Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1888-05-10
: =! r.. =; 1'T AND Niece,
The Mistress Of
HazelWOCd.
ny GERALD CARLTON.
CHAPTER III-Contlnued.

very gently and softly he placed his hand
on the wndow-curtain. and pulled it aside.
The faint, foggy light fell upon the face OF
the figure. and the young man started back
with blanched cheeks.
Merclful Father!" he cried, "she is
dead"
The girl Immediately contradicted him
by leaping from the sofa with startled
cry.
They looked at each other wonderingly
for moment.
| beg your pardon" stammered Will
indeed, he scarcely knew what to say.
At this the girl burst into the most infec-
tious, fay-lfe laugh imaginable. She
clapped her hands and then held them out
to him; and Will, it must be admitted,
shook them very awkardly.
Il know who you arel" the girl exclaim-
ed. You're my drawing master. l am
SO glad to see you; we didn't expect"
Will hastened to explain the unposted
letter, also that the servant had left him in
the room in which they then were while
she had gone to acquaint Miss Bentley Of
his arrival
"Then you have not seen my aunty yet?'
! have not had that pleasure"
And have you been long here, Mr.. Try
'il?"
"Some minutes" answered WILL still
slightly embarrassed. Il was not aware,
however, that"
THAT | was sleeping on the sofa, she
interrupted. with o musical laugh. Il don't
often assure you. / was SO dull this aft
erAoon-so like the book | was reading
that fell asleep Please let me take You
to my aunt-she's in the library"
She took his hand, and they left the room
together When they were in the hall, she
whispered to him:
Il heard you cry. She's dead!' Don't
tell my aunty that you thought that, Mr..
Tryfoil-don'tl Pray don'tl"
Will. totally mystitied by her words, only
bowed his head And SO she led tho way
to door at the end of the hall. A light
wns vislb 9 in the space between the door
and the floor, and the girl looked through
the keyhole.
Yes; there's aunty reading" she bright
ly whispered. aShe will be glad to see
you, Mr.. Tryfoil.
just as she was about to tap at the libra
~ door. she turned suddenly, and facing
Will, said in low, laughing voice:
Guess what aunty is like, Mr.. Tryfoil?'
Il have no idea, really"
rs she gray?'
ies. said Will. with puzzled smile.
Does she wear spectacles?"
Yea
Right?" said the strange girl. "And
lastly, how old is she, Mr.. Tryfoil?"
Forty five.
The girl laughed this time, ~ she had
done when she first saw him.
She put her arm through his, and then
knocked at the library door, crying
AUNT"
An extremely musical voice answered
from the library:
ur<,,xn
Then the strange child turned the knob
of the door, and led Win Tryfoil into the
presence OF her aunt Miss Bentley.
The lady of Hardwood was seated at o
table reading by the light I 4 lamp.
The first sensation she produced on Will
was unmixcd establishment. For some
minutes he could say nothing. He simply
starcd at her. and she looked at her niece
for an explanation.
Directly Miss Bentley understood who
her visitor was she left her chair, and as
her niece had done few minutes before.
she gave him both hands.
Her first words were:
foil"
The cause of Wills intense surprise was
the personal appearance Of his new mis-
tress. She was the exact reverse of lhe
~~eHS A|SAttSy AAV Auu PtStulcQ Ill his nina.
Unconsciously he had begun to form thjf
imaginary Miss Bentley in the banker's
private room, though only dimly at the
time, Emily's prattle during the packing
of his trunk, had helped to make the inn
aginary Miss Bentley more definite The
journey, the servant, the house, and his
young pupil, each tended to intensity his
belief that she was old and eccentric.
The form and features of the real Miss
Bentley were in fact almost perfection.
The two defects which br,ng that word
almost from us, made her in VIII Try
foips eyes more lovely Isl
too stout. Second defect--she was near
sighted, and wore g asses when reading OF
writing.
from his su-prise-- some time before the
real Miss Bentley banishcd the imaginary
Miss Bentley from his mind.
"You must understand, Mr.. Tryfoil,
she went on "that did not expect you till
morrow, or the day after. | am ex.
tremely glad. however. that you have come
earlier. You must consider yourself sim
ply and purely Sir Landy Lindsey friend
and my guest, until Friday"
wan bowed politely.
She is five-and- twenty" he thought
ana ne was right.
Miss Bentley stood with her arm rouno
her nieces neck; the niece holding hei
Runt's disengaged hand to her lips. looked
silently at Will TryfoiI. Az she stood
there with her pile face, dark dreamy eyes,
violet dress, and long golden hair. she APP
peared O. II she were being OF air. Will
had not noticed before that she wns so
fsail. delicate. and sylph- like; nor had he
noticed till then that the nunfs dress was
Of black velvet: or that she wore little
frill and q plain gold chain around her
throat, to which was attached double eye
glass. She was slightly taller than Emily,
and her hair wns Of rich, dark brown.
Sir Landy was quite we'll when you saw
him last, I hope?' said the lady, in her rich
nusicel voice.
Quite we'll. thank you.
You are not related TO him. believer
II am related 70 no one. Miss Bentley
Yop have the plaasurc--if IL be any q OF.
addressing the only Tryfoil II NE world
Miss Bentley laughed grncefully and east.
y. Her manners were perfectly well-hred.
vet thoroughly unconventional, and It wHs
evident no oombjnation Of accidents could
place her in 1A3fculous light
She glanced al the library clock.
Haf-past SIX, she said. Our dinner
ko,5,. IL eovon NJ vprxfoil Shall show