The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-03

lnlS Qre mlgDt DC Httlt ldiBVi, pue
what there is of it is quite hot. Come
nearer, Jeanette-cohle, my good girl,
warm you feet as / do. Oh, there is
plenty of room-plenty. You are cold
as we'll as I. Ali l wonder how poor
Mrs. Tresham is now? But we must not
expect to hear till we are there"
1t was late in the afternoon when the
travellers arrived at the Cottage.
"Aunt Adelaide"
Fer once in her life, Aunt Adelaide
had no words. Mutely she gazed at her
nephew's face to read the verdict there;
and it was with almost an hysterical
gasp of relief that she sank down on a
seat afterwards .
"Aunt Adelaide" ISL
"My dear boy!"
"You have come from Brighton on a
day like this?'
'My poor John, to be sure have.
How is she?'
Extraordinarily better. Quite a
change since last night. But, my dear
aunt"
John looked perfectly confounded.
"You shall not be troubled with us,
my dear. l have thought it all over.
We will 90 down to that good little inn,
where / know they will do every thing to
make us comfortable. Jeanette is to tell
the driver-it is all arranged. But I
could not help coming, though Sir Wal
ter said it was foolish"
"FoolishP' cried John, seizing both
her hands and choking down great sob
in his throat -"foolish! It 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 l will ever forget this"
"Oh, my dear"
She was quite overcome. Two large,
warm tears rolled down her cheeks, and
settled on the velvet strings of her bon
net.
"To think of your coming here all by
yourself, and fighting your way among
porters and cabmen" continued John
aware of the miseries this involved to
his helpless relative. "You, who never
travelled alone in your life! And the
Priory closed! And not a creature tc
meet you! But 60 to the inn, you shal
not. Here you have come, and here yor
must stay. | wish it were palace, fol
your sake"
'Dear. kind boy" murmured she. III
was nothing, mere nothing-so glad
so thankful-snch Il happy ending"
John had hurried out of the room
| ''Coals Of fire! Yes, indeed, my littl
wife, perfect furnace is about to de
scend upon your head now"
1t would doubtless have been NOR
prudent if the knowledge of Lady AIDE
ladies arrival could have been concealed
from the sick one.
But independently of the fact that il
SO small building it WAS difficult tt
conceal any event that took place, Johr
| felt that he owed it to his aunt to let hel
| Journey and its object be known.
True, had he suggested secrecy, she
would not only have acquiesced without
a murmur, but would have instantly fell
that the had been imprudcHt in expect
ing anything else; but it would have
been a disappointment which he coulC
not have born to inhict. More, it woulc
have been an injustice. Elizabeth mus
know, ought to know, the true worth o.
one whom she valued so slightly.
Although weak, the invalid was now
on the way to recover; and he felt he
might venture 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 sht
beop herew
"When ] wrote Yesterday, dear, vol
were very ill. DR.. Birch was anxious
about you. I could not disguise it in
my letter, and it they only received
this morning. The better report sen
to-day will not arrive. there until to
morrow"
"And you mean that Lady Adelaid
and Sir Walter set off on the strength 0
that letter."
mot Sir Walter. He is safe at Brigh
ton"
"John, did she come by herself?
"By herself-bringing that Frencl
girl with her."
"On this dreadful day!"
"Drove up from the station in tina
old iangling fly with its broken window
and was preparing to sleep tonight at a
public-house."
"You will not let her?"
! "No, dear no. 1t is all settled. Anc
now, Elizabeth, what do you think o
the poor aunt now?"
Elizabeth's face flushed.
W should liketo see her."
On tip-toe Lady Adelaide came, he
long silk dress rustling behind her al
the way upstairs, and getting itself shu
in the doorway as she approached tn
bedside.
None of them once thought Of the in
fection.
| Lady Adelaide stopped to kiss he
niece, and Elizabeth threw her arm
around her neck.
('tShe may call me clever every day o
nv life from this time henceforth, but
| ~. e e. II J,