The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-31

SoAhs
Constance looked at Miss Leicester
II do not see why you should not know
she said. Indeed. think that 1t would he
better you should know"
You know all about it, Hilda, OF coursen
Miss Peyton asked.
YES, aunt"
Then | think. my dear, it will be more
pleasant for Miss Corbyn for you to tell me
the story Not now, but if you can fluid time
to come round again Tomorrow"
Certainly, aunt. | will bring Robert
with ME if | may; he is Miss Corbyn's adj
wiser, and as have only heard it from him
he can tell you great deal better than can
all about it."
Miss Peyton smiled
Bring him with you, by all means.
Hilda, you know like him 1t always re,
freshes me to have a Chef with him, which
is more than | can say of young men in
general. Most of them meet 20 very far
to confirm Darwin's theory about our hav-
ing an ape among our ancestors. Well,
child, She went on, turning again to Con-
stance, you shall have an answer from me
the day after tomorrow. | warn YOU that
am very lll-tempered old woman, and
that when things go wrong | shall snap and
snarl at you most numerically, and that
| have never yet kept companion be-
yond fortnight. Are you ready to risk all
thatln
Il think So" Miss Peyton," Constance
said with slight smile. II have not told
you my faults yet bu you will find them
out soon enough if you agree to take me-"
well, what do you think of herF Miss
Leicester asked as they took their seats in
the carriage again.
II think you described her admirably.
and l am sure shall like her if she can
like ME. | think if she didn't like one she
would be a little hard to get on with"
VERY hard" Hilda said, emphatically.
she can hit very hard can tell you when
she chooses, and when she doesn't like any
one she makes no pretense of concealing her
feelings She knows every one, going
about as she does; and what is more, she
seems to know everything about every one.
1t is absolutely wonderful to me how she
carries it in her head As rule she is very
much liked, but those who dislike her dislike
her heartily, and perhaps with some reason
/ have not the least Il ar in the world a out
you getting on with her.
Then you think she will take meP'
Think | feel sure of it. | consider it
viii be the best thing in the world for her. /
am sure 1t must be very dull for her at times
in these places she goes to. One cannot be
always out, you know, or having people In
to see you. She reads great deal, and
makes me quite ashamed sometimes OF my
own ignorance when she gets ON the subject
of books. Still at times she must feel lonely,
and it will do her world of good having
you with her."
The next morning Hilda drove to South
Audley street, having written to Robert
Harbut to meether there. She was the first
to arrive.
"Well, aunt, what do you think of my
paragonp
~ am pleased with her, H Ida. very
pleased. OF course | have had no oppor-
tunlty at present Of knowing anything
about her accomplishments; but / can see
that she is a clever girl and good girl. What
/ like most in her was that she was not
afraid of me, not bit. She is, as you say,
distinctly lady, AID would maze a sensa-
ton anywhere. So Master Robert intro
duced her to youp
Yes, aunt"
He knew her before you didT'
YES, aunt; not very long. He intro
duced her to me few days after she came
over from France
And you were not disposed to feel
jealous, Hilda, of this very pleasing young
iadyf'
Not a bit" Hilda said, stoutly. ut
never entered my mind"
"Well, my dear, that is creditable alike to
you and to Robert Harbut And nov who
is this girl and where does she spring from,
and what's or story, for / know without
your telling me that she must have a story.
She has not been crossed in love, | am sure,
by he father, | could see that; and now is
1t that she was brought up i'll France and
is SO thoroughly English in her mannerP
Here is Robert, aunt. he will answer all
your questions; it is much better that you
should get the story first-hand. Iwrote to
you, Robert, to come here" she went on,
as he was shaking hands with Miss Peyton,
'ln order that you might Tell aunt all about
Constance Corbyn. Constance has given
me leave to tell her her story"
''lu which," Miss Peyton put in, Il am
quite sure beforehand that there is nothing
for her to be ashamed Of"
Not at all, Miss PeytoD. The only person
who comes badly out Of the matter is her
father"
so l fancied," Miss Peyton said "When
a girl has story, other than love story,
in nine cases out of ten the father is to
blame Now sit down.
"And you think this leaf was cut out Of
the register by the fathers" she said, when
he had finished the story.
II have very little doubt about tin
fact, don't see who else could have done it,
as Ferris assured me that young Ciitheroe
would throw no obstacle whatever in the
way of Miss Corbyn If she were in posi-
ton to prove the case. l don't know him
personally, but Ferris speaks of him as a
frank, pleasant fellow, who was ready to
make very liberal provision for the young
lady, aud do not for moment suspect that
there would be any foul play from that
side He is owner of small
estate, which has been in the family
great many years, and occupiesa
good position in the county. He would be
nothing short of fool to risk al this by
committing a felony. No, have no ques-
ton that Algernou Corbyn cut the leaf out,
or got some one to cut it out for him. He
did it, no doubt, after his wife's death, aud
had she lived he would have declared his
marriage at the first opportunity. After
she was gone he determined to suppress the
thing altogether. He probably had in his
possession an original copy Of the register.
and so had it in his power to prove his
heiress Of the Court at any time if he
should change his mind. There would be
his own statement, backed, if necessary, by
the copy Of the register, and no one would
be likely 10 go to Folkes one to examine the
original"
''ln that case this copy ought to have
been found among his papers" Miss Peyton
said.
IA slip of paper like that might have
been hidden anywhere, and certainly would
not have been placed with his ordinary
papers"
"Well, he must have been a very bad
fellow; a worthless, heartless man." Miss
Pey ton said, decisively. However, we need
not discuss his character; the point that In
forests me Is this Girl whom my niece has
pretty well entrapped me into taking as my