The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-12

oAN u3iu Dihit Wouiu pC Sihu W SpSsAA
to his mistress when he cut across my
sentence with:
"Mrs. Mason has been expecting you
this hour. Come in, if you please" and
lie drew back the bolt aud led the way
up the walk into the hall.
1t was a beautiful house, though not
very large, and you could see right
through glass doors at the end of the hall
into a lovely garden all full of flowers.
But had not much time to notice these
things, for the butler, saying, "You will
find Mrs. Mason in the room at the end
of the passage upstairs" left me to find
nay way there by myself.
For the minute / felt surprised; but
then remembering Mr. Ramsden would
be almost certain to mention that ! had
written to him. l could but think how
kind he was and how considerate my for
mer mistress. .a.... ~
making me as free of the house as it
l had not been away from her day." |
said almost aloud, as ran up the fight,
and, walking straight to the dor at the
end of the passage, knocked softly upon
the panel.
"Come in," voice said; and, turning
the handle, I found myself in a small
but very pretty dressing-room, darkened
by outside blinds, and sweet with hun
dred perfumes, that came stealing
through the open windows. r,.,
There were two in the apartment. and
at the further one. with her back toward
me, a lady sat in an easy-chair reading.
AS | entered she raised herself lit lie,
and turned her head slightly toward the
door. ..........
81 thought you were never coming,
Mrs. Darcy" she said. Il hope you have
been able to match that fringe@
"There is some mistake, ma'am," I be-
gan. 81 am not Mrs. Darcy"
"You have come from her, then, ! sup
posea Has she got that fringe?"
"No, ma'am-that is, / do not know
whether she has or not. My name is
Calcey. You remember Briart, that used
to live with you and your mammal"
was so confused scarcely recollect
whether those were the very words /
spoke, but they were like them. As ]
finished she rose, and, with her hair all
loose and streaming over her shoulders,
stood up, one hand resting on the back
of the chair, the other, which held her
book, hanging down by her side. Icould
but notice how thick her hair had grown,
and how much comelier and better she
herself looked. A ray Of sunlight, which
crept through chink in one of the
blinds, fell on her head as she turned and
faced me; and l remember that it passed
through my mind she must have been
using some of tile washes that were then
in vogue to make dull locks look golden.
Her hair when l had to dress it was a
nasty drab, aud now it glittered and
glinted as the wandering beams played
over it. ..t, =
II do not recollect you," she said.
"What name did you sayg fo
"Briart. lived with you as maid af-
ter you married Mr.. Mason. l was with
you at Martinly Hall" .. .al
"Oh, l remember now" she said; but
she did not. l saw l had passed as COM
pletely out Of her memory as if she had
never seen me. .q n .+1
That WAS Miss Emily all over, how.
ever, TIP moment people had served her
turn she could throw them off like all old
glove, and forget they had ever existed
Besides. seven years had passed, and in
six years mistress often manages to blot
other things besides the face of former
servant out of her memory. - .e
"It is a long time since we heard any.
thing of you," she went on, and she
spoke hurriedly and sharpe than usual
| said it was; that l did not know till
the other day that she was living in
Surrey. +. .......
Glow did you know then?' she asked
Though she had grown 10 much stouter
thought she must still be nervous; fol
even through the closed blinds l was
able to zee her color went and came, and
that the hand she had laid upon the back
of the chair shook as she seemed to lear
upon it. ss.. l..a. ... .
began at the beginning, and told hel
as shortly as l could about the sudden
HES vi uiy uusUdiiu ucdbtl anu Nuy OWL
long illness. / said ! thought it best fol
me to take a situation; but thatI could
not of course get one unless had s
character. r ,sH epssr r.- s,A@ a
II don'ts mean for honesty or steadi
ness, ma'am," / added. "because the
housekeeper at a great house in our vii
iage has answered about all that to Lady
Poplett; but her ladyship wants a really
useful maid--one who is able, as sht
says, to discharge her duties thoroughly
and satisfactorily" ~ , a1sa,
81 see" observed my former mistress
thoughtfully. II need not tell you, Bry
ant, / will do everything / can for you
; 1t certainly struck me as strange sht
should call me Bryant instead of Briart
but it did not seem any stranger to me-
than her whole manner. Indeed, ] wa.
SO astonished by her ways altogether
that l forgot to say how much Obliged
felt to her. .slglr.-rsd la a.47
Il UVbo+ L. Il vou want ma IN do9', sb1