Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-04-04
CHAPTER MI.
BkBNS HINES.


If Mrs. A!lenby had expected her
eldest daughter toh rrised or fright
ened she was disappointed, and she her
self was not prepared for the long look
of slow resentment Victoria gave her.
The words stung her and haunted her
when the girl had gone. IF anything
goes wrong now, | for one shall never
forgive you, and that was d2uIh-
ters mercy: her reward for keeping the
trouble to herself.
When Michael first came home. his
sister-in-law had intended to tell him,
and it would have been her wiscst
course but he was difficult man to APP
preach. In his behavior to her there had
always been an undercurrent of grim,
good-humorcd irony; he was one of the
very few who knew exactly what she
had been, and her stately imitation-an
almost unconscious imitation-of the
duchess she had served only amused
him. He knew. too, how hard she had
driven his brother along the working
road of his profession, for the sake OF
keeping up appearances, till he broke
down under the strain, and he did not
like her the better for it; but where his
brothers children were concerned he
would have been more than kind, more
| than generous.
| She had, however, let the chance go
| by. lie had questioned her as to her
| circumstances, and she answered in a
way which led him to infer that they
| were just as he saw them. If he took
| tbn trnulla 10 iu1ttir. fi,t hnr che was
| not aware of it; but her creditors were
| quite satisfied; the veritablc Michael
| Allenby, so often spoken of by her, had
| arrived and was located in her house.
They saw him in the carriage with her
| and her daughters, and they knew that
he WAS nearly a millionaire. They took
her orders. and did not trouble her with
accounts. They no longer looked upon
her rs doctors widow with Il doubtful
income and no ready money: she was
Michael Allenby's sistcr-in-law, and tt
have asked who he was would have beer
like inquirinG as TO the monetary status
of a Rolhschild.
| Mrs. Allenby went to OranmOrC
Square next day. and her horses stepped
as if no merccnary consideration had
lien upon them. George Hyde rodt
with her, curious TO see how she would
meet her sons neglected widow; he saw
that she was making mental prepare
tons for it.
| Mary and Margaret were in Mary
own sitting-room when they arrived; i
would have been termed an ante-rOOm
being quite at the back Of the house
but it was long and large, and woulo
not have let so well as amy of the others
that,-as George told Mrs. Allenby will
quiet mischief was only why Mar.
kept it for herself.
but, good Heavens" said that lad
in dismay, "you never mean to say sh
will receive her Uncle Michael there?
II am afraid she must, said George
"she could not very we'll ask him to tn
kitchen or her bedroom, and all the res
are let
"Oh, this is quite too dreadful.
never thought of it before. That oil
gentleman must go: | will tell her 50.
you had much better tell him so,
said George.
"Oh, will; l wonder if heis AT home
Michael would never forgive me if h
| SAW AIllul WIG anu NHllh' III VI
reality of the case, pushed away in
duh back room such as my butler dc
clined to sleep in. Dear mel the realit
never struck me before"
George only smiled. lie had sper
many pleasant hours in that dull bac
room, and could very willingly hav
spent his lifetime there had it bee
necessary.
And it was in this dull back rool
Mary received her husbands mothC
with calm and quiet grace, and
dignity which took that lady by SUI
prise. Mrs. Allenby, true to the 70
she had set herself top'ay, put her arm
round the girls neck aud kissed h'
with fearful eyes.
1T is too late now,' she said, ~
speak of what might have been if "
had met before; only hope it is not tc
late for US to learn to love each other