The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-03-28 00:00:00

CHAPTER V.
A SCHENE.

EDA WALWORTTI found her little pet so attractive, so
pretty and playful, and so ready to respond to her
chirpings and caresses with boisterous crowing and
laughter, that, like Frank, she looked forward with no
little regret at parting with it.
She made up her mind, indeed, without hesitation,
that she would gladly assume the care of the child if
there was none to claim it.

But this she could scarcely hope. Its parents,
indeed, might be and probably were lost; but it must,
she thought, have other relatives, who could not fail
to hear of its preservation, and who would, of course,
soon apply for it.
She was fully prepared, therefore, for inquiry on the
subject, and when, soon after breakfast, and after her
father had gone to his business, a ringing of the door-
bell was heard, she did not doubt that the early visitor
was some relative of the infant.

She ascended to the parlour, to find a stoutish,
middle-aged man awaiting her appearance, whose
dress and manners seemed quite those of a gentleman,
but whose expression of face and eye, she could not
tell why, impressed her very unfavourably, as did also
the tones of his voice when he spoke.
"You have advertised a child here, I believe, miss ?"
he said, as if he had been speaking of a bale of goods;
yet the nervous twitchings about the speaker's mouth,
as he uttered these words, indicated an emotion which
Eda naturally mistook for that of anxiety and fear of
disappointment.
Trying to dismiss her sudden prejudice against the
man, she instantly replied:
"Oh, yes, sir—a dear little thing, that we saved
from the river yesterday. Is it a relative of yours ?"
" That I cannot tell, miss, until I have seen it. If
you will be kind enough to permit me to do so imme-
diately, I will be much obliged to you."
"Oh, -certainly, sir," said Eda, ringing the bell.
"Of course you must be very anxious."
The servant was directed to bring the child, and
Mr. Mink walked the floor with unconcealed agitation
during the interval which preceded her return.
But no sooner had the door re-opened, and the little
foundling appeared, than the eager eyes of Eben rested
upon it; his face seemed to elongate and turn paler,
and he gave utterance to a long, mournful .‘ Ah !"
which sounded very like a groan.
There was no mistaking the cherub face before him;
he knew it for that of little Arthur Sibbald, the only
lineal descendant of Simeon Frazer, the millionaire.
So mournful was his look, that Eda deeply com-
miserated him.

"Is it not yours ?" she said. "Dear, dear—how
sorry I am !"
"No, no--it is not as I expected and hoped," re-
plied the stranger. "I am sorry to have troubled
you.,,
"May I ask," said Eda, "if you were one of tha
passengers on the Henry Clay yesterday ?"
"Not--a—in person, miss," said the visitor, hesi-
tating; "a near relative. You will excuse my
agitation. Good morning."
And Mr. Mink abruptly departed, and hurried
home to convey the unpleasant news to his anxious
wife.
But ere he reached home, his harassed mind,
irresolute and vacillating for a while, had become
fixed upon something like a stern determination.
He would not surrender his brilliant hopes without
an effort. A bold stroke might secure the prize, and
be resolved to make it.
"We must find a claimant for this baby," he said
to his wife, after the unpleasant news had been
divulged and commented on. "There is no doubt of
its identity, and Sibbald's friends will soon appear to
claim it, if we do not get the start of them."
Honora was prepared for some such proposition.
She was not shocked; yet she had the grace to assume
a virtue, if she had it not. chap 5
"Oh; Eben ! think of the poor old man!" she said.
"Think of him! hoes he ever think of its? Has he
ever given us a stiver out of his hoards, or has he left
us a cent by his will? Besides, what difference can
it make to one in his condition?"
"Very true—but the child—"
"The child shall be well taken care of. He shall
not suffer. I will see that he is properly provided
for." - - -

-7; Yes—so you could, of course."
"If Sibbald's brother, Tom, gets hold of him of
course the estate all passes into his hands, as guardian,
and we are as poor as ever."
" Yes—l see. You have convinced me. And, now,
as you say, there is no -time to lose---"
"Not a minute. I have been thinking—"
"So have I," interrupted the wife, impatient of his
slower speech. "There is Judy Mallows--"