The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-08-07
WHOLE NO. l4l3.

more. With sixty pounds they could
begin life. OF course, they would
take time; Nelly must send money
home, and Joseph had bis aged and
helpless grandfather to support: but,
with time, argued Joseph, it could
be done And again followed q
glimrss Of that married life for which
Joseph had been pining for years, as
only the poor can pine for love, home,
and woman. Nelly heard him, and
said not a word She was very glad
10 have found her mothor alive and
safe as she said. but darkness had
come over her joy. "Poor fellow ! if
be knew the truth" she thought, as
she listened 70 him, "and if he knew
/ that every word he utters is stab
to men But every one seemed bent
on tormentiDg her. Mrs. Dering came
out again and extolled Nelly's place
and salsry. Little Jane, hearing SO
much about money, wanted to know
what Nelly was going to give her !;
aud when the sick woman was able
to speak her first words were an in
junction on her daughter not to ex-
ceed her leave of absence Nelly
must not vex Sir John on any ac-
count. She became so excitable on
this head that, to pacify her, Ellen
asked if she should go away by the
night train.
ayes, you had better, my dear, {"
replied her mother, rather eagerly.
She was as anxious to see her
daughter depart as she had been to
make her come. Nelly herself was
not so anxious to go. The burden of
her secret was too much for her As
she left the cottage Mrs. Dering iol-
lowed her out mysteriously.
Ellen" she said, 81 have some
money unknown to nv husband, and
| want poor William 10 have it. You
just take it from me. and be will call
for it in day or TWO | can't send
it by the post"
She slipped little silky packet in
Nelly's hsnd. "And to take care of
it" she whispered again, "for it is
four fye-pound notes, Nelly"
Ellen hesitated William, Mrs.
Dering's son by her first husband,
had been so beaten and ill-used by
bis step-father that he had run away
to London years before. Bus mis-
fortune had followed him, and be
was only siekly widower with
three little children.
"You cannot refuse doing that for
me-" said Mrs. Dering.
"No, no, Mrs. Dering, viii do it
with pleasure. But il is Ich large
sum-suppose / should lose it 2"
You'll not lose it, Nelly; here,
take it, and do not tell aoy one
ANY one" meant Jo eph, who
now came up to escort NiIy to the
station. Thes walked along the
shady lane, arm in arm, and as they
had plenty of time, poor things, they
fingered Nelly felt much depressed
when they parted ct the station, and
Joseph saw it,
"You are fretting about your moth
er," be said. 81 am sure she'll do,
Nelly but I'll be sure to write"
NO." said Nelly, nervously, "no
news is good news-only write ifshe
gets bad ogainn
Nelly had her reason for this.
"How should bear the suspense if
Sir John was out" she thought
But Joseph said a little shortly,
Every well, when | write you will
know it is bad news"
Nelly wanted to explain, but she
had no time to do so. The train was
going TO start.
Make haste" said Joseph, hur-
rying her away. "It-is only writing
him line when get to London"
thought Nelly Poor Joe ! he was
hurt.
An accident which had taken place
on the line delayed the train, so that
it was nine in the morning when il
reached the station. Sir John lived
at the other end Of the town, and it
was ten by the time Ellen got to his
house James opened the door for
her, aud very cross James looked
The poor fellow had been kept on du-
ty almost the whole time she had
been away.
"a pretty mess you made of it,
ma'am," be said, with sarcastic po-
liteness, land nice way Sir John
and | have been in all the time"
al have not been twenty-four
hours away, James," answered FL
len, "and if you will just let me go
up and change my dress, shall be
down directly. You can tell Sir
John So"
"Sir John is cut" was the short
reply. "How's your mother ?" he
added, more kindly.
Much better, thank yoan
If Nelly had but said Much
worse" James would have been soft
ened thoroughly, but much BETTER"
showed what o perverse, tormenting
little creature she had been; so be
roughly bade her not be long; and
when Ellen came down be did not
wait until she had reached the bot
tom of the staircase to go out Of the
front door. Ellen entered the parlor,
and went and sat down in her usual
place. She felt giddy with fatigue,
and her first feeling was to long for
more complete rest than that Of wait
ing for Sir Johns letters. She look
ed out lsnguidly through the wire
blind that protected her from the in-
discrete glances of passers-by. Dark
er aud duller than ever seemed the
houses Well, she would soon cease
to look at them. A month would
soon be over, and then she would go
back to her mother and Joseph and
Mrs. Dering. Here an awful blank
followed-what had become of Mrs
Derirg's twenty pounds Ellen rush.
ed up stairs like q mad thing She
searched the clothes she had just Ia
ken off-no trace of Mrs. Dering's
money did she ind 1t was lost
that money which the poor mother
had taken years to put by for her
sick son and his three children was
utterly lost
Ellen.s Grst feeling was one of stu
por; then she asked herself the usu-