The Portland daily press., 1877-03-24

'Horrlble!' escaped from Jeanette; but
no syllable of complaint crossed the lips of
her mistress.
Strange to tell, yet true, Lady Adelaide
and her waiting-woman reached Stoke Far
rington in safety, and the only mistake thew
made was in going little beyond it.
Why, this is Becksleyi Becksey is on the
other side OF Stoke Farringtonl Guard
guard! are we on the right train ?'
depends on where you are going to,
ma'am."
"Going? to Stoke Ferrington, to be sure,
L know we have passed it for this is the way
we go to London. What shall we doP"
she had to get out and wait in the bitter
cold at little side station for nearly an hour.
Yet she never faltered.
"Ihis fire might be little larger, but what
there is of it is quite hot. Come nearer.
Jeannette-come my good girl, warm your
feet as do. Oh, there is plenty of room -
plenty. You are cold as we'll as |. All!
wonder how poor Mrs, Tresham is nowP
But we must not expect to hear till we are
there"
1t was late in the afternoon ere the travel
lers arrived at the cottage.
"Aunt Adelaidep'
For once in her life Lady Adelaide had no
words. Mutey she gazed into her nephew's
face to read the verdict there; and it was
with almost an hysterical gasp of relief that
she sank down on seat afterwards.
'Aunt Adelaidep'
'My dear boyp'
You have come from Brighton on day
like this"
is she?'
Enthusiastically better. Quite change
since last night. But, my dear aunt
John looked perfectly confounded.
hn iii.
dear. have thought it all over. We will 20
down to that good little inn where I know
they will do everything to make us comforta.
BILE. Jeanette is to tell the driver-it is all
arranged. But l could not help coming.
though Sir Walter said it was foolish.''
'Foolish!' cried John, sezing both her
hands and choking down great sob in his
throat -"foolish! 1t was the best and the
kindest and-and-there isn't one woman in
thousand would have done it. God bless
you aunt! Neither she nor will ever forget
this.'
ooh, my dearr'
She was quite overcome, Two large warm
tears rolled down her cheeks and settled on
the velvet strings of her bonnet.
ITO think OF your coming here all by YOUR
self, and lighting your way among porters
and cabmen!' continued John, aware of
the miseries this involved to his helpless rela-
tive. "You, who have never Travelled alone
in your life. And the Priory closed, and not
you shall not. Here you have come, aud
here you must stay. wish it were palace
for your sake"
"Dear, kind boy" murmured she. 'It
was nothing, a mere nothing-so glad-so
thankful-such happy ending"
John had hurried out of the room. 'Coals
of fire! Yes indeed, my little wife, perfect
furnace is about to descend on your head
now.'
1t would doubtless have been more prudent
if the knowledge of Lady Adelaides arrival
could have been concealed from the sick one.
But independently of the fact that in so
small adwelling it was difficult to conceal any
event that took place, John felt that he owed
it to his aunt to let her journey and its OBJ
ject be known.
True, had he suggested secrecy she would
not only have acqniesced without murmur
but would have Instantly felt that she had
been imprudent in expecting anything else;
but it would have been disappointment
which he could not have borne to inflict.
More, it would have been an injustice.
Elizabeth must know, ought to know, the
true worth of one whom she valued so
slightly.
Although weak, the invalid was now on
the way to recover; and he felt he might VEN
ture on the announcement without danger of
harming her.
Like his own, her first emotion was one of
extreme surprise.
''John! Aunt Adelaide! What for? How
did she come? How long has she been
here?'
when l wrote yesterday, dear. you were
very Ill. DIR. Birch was anxious about you.
l could not disguise it in my letter. The
better report sent to day will not arrive
there till Tomorrow"
"And do you mean that Sir Walter and
letter?'
''Not Sir Waller. He is safe at Brighton"
John, did she come by herself?'
by herself; bringing that French girl
with her,"
son this dreadful dayr'
'Drove up from the station in that old
jangling fly with its broken window. and was
preparing to sleep tonight at the public
house."
"You will not let her?"
mo, dear, no. It is all settled. And now.
Elizabete, what do you think of the poor
aunt?'
Elizabeth's pale face flushed
II would like to see her,"
On tiptoe Lady Adelaide came, her long
silk dress rustling behind her all the way up
stairs and getting itself shut into the doorway
as she approached the bedside.
None OF them once thought of the infec-
ton.
Lady Adelaide stopped to kiss her niece,
and Elizabeth threw her arms around her
neck.
("She may call me clever every day of my
life from this time henceforth, but will nev-
er think of her as fool again.")