like the shadow of a hovering kiss mother do not grieve he said i will be great and our fortunes high and you shall wear the longest train at court and look so all the lords shall say she is a royal there s some crown the right head since hers wears naught but oh he is coming now � but i am gray and he � on the st of september in the memorable year some one was expected at court as early as two o clock in the afternoon the aged lodge keeper had opened the heavy gate green as the tree trunks were green with nature s paint deposited year after year already in the village of little which lay on the side of a steep hill not far t ff the lodge gates the elder sat in their best gowns at the few cottage doors the road that they might be ready to get up and make their courtesy when a carriage should come in sight v and beyond the village several small boys were stationed on the look out intending to run a race to the barn like old church where the waited in the ready to set the one bell in joyful agitation just at the right moment the old lodge keeper had opened the gate and left it in the charge of his lame wife because he was wanted at the court to sweep away leaves and perhaps to help in the stables for though court was a large mansion built in the fashion of queen anne s time with a park and grounds as fine as any to be seen in there were very few servants about it especially it seemed there must be a lack of for except on the ter race surrounded with a stone in front of the house where there was a kept with some neatness grass had spread itself over the gravel walks and all the low once carefully cut as black beds for the shrubs and larger plants many of the windows had the shutters closed and under the grand scotch fir that stooped toward one corner the brown fir needles of many years lay in a small stone balcony in front of two such darkened windows all round both near and far there were grand trees motionless in the still sunshine and like all large motionless things seeming to add to the stillness here and there a leaf fluttered down fell in a silent shower a heavy floated by and when it settled seemed to fall wearily the tiny birds alighted on the walks and about in perfect tranquillity even a stray rabbit sat a leaf that was to its liking in the middle of a grassy space with an air that seemed quite impudent in so timid a creature no sound was to be heard louder than a sleepy hum and the soft monotony of running water hurrying on to the river that divided the park standing on the south or east side of the house you would never have guessed that an arrival was expected but on the west side where the carriage entrance was the gates under the stone were thrown open and so was the double door of the entrance hall letting in the warm light on the pillars the marble statues and the broad stone staircase with its worn into large holes and stronger sign of expectation than all from one of the doors which surrounded the entrance hall there came forth from time to time a lady who walked lightly over the polished stone floor and stood on the and watched and listened she walked lightly for her figure was slim and finely formed though she was be fifty and sixty she was a tall proud looking woman with abundant gray hair dark eyes and eyebrows and a somewhat eagle like yet not face her fitting black dress was much worn the fine lace of her thb radical and collar and of the small veil which fell backward over her high comb was visibly mended but rare jewels flashed on her hands which lay on her folded black clad arms like finely cut many times mrs went to the door steps w and listening in vain each time she returned to the same room it waa a moderate sized comfortable room with low book shelves round it and it formed an room to a large library of which a glimpse could be seen through an open doorway partly by a heavy curtain drawn on one side there was a great deal of and on the walls and furniture of this smaller room but the pictures above the book cases were all of a cheerful kind portraits in of ladies with hair powder blue ribbons and low a splendid portrait in of a in the gorgeous dress of the restoration another of a in his boyhood with his hand on the neck of a small pony and a large battle piece where war seemed only a picturesque blue and red accident in a vast sunny expanse of plain and sky probably such cheerful pictures had been chosen because this was mrs s usual sitting room it was certainly for this reason that near the chair in which she seated herself each time she re entered there hung a picture of a youthful face which bore a strong resemblance to her own a but masculine face with rich brown hair hanging low on the forehead and beside each cheek down to the loose white near this same chair were her writing table with covered account books on it the cabinet in which she kept her neatly arranged her basket for her a volume of from which she took her patterns a number of the north herald and the cushion for her fat which was too old and sleepy to notice its mistress s restlessness for just cow mrs could not the 