The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-10-16 00:00:00

LALL RIGHTS BESERTED4
THE HEIRESS

ATHERSTONE GRANGE

BY THE AUTHOR OF
"Allan Thornton," "Effie Baird," "Almost eg
Criminal," "Leonard's Legacy," 4-e,

CHAPTER XXXIX.
A VISITOR.
An honest man, close buttoned to the chin.
Broadcloth without and a warm heart within.
—COOPER.
ATHERSTONE GRANGE was rather a noted place in its
Way; and while there was no one there but servants,
visitors were permitted to see the house, and walk
through the grounds. A good many people visited it
cow that the old squire's grandchild had come into
Possession of it in such a romantic way; and in the
beginning of May a stranger prennted himself at the
gate, craving admission. He was a short, wiry-look-
ing man, with a very brown face, as though tanned
With exposure to all sorts of wind and weather, and a
slight roll in his gait, as though he were more accus-
tomed to the swaying planks of a ship's deck than the
solid foothold of terra firma.
He looked good-natured, though shrewd; but there
Was a thoughtful look in his keen grey eyes as he
stopped at the trim little cottage which made such a
Picturesque object in the landscape just there. A
fresh-looking young woman, with a baby in her arms,
came out to admit him.
"Do you know if Miss Atherstone is at home ?" he
asked.
"No, sir, she is not," she replied, swinging back the
Nirge gate to let him pass.
"Indeed! Is she from home, or only in the neigh-
bourhood ?"
"She's away travelling, sir. I think I heard she
meant to go to London before she comes home."
"And when will that be?"
"Well, the end of the month, sir, I believe. She's
to be married the end of next."
"Dear me! lam very sorry she's away. I'm an
old friend of hers, and I have come a long way to see
her.*
"Then will you please to walk up to the house,
sir. Mrs. Wickham, the housekeeper, will tell
you more than I can. She knows all about it
exact."
"Thank you, I will. I should like to know exactly
When to expect Miss Atherstone back."
"And if you come back this way, sir, will you tell
me if there's any news of her? How she is, and so
on? I should like to know if she's well, and I don't
often get up to the house to hear anything."
"Certainly I will, with pleasure. You are very
fond of your young mistress, surely ?"
"Indeed I am, sir. We all are. She is a sweet
creature —so kind and gentle speaking. And
It's unknown the good she dces, and the
things she gives away. It's like a streak
of light to see her coming. If you don't mind
ray Ben's company, sir, he's going to the preserves,
and his way will take you to the housa in a few
minutes. The carriage drive goes round a long way.
It's a matter of a mile and a half, I daresay.
"And I don't want much more walking, so I shall
be very glad. I missed the way I was told in
Leamington, and got to Gui's Cliff."
"Oh, my, that was a walk !" exclaimed the woman,
sympathisingly. "Maybe you'd like to rest a bit
now."
" No, thank you. I would rather get on."
"There's Ben, then, sir. He's quite ready."
"Ben" was a stalwart young fellow of about-five
and twenty, in a gamekeeper's dress, with a frank,
Open face—a fitting companion to his wife's country
Comeliness; and he offered his services with a blunt
bonhomie that sat very naturally on him, and led the
way by the footpath across the park, towards the
Clump of trees and tangled brushwood which were
his particular province. The game was abundant and
tame, and the stranger remarked upon it.
"Fine shooting here," he said.
"Yes, sir. The old squire was very particular, and
Miss Atherstone is the same, though it's not for the
sake of the game, I believe. She likes to see the
creatures about, and can't bear to think of their being
killed. She's that tender-hearted, she wouldn't hurt a
fly."
"Is she?"
" That she is, sir."
"And is all this game to go to waste, then?'
"Oh, no, sir. Mr. Noel, the rector's son, that Miss
Atherstone's going to marry, shoots; and he's going
to let it, I hear, if they stay away long. They say
She's taken a dislike to the Grange, for some reason
or other. I hope she hasn't,!l'm sure, for she's a nice
Young 'lady, and a good one, is Miss Beryl."
"It doesn't seem a place to dislike. Perhaps the
Young laily is only restless, and wants to see other
places as well as her own. Hullo ! What is this? De
u allow this sort of thing?"
They had come upon a boy stooping, in the thickest
Part of the preserves, with a dead bird in his hand. A
bag, with another bird in it, lay beside, on the ground.
110, n. the gamekeeper, was upon him in a moment, and
Cad him out by the collar, shaking him till he gasped
.again.
"You young scoundrel l" he exclaimed. "What are
you doing here ?I'
"Minding my own business," was the surly res-
ponse, while the gentleman stared in astonishment,
first at the lad, then at his captor.
"Poaching in broad daylight !" he said. "They
must be very bold in these parts. Have you much
trouble with them?"
"There's never any trouble, except with this young
devil here," replied Ben, giving the lad another shake.
"They're as honest a set of lads in this neighbour-
hood as a person might wish to see."
"And can't you get rid of him?"
"No, he can't," said the boy, defiantly.
"Can't you take him before the magistrates,
and have him punished 2"
"He knows better," said the boy again, with the
look of sullen defiance.
"He ought to give you a good thrashing, you
Young scamp, and have you sent to prison
afterwards."
"He daren't do it."
"No, that's just it," struck in Ben. "I daron't, and
he knows it. Miss Atherstone likes him, and won't
have him interfered with; and everyone on the place
is bound to let him alone."
"Even when he steals pheasants from the best part
of the preserves?"
"Miss Beryl don't begrudge 'em to me, sir," said the
boy, looking innocently at Ben's flushed and angry
face. "She likes me, as he says. She's taken a fancy
to me, has Miss Atherstone. Can you tell why, Dr.

Uoti,

Twist?'
"Ha, you know me! Turn round. I thought so.
Jack Blogg, what brought you here ?"
"My own business, doctor. I live with my uncle
just at the edge of the park yonder."
"Your uncle! I thought you had no friends in
England."
"I found a relation I didn't expect, sir," replied
Jack, demurely, looking into the doctor's face the
while, "and we live together, and get on as we
can."
"By selling Miss Atherstone's pheasants, eh ?"
"They're ours when we sell them, sir. Miss Ather-
stone knows better than to grudge us a bird or two.
Ben here would like to know what we are so favoured
for; but that's his missis's secret, as long as she pays
for the keeping of it. When she don't, maybe it will
be public property in a little while."
"You are an impudent young jackanapes. Does
your uncle, as you call him, know all you think you
do ?"
"All I know I do, sir. Of course he does."
"Then you are a precious pair, and deserve to come
come to the gallows."
"For knowing a secret? Then a good many others
deserve hanging, as well as me, Dr. . Twist. How
about yourself, eh ?"
He shook himself free of the gamekeeper, and,
seizing his bag, went off at full speed towards the
entrance to the park, with an ironical salute to the
two, who were watching him.
IBen swore a great oath, and then turned apolo-
getically to the doctor.
"I beg your pardon, sir,° he said; "but that boy
puts me past my patience. He does no end of mis-
chief. He damages the young trees, frightens the
game, and snares birds; and yet none of us must lay
a hand on him. Miss Atherstone's orders are very
strict; but I'm very much afraid he'll fall in with a
stray shot, by mistake, one of these days."
"And what's the reason for her partiality for him?
He's not a remarkably prepossmsing lad that I can

see."
"No, sir, he isn't. He's impudent, and dirty, and
ignorant. There's some mystery about it. He's
always on about a secret, like you heard him just
flow; but I think it's nothing but that he came from
Australia in the same ship with the young mistress,
and knew her out there. :he was an actress, you
know, and I believe she doesn't like it talked about.'
"Oh, very likely," said Dr. Twist. "It isn't every-
one who is fend of having their antecedents talked
about. Ah, this is my way, I see," he went on, as
they emerged into the open once more, and on a
narrow path which led straight to the house. "You
have saved me a long walk by your timely
guidance."
"I'm glad to have been of use; and thank you,
sir," Ben responded, as the doctor put a douceur into
his hand and walked away.
"I wonder what that young devil does know—if he
knows anything. I'd like to choke it out of his ugly
carcase, that I would."
Dr. Twist walked on to the house, knitting his
brows, and thinking as he went.
"So Master Jack Blogg has found an uncle, and
ettled down at Atherstone Grange, has he ?" he said
o himself. "H's a sharp boy that; and I suspect
his uncle, whoever he might have chosen for that
affectionate relative, is as sharp as himself. I expect
they are a pleasant pair, and make Miss Atherstone's
life enjoyable by their presence here. She has to pay
smartly for their company, I am sure. So this is
Atkrstone Grange! A fine old house—a goodly stake
to play for—worth the winning, truly. Now for a
lank at the interior, and a guess at how the mistress
of all this magnificence bears the honours that have
been 80 suddenly thrust upon her."
He rang the bell, and sent in his card to Mrs.
Wickham; and presently the servant returned with