grate burned
tranquilly, without any of those brisk cracklings and sputterings which
make such cheerful company of a fire, while the distant roar of London's
traffic came murmuringly, dulled to a gentle monotone by the honeycomb
of narrow side streets that intervened between the gaunt, red-brick
Buildings and the bustling highways of the city.

It seemed almost as though the little room were waiting for
something--some one, just as the woman seated in the low chair at the
hearthside was waiting.

She sat very still, looking towards the door, her folded hands lying
quietly on her knees in an attitude of patient expectancy. It was as if,
although she found the waiting long and wearisome, she were yet quite
sure she would not have to wait in vain.

Once she bent forward and touched the little finger of her left hand,
which bore, at its base, a slight circular depression such as comes from
the constant wearing of a ring. She rubbed it softly with the forefinger
of the other hand.

"He will come," she muttered. "He promised he would come if ever I sent
the little pearl ring."

Then she leaned back once more, resuming her former attitude of patient
waiting, and the insistent silence, momentarily broken by her movement,
settled down again upon the room.

Presently the long rays of the westering sun crept round the edge of
some projecting eaves and, slanting in suddenly through the window,
rested upon the quiet figure in the chair.

Even in their clear, revealing light it would have been difficult
to decide the woman's age, so worn and lined was the mask-like face
outlined against the shabby cushion. She looked forty