Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-09-21
CHAPTER Z.

Mrs. Dalton sat in the pretty draw
ing-room of Ivy Cottage on Friday
evening, impatiently awaiting her
daughters return from their visit to
the Larches. 1t had been a genial day,
redolent of spring, and the garden was
full of opening buds and blossoms.
Bertha's fower-baskets in the drawing
room looked as If they required their
owners attention, however, no one
having thought of them during her abb
sence. Mrs. Dalton had been feeling
more and more dull; she found herself
helpless too without Bertha, and had
settled it comfortably in her own mind
that another time. when Lena went on
a visit, Bertha should remain at home
with her.
The shadows of the fruit-trees were
lengthening across the lawn, the clouds
drifting over the sky took a tinge of
crimson, and as yet there was no sign
of the travellers. Mrs. Dalton looked
at her watch for the twentieth time,
and then she rang the bell.
Sarah. what time is it by the kitch-
en- clock?" she asked. II am sure my
watch is slow. Do you think any acci-
dent can have happenedp"
LA, mum, no." replied Sarah. SIT
wants a quarter Of an hour of the time
for the young ladies to come yet."
Dear me, does it?" Mrs. Dalton ques-
toned. "You are sure Martha went in
good time to meet them at the station?"
! "Shes been gone this half-hour, 'um,"
answered Sarah.
Very well. Keep the kettle boiling;
I dare say they viii like coffee when
they come in"
Another short time of waiting, and
then the vociferous delight of Pinch,
the house-dog, announced the arrival
of the travellers at the door. With great
demonstrations of joy Mrs. Dalton ran
out to receive her daughters. She
scarcely allowed the girls time to put
off their travelling wraps before she as
sailed them with innumerable ques-
tions. How had they enjoyed them
selves? Whom had they seen? What
had they done? What was Sir Steph-
EMS new place like? What sort of
neighbors had hep Had they met Lord
And SO on.
us this all you have to tell me?" she
inquired in a significant tone of Lena,
when the girls had done their best to
diloWCl LCL
Yes, mamma, ALL" Lena replied
with slight flush, as she sunk down
in a low chair with her back to the
window.
Mrs. Dalton looked disappointed.
Il think Lady Langley might have
thought Of asking some one whom it
would have been worth your while to
meet" she said in an injured tone.
.'Oh, mamma, Lady Langley was
kindness itself!'' Bertha exclaimed.
1T was all very well for you, Bertha"
said Lena. ''Sir Stephen and Lady
always made pet of you-and
now Lord Alphington seems inclined
to do the same"
Lord Alphington! You made his
acquaintance thenY" interrogated Mrs.
Dalton.
Bertha did, Lena replied. HE had
neither eyes nor ears for me.o
"Whatever notice he took of me was
owing to the ring" Bertha explained.
He only gave me this because he sup
posed he was going to take the other
from me-" AS she spoke, she held up
her finger to show her mother the pearl
1T is pretty enough" said Mrs. Dali
ION, 'sbut he might have given you
OF more value, I think"
s'Oh. mamma, shouldn't at all have
liked it, if he had offered me something
Of equivalent value; / thought it
showed SO much delicacy on his part to
give me this merely as o token" OBJ
served Bertha.
"You see Bertha will never make her
fortune" said Lena, laughing little
;cornfully. ''There is one piece Of
news must tell you, mamma" she
continued, as Mrs. Dalton poured out
,he coffee that had just been brought
N; "On the very day that we lunched at
AlphingtOn Park, Lord AlphingtOn re-
seived a letter from his solicitor to say
hat the young man who claimed to be
lis grands0n-Mr. FancOurt's son, you
Kn0W-had brought forward his proofs,
ind that they were all in order. He is
,he undoubted heir. Sir Stephen and
Lady Langley have invited us all to
Tisit them in the autumn, so we shall be
Iure to meet this Mr.. Fancourt."
Mrs. Dalton nodded her head with q
mile of satisfaction, though her c0un-
enance clOuded over as she said:
/ Il only hope he may have no entan-
dement's; there's no saying whether he
nay not be already a married man."
II don't think it at all likely Lena
'eturned. *He has been travelling about
or some years, and there was no mem
ion made of q wife"
u am sure / hope he is not married."
aid Mrs. Dalton-''it would be too
to lose such O chance. He's
carcely likely to 20 into society much
his season, / should imagine--there
must be o great deal to settle, law busi-
less and other things.
Bertha took no part in this converse
ion; she was amusing herself by max
ng Pinch beg for biscuit. She made
10 mention of Sir Stephen Langley's
to adopt her--she had not
spoken of 1t to Lena. Deeply grateful
Is she felt for the affection that prompt
ID the wish, she knew that she would
lot be justified in acceding to 1t, SO she
lad put it away from her once for all.
She also knew that the bare mention of
,uch q proposition would bring down
lpOn her head q storm of anger. If Sir
Stephen chose to reopen the subject in
he autumn, he could do so; in the
she would keep silence.
In the course of the evening Bertha
leard the full particulars of the loss OF
he ring, and told her mother that Lord
Alphington had determined to set the
,oIice to work to find it.
"Then they'll have to take the house
lown, said Mrs. Dalton; 'sfor it's my
,elief that it has rolled away into some
.raviee. Only don't let ANYBODY blame