The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-06-11 00:00:00

Have you never seen her?'

Never.'
How odd. I thought you and Mr. Hatherleigh
were like brothers.'
So we are. But, for all that, I have never seen his
future wile. It has been accident, mostly, I think.
But, to tell you the truth, I have not been particularly
interested in her. A mere schoolgirl, I suppose.'
Oh dear no. She is older than either of us. But
papa chose to have her at school till now. She has
not been like a scholar for some time. We have seen
very little of her. Mamma thinks-'
What does Mrs. Jarvis think?' asked the Rev.
Horace. For Phyllis had stopped, conscious that,
perhaps, she was going to say something that was
better let alone.

She would think that I was chattering in a way
which was not proper,l am afraid, if she heard me,'
the young lady said. 'I was going to say that sh
thinks, for she has said so, that we are better without
much acqua ntance with Miss Ramsay.'
'Surely there is nothing in her conduct to dissp-
prove ?'
Oh no; I didn't mean that, of course,' Miss Jarvis
said, rather abashed upon the construction he seemed
to put upon her words. rut she is different from us,
you know. She has been allowed a groat deal of what
mamma considers latitude. And I believe she is very
beautiful. Papa says so.'
Then I expect she is,' Horace Gayford replied.
'Frank is to be envied.'
'I don't fancy he thinks so.'

Why not?'
It's only a fancy of mine, I daresay,' Phyllis said,
wondering at herself for being able to talk to the
handsome Mr. Gayford in this familiar fashion, but
his manner was so agreeable and friendly, that he put
her at her ease completely. 'But he seems sometimes
as if he did not like to hear it talked about.'

That's just it, Miss Jarvis,' Frank struck in, to the
intense dismay of Phyllis, who had no idea of being
overheard. Don't look so frightened. You have not
been talking treason. I don't feel as if I were lucky
at all, when I hear the fact of my having been (343-
posed of, before I had any voice in the matter, dis-
cussed. The position's awkward, you see.'
I don't see it,' his cousin said. I should think
myself a lucky man if I had your chances, Master
Frank.'

No, you wouldn't. You would feel just as I dc. Of
course, if Fairy and I had been thrown together in the
usual fashion we should have fallen in love with each
other; we couldn't have helped it. No one could help
falling in love with Fairy that had any eyes. But we
weren't thrown together; we were carefully assorted,
like a pair of gloves; labelled and ticketed, and put
away till the proper time came for us to be exhibited
as a pair:

'You foolish boy,' Horace Gayford struck in.
Don't listen to him, Miss Jarvis! it is not Frank
Hatherleigh that is speaking; it is some captious dis-
contented spirit that has got in him to-day. If any-
thing took his Fairy, as he disrespectfully calls her,
away from him, he would be the most miserable of
men.'

That's as it may be,' thought Miss Jarvis to her-
self. But she did not give utterance to her opinion,
and she went in to tea on the arm of Horace Gayford,
and thought how nice it would be to have his arm
throughout her life to lean upon.
Mrs. Jarvis's messenger was swift and dependable,
and caught the lawyer and his ward before they had
left Temple Church. The clerk in charge of the
Chambers 'sent him there, opining that his business
was urgent, and knowing, perhaps, that any missive
from the House at Norwood was not to be trifled
with.

Helen Ramsay's interest in the tombs of the old
Knights Temptars and their wonderful effigies was a
little fitful, after all. They had roamed here and
there through the church, which they had almost to
themselves; and all on a sudden Mr. Jarvis felt his
companion, whose hand was on his arm, start
violently. Looking at her, he saw that she was very
pale.
My dear,' he said, 'what is it? are you ill.'
No, I think not,' she replied. But there was an
evident effort in speaking. felt giddy for a
moment; that was all.'
He made her sit down for a few minutes, wonder-
ing if she were delicate, or if anything had happened
to startle her. There was certainly nothing in the old
church to alarm her. Two or three people were
moving about in the subdued light. A young man
was looking intently at the altar and its adornments;
and the two ladies were strolling about and talking
under their broath, as people are apt to do when they
are walking about a church. Neither of these were in
any way alarming. It could not have been either of
them that had startled Helen.
Indeed, there is nothing the matter with me,' she
said presently, with a laugh. I think I went off in
a sort of dream about the old knights, and woke
out of it with a start. Is this man looking for you,
Mr. Jarvis?'

• Yes, my dear. He is a servant from Campsie
House. I hope there is nothing the matter.'
Helen sat very still, trying to silence the quick beat-
ing of her heart, while her guardian read his letter;
and while he was intent on the paper a quick glance
of recognition passed between his wardand the gentle-
man who was lounging about the altar. It was only
momentary—a flash of the eye, nothing more; but it
would have made the worthy lawyer very uncomfort-
able, had he seen it.
There is nothing wrong, my dear,'he said, when he
bad finished the note. Tell your mistress we will be
thme in an hour,' he added, turning to the servant.
*We are bidden to Campsie House, Helen, instead of
going to Milford. I must send Mrs. Churchill a
tel-gram.'
Why?' asked Helen, not very much pleased at the
prospect. I thought you had settled it.'
So did I. But Frank has muddled it somehow, and
gone to Norwood in search of you. Mrs. Jarvis has
kept him and his cousin to tea, and we are to meet
them there.'
'Frank always does blunder somehow,' Helen
Ramsay said, with no very amiable feeling towards
her betrothed husband's mistake in this instance; for
she did not want to go to Campsie House. Surely,
he could have waited till to-morrow. I shan't run
away.'
*My dear child, don't you want to see him?'
Want to see Frank? Of course I do. Let me
see I haven't seas him for quite three months.'
_

Do you know that gentleman, my dear?' Mr.
Jarvis said, suddenly, as Helen returned the bow of
the young man who was leaving the church, and had
recognised her in an unmistakable manner.
'1 have seen him before, that is all , his mother is
a friend of Miss Nettley's,' Helen replied, demurely.
But Mr. Jarvis felt a little uneasy at her reply. He
couldt.not tell why he was not satisfied; but somehow
there had come a shadow into the day, and he could
int talk lively nothings to his ward as they drove
towards Norwood.