The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-06-04 00:00:00

CHAPTER 11.

HELEN RAMSAY.
A resebud, set with little wilful thorn&
And sweet as English air could make her, she.'
—Txxx:sox.
A TAP at the door roused the lawyer from his medita-
tions, and he lifted up his head with a short Come
in,' expecting to see no one but his clerk. But, to his
amazement, there entered, as it seemed, the original
of the portrait before him, a fresh young girl, her
pretty face all beaming with delight, and her hands
outstretched to return his pleased greeting.
My dear,' he exclaimed. 'Already? You are a
full hour before your time.'
I know; I hope you will not be inconvenienced,'
she replied, in a sweet musical voice that somehow
gave him the heart-ache. It was so very like that
voice of years ago, that had thrilled him through
many a time, and made him lose himself in many a
day dream never to be fulfilled. 'Madame Duhauton
had to come up by this train, and Miss Nettley
thought it would be better for me to come too. I was
to give her compliments to you, and say she hoped she
had not done wrong in sending me. Madam Duhauton
left me only at the entrance yonder, and I knew my
way here quite well.'
And your luggage, my dear?'
I loft it all at the station. Was that right? Ah,
I am afraid I have put you out, blundering in this
fashion. I forget how important every moment of
your time must be.'
Not so important but that I have time to spare for
you, my dear. You are growing very like your mother,
child.' _ _ _

'Am I? I like to think so, though I never re-
membered her. You knew her?'
Aye, I knew her,' the lawyer said. And a spasm
of such pain passed over his face as he spoke, that
Helen Ramsay understood in a flash what the know-
ledge had been, and what the bond had been between
her parents and her guardian.
I-I beg your pardon,' she faltered.
'I loved her, Nellie,' he said; 'and I was just look-
ing at her and calling back the old times when you
came in. See, you have seen this before. It might be
your portrait now.'
The girl looked at it and smiled, a bright flush
rising to her cheek.
Why, this is very beautiful,' she said, naively,
And your glass will tell you the same story, my
dear,' her guardian said. Nay, never blush like that.
There is no harm in a woman knowing that she is
beautiful. You shall have these letters to read some-
time. They are sorrowful relies to me. And now
about yourself. Have you dined?'
'No,' was the laughing answer. We don't do any-
thing so common-place on breaking-up days. Miss
Pemberton receives' in the drawing-room, and there
are plates of cake and wine—such nasty stuff—and we
go away awfully hungry generally; for we don't eat
much breakfast, as a rule. Madame Duhauton gave
ne a bun at Grassmead Station. But that isn't dinner,
Is it?'
No, it isn't,' said the lawyer, demurely. 'Suppose
we dine here, Nellie.'
Here, in ti ese dear old rooms? I should like it
above all things. I thought the Temple was a place
where people did nothing but pore over musty old
books and things. I didn't know anybody ever ate or
drank here.'
'I am afraid a great many people would starve, if
they did not,' Mr. Jarvis answered. 'A good many
spend their lives here. Take off your hat, child, and I
will send you something to eat. See, you can make
your toilet in here, while I consider what we shall
have for dinner. Well have a pic-nic or two, and you
shall toll all about Miss Nettley and the school before
we start away for Hillford:
Am I going to Hillford to-night?' the girl asked,
a pleased look coming into her face.
I thought that would be better, my dear—that is,
I fancied you would like to make acquaintance with
your new home. It won't be your home for very
long, you know—only till Frank—'
'Did you say I was to go in here?' Helen mired,
suddenly opening a narrow door that led into a tiny
room like a dressing-room. 'Oh, this is ddightful.
I can make myself quite presentable. How nice of
you to think about dinner, you dear old guardy. I
declare I am quite famished.
Whatever Mr.* Jarvis had been going to say about
Fred,: Hatherleigh was cut short by Helen's sudden
di appearance. But no thought that she had done it
pi rpesely ever entered his head. He summoned a
clerk through his speaking tube, and bade him order
a dinner from the restaurant he himself affected when
he dined in town, as he not unfrequently did. And
then he gathered up the letters and the miniatures
and put them away, thinking the while of Helen's
great beauty and her likeness to her mother.
• She is perilously lovely,' he said to himself. 'lt
is fortunate that her future is settled, perhaps. Frank
.is a good fellow, and she will be safe with him. If
she were free, she would be a mark for all si rts of
ineligible people, and I should have trouble on my
hands. As it is—Ah, here she comes. My dear, you
look radiant. I don t believe you have given ma a
kiss yet.'
You shall have a dozen if you like,' Helen replied
Ilieging her arms round the lawyer's neck, and bestow-
ing that number, at least, on him before she left off,
making him think with a kind of chill of the dutiful
little pecks his daughters favoured him with night
and morning, and causing him to wish that those two
exemplary young ladies were a little more like this
fre4i young creature, who was not ashamed to show
what she felt, and to say she loved anyone that was
kind to hr.
Mrs. Jarvis was very fond of saying that she was
thankful that her daughters were not demonstrative ;
exhibitions of feeling were so very unladylike. And
e rtaii,ly, if Phyl' is and Henrietta had any feeling at
sastyir that
all, they managed to hide them with remarkable
werefeelings
veryntogs
t surface likea
he to p t toe
Ict,leevyrrhnt.ls.
no
certainly, they had none that came
spiteful people
paenodpie n o
Helen Ramsay's.
yr'nlntg's tlandeymsossitd,dealisghshtfoulstahtindgnwit lai tnhpepnwsiotrolds,' that
fowl, to be instructed by her guardian in the art en.
eauwttelek t
ng it up.
come h
p. 'lt's o
oworthod goinghove o
one
i tihootuhti
ad ionhnserrms
ifoogr
old place. It only wants one thing to make it quite
perfect.'
' And what is that, pray? Frank?'
No, I wasn't thinking of him,' Helen said, a slight
cloud passing over her pretty face, and vanishing
again as quickly as it came. should like all the
gills to see me, that's all. Wouldn't they envy me?
I'm not so sure I should like it,' Mr. Jarvis said,
with a mile. 'lt would be rather a formidable
matter to eat my dinner in the presence of a bevy of
young ladies. You are a very child still, little one.
I thought you were to come back to me a woman this
time? _ .
'So I have, most grave and womanly. I'm going
to begin now. Mrs. rhurchill shall have nn reasor

roast