The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-12-11
HUGH KENRICK'S WILL,
(. or,
THE STORY OF A P0Sy RING.
BY MARGARET HUNT.
AutA0r Of "THe Leadn CaSkd" "Ihorni-
crQft's Model" dc. dc
CHAPTER /.

CHAPTER L.
"After all, Lucy, II is not such very
difficult journey. 1t is only hundred
miles or so, and there is no change; and
if you only sit still and take care not to
get your fingers jammed in The doorway,
really cannot see what harm can happen
to YOU
"Hush, Auntie! Do, please; l am not
quite baby" And as she said this, the
speaker, pretty, shy-looking girl of Is,
glanced anxiously at an old gentleman
who was sitting in the far corner Of the
carriage, to see if he had heard her aunt's
counsels and fears, and if he thought
them two silly women not fit totravel, and
not very well able to take care of them
selves. The old gentleman had his Times,
his SatUday Reuieo, and Spectator on his
knee and looked placidly benignant. 1t
was doubtful if he had heard Aunt Els
theirs hints--if he had, they did not APP
pear to stir any emotions Of contempt
Lucy turned back to the window and
Aunt Esther who was now gazing earn
thlly hll'l hHhlbubll ~ l'l law
"Dear child" said she, ~ am feel
ing very uncomfortable, do so wish l
had just left everything and gone with
you. / shall not know a happy moment
till hear the train hasgo safely to Itch
field And Lucy, have you got the stamp
ed envelope gave you 1.-THE one ! adj
dressed for you, you known recommenc-
ed Aunt Esther, and then she sighed her
relief as Lucy produced it, "Ah, yes, you
have it; but Lucy, darling-here-give a
porter this shilling to put the envelope in
the post for yon. There is sure to be a
letter-box in the station. but mind you
watch him do it; stand and watch him,
dear, and see the letter drop in"
"Yes, yes, Aunt" whispered Lucy. "But
how can you be so anxiousf Everyone
will think"
81 am anxious, can't help it; and, Lu-
cy you promise me faithfully you will
write every"
The train is going" cried Lucy. "oh,
do take care! Goodbye Yes, | will
write" And in minute more it started,
and all that Aunt Esther could do was to
stand and look after the great iron mon
ster as it shrieked and tore away with her
treasure.
Lucy looked down. and for some time
she thought of no one but poor, dear
Aunt Estherj" then she enjoyed the pros
pect of the happy days and weeks which
lay before her. and then, before settling
down to her railway novel, she glanced at
her companion, but TO her horror and
amazement his eyes were fixed on her
face and they were full Of kindness and
interest Lucy hlushed. She felt as il
she had been detected in trying to espy
.rG1ne secret of his. He did not turn away
he looked encouraging.
"You have not made many journeys
alone, lady2" said he.
"No, not even one until to-day
IF | can be OF any service to you, you
must command me- he continued Lucy
looked at his white hair, and thought it
would not be quite fair if she in her bright
youth were to impose many tasks on his
seventy and odd years,
II am even older than you perhaps
think" said he, "but still am not too old
to do anything you may ask me-"
But how do you know what was
thinkingT inquired Lucy, very simply,
"You were thinking poor old man, he
is seventy, at least; but, lady. am sew
enty-eight; and the reason that | know
what yon are thinking is because you are
the kind Of person whose thoughts do
understand little-I mean better than
/ understand the thoughts Of most peo.
pie"
Lucy drew back. She thought this was
an odd way to talk and that it was not
very nice to be shut up in a railway
carriage for more than hundred miles
with person who talked in an odd way.
"No, lady SAIL he, "donot think amisA
OF what | say. | will explain. When |
was young saw great deal of mean
j was very intimate with--a young lady
of your age, and you are much more like
her than anyone have met during my
whole long life"
Lucy was interested, much interested,
hut had the uncomfortable feeling TINT it
was wrong to be so--that this old gentle
man was Every strange and rude, and
talked in way that no one who w9s not
an old, old friend, or relation ought to
talk, and that if Aunt Esther did but
know" but here she was interrupted
"You are wrong again" said he II
speak in a way you perhaps think strange
but it is only because talk frankly and
naturally. do not mean to shock or an
noy you"
"Oh, no." began Lucy.
"Would you like TO gee the Sl,ortotorr
asked the stranger, and Lucy felt herself
put in her place as good little girl who
was not quite grown up enough to be en-
titled to talk for any length Of time to
gentlemen, especially TO very old ones,
but who was not on that account to be
cut of from all the tender charities OF
life, So she took her Spectator meekly,
and turned it's pages one by one, and tried
to make herself think she liked the polit-
ical articles, and was interested in the
middles, and did not dislike the reviews
but being at that time not very fond Of
reading, she had but poor success. After
about an hour and not till then, she again