The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-10-08

reminding me Of the good old tmrs! Saddle
horse for himl would have sa,ldled dozen
horses II he could only have ridden them all
We went back to the house In a hurry we
had the heetest horse in the stables saddled in
hurry, to lodge the cursed Diamond once more
in the strong-room of q bank. When heard
the last Of his horses hoofs on the drive, and
when turned about in the yard and found
was alone again, felt half inclined to ask my
self II hadn't woke up from dream.
CHAPTER VII.
While was In this bewildered frame Of mind,
sorely neeling little quiet time by myself to
put me right again, my daughter Penelope got
in my way just as her late mother used TO get
in my way on the stairs) and instantly sum-
moned me TO tell her all that had passed at the
conference between Mr.. Franklin and me. Un-
der present circumstances. the one thing to be
done was to clap the extinguisher upon Pencil
ope's curiosity on the spot. accordingly re-
piled that Mr.. Franklin and had both talked
Of foreign politics till we could talk no longer.
and had then mutually fallen asleep in the heat
Of the sun. Try that sort Of answer when
your wife or your daughter next worries you
with an awkward question at an awkward time,
and depend on the natural sweetness Of women
for kissing and making it up again at the next
opportunity.
The afternoon wore on, and my lady and
Miss Rachel came back.
Needless TO say how astouished they were
when they heard that Mr.. Franklin Bl,ke had
arrived, and had gone of again on horseback.
Needless also to say, that they asked awkward
questions directly, and that the "foreign poll
tics" and the '.hlling asleep in the sun"
wouldn't serve q second time over with them.
Being at the end Of my invention, I said Mr..
Frsnklin's arrival by the carly train was en-
tirely attributable 10 one Of Mr. Franklin's
freaks. Being asked. upon that, whether his
galloping OF on horseback was another Of Mr..
Franklin's freaks. I said, "Yes, IL was " and
slipped out ofit-I think very cleverly-in that
way.
Having got over my difficulties with the Ia
dies, found more difficulties waiting for me
when went back to my own room. In came
p epelope-with the natural sweetness OF women
to kiss and make Il up again snd-with the
natural curiosity Of women--to ask another
question. This time, she only wanted me to
tell her what was the matter with ou- second
house-maid. Rosanna Spearman.
Amer leaving Mr.. Franklin and me at the
Shivering Sand, Rosanna, II appeared, had re-
turnei 10 the house in q very uuaccountable
state of mind. She had turned (if Penelope was
10 be belieyed)all colors Of the the rainbow.
She had been merry without reason, and sad
without reason. In one breath she had asked
hundreds Of questions about Mr.. Franklin
Blake, and In another breath she had been an
cry with Penelope for presuming to suppose
that strange gentleman could possess any in
terest for her. She had been surprised smiling.
and scribbling Mr.. Franklin's name inside her
work-box. She had been surprised again cry
ing, and looking at her deformed shoulder In
the glass Had she and Mr.. Franklin known
any thing Of each other before to-dayi Quite
impossible Had they heard any thing Of each
otheri impossible again could speak to
Mr.. Franklin's astonishment as genuine, when
he saw how the girl stared at him. Penelope
could speak TO the girls inquisitiyeness as gen.
uine, when she asked questions about Mr..
Franklin. The conference between us, conduct
ed in this way, was tiresome enough, until my
daughter suddenly ended il by bursting out
with what I thought the most monstrous sup
position had ever heard In my life.
,"Father :" says Penelope quite seriously,
"there's only one explanation Of il. Rosanna
has fallen in love with Mr.. Franklin Blake at
first sightv'
kYou have heard of beautiful young ladies
falling in love at first sight, and have thought
Il natural enough. But q house-maid out OF a
Reformatory. with q plain face and deformed
shoulder, falling in love, at first sight, with a
gentleman who comes on visit to her MISTRESS s
house. match me that, in the way Of an absurd
ity. out Of any story-book in Christendom, II
you can! laughed till the tears rolled down
my checks. Penelope resented my merriment,
in rather strange way. "l never knew you
cruel before. father" she said, very gently,
and went out.
Ny girls words fell on me like splash Of
cold water. was savage with myself, for feel
uneasy in myself the moment she had spoken
them-but 10 It was. We viii change the sub
ject, II you please. am sorry l drifted into
writing about Il, aud not without reason, as
you will sec when we have gone on together q
little longer.
The evening came. and the drcssing-bell for
dinner rang. before Mr.. Franklin returned from
Frirughall. took the hot water up to his room
myself, expecting TO hear, after this eItraordi-
nary delay, that something had happened. To
my great disappointment land no doubt to yours
also). nothing had happened. He had not met
with the Indians, either going or returning. He
had deposited the Moonstone In the bank-de-
scribing il merely as available Of great price
and he had got the receipt for II safe in his pock-
et went down stairs. feeling that this was
rather fat ending. after all our excitement
shout the Diamond earlier in the day.
How the meeting between Mr.. Franklin and
his aunt and cousin went OF Is more than can
tel, you.
would have given something to have waited
NJ table that dsy. But In my position In the
household. waiting at dinner Except on high
family festivals) was letting down my dignity in
!. the eyes Of the other seryant.-a thing which my
lady considered me quite prone enough to do al
ready without seeking occasion for Il. The news
brought to me from the upper regions that even
ing came from Penelope and the footman. Pen
elopc mentioned that she had never known Miss
Rachel 20 particular about the dressing Of her
hair, and had never seen her look 80 bright and
pretty as she did when she went down TO meet
Mr.rranklin in The drawing-room. The foot
man s report was, that the preservation OF 10
spcctful composure In the presence Of his betters.
and the waiting on Mr.. Franklin Blake at din
ner. were two Of the hardest things to reconcile
with each other that had ever tried his training
In service. Later in the evening We heard them
singing and playing duets, Mr.. Franklin piping
high. Mis- Rachel piping higher, and my lady. On
the piano, following them, as IL were, over heig,
and ditch, and seeing them safe through It In
manner most wonderful and pleasant to heal
through the open windows, on the terrace q
night Lher still. went Mr.. Franklin In the
smoking-room, with the sods-wster and brandy
and found that Miss Racho had put the Dis-
mond clean out Of his head. "Shs's the mos'
charming girl I have seen since I came back to
Engand" vss Al could extrst ffou him,