The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-09-03

cheer.
"All our plans spoiled"
"No, daughter, only deferred for a
little while. And we may be sure it is
for some good reason"
" Yes, of course. Butt"
Mother could guess how much of
suppressed Impotence, of disappoint-
ment, of brave attempt at submission
were contained in the small coniunc-
ton as Eleanor turned away to hide her
tears.
How will Robbie feel about it?"
she asked, later.
Robbie, however, behaved like a lit
tie man, as he was.
cts so good to have you here,
Nellie" he said, giving her a rough
little hug, " that it isn't going to be
very hard to wait"
"And this is my first endeavor,"
said Eleanor to herself. An endeavor
simply to be patient i'll sitting still when
| ought to be helping mother, to be
pleasant when | am so nervous with
this pain that | feel like snarling at
everybody. To realize that am stand
ing in the way of their enjoyment"
But Robbie's words returned again
and again to give her help.
1t really was enough to be thankful
for to be all together again, and the
days slipped swiftly by as the sewing
which was to have been done by the
seaside was done at home.
cit has been best, you see," said
mother, a few days after the accident,
reading letter from her sister, Scar
let fever has broken out in the cottage
adjoining Margaret's. They are going
to take the child away as soon as he is
better We could not have dared re-
main there with Robbie if we had gone
at the time we expected. We should
have been at all the expense and an
noyance of coming back"
Everything is for the best" said
Eleanor, with bright smile. She
could not anticipate how her faith was
to be tested
A week later the scarlet fever scare
was announced by Aunt Margaret to be
over. Eleanor's foot was declared well
enough to venture, with care, on the
short journey, and all preparations
were made.
1" 1t is so good to have been able to
rent the house while we are gone"
said mother on the evening before they
were to leave. {" 1t will be a real help
on such small expense as we shall have
to meet"
"Aud we should not have had that
opportunity if we had not been delayed
Everything fits in just right"
Mother went to the back of the house
TO attend to some small matter, leaving
Eleanor, who had wearied, her ailing
foot resting on a lounge by the open
door of the sitting-room.
"Who can that be?" she said to her.
self, as through the deepening twilight
to the small village drawing up at
the gate. Somebody's getting out.
There's some mistake. They ought to
be told. Mother!"
Mother did not hear her call, and
within the next minute two children
had followed the woman who alighted
from the omnibus.
"And two old trunks" exclaimed
Eleanor, rising, in little excitement,
and hobbling to the door. cit won't
do to let them make such a mistake.
And there's the omnibus driving
away"
AS well as she could she hurried out
on the walk, to be met by thin-faced,
unattractive woman, and the two chill
dren.
81 think you have made some mis-
take" said Eleanor, hastily. Hadn't
| better call the man back?"
| don't believe it's mistake" said
81 / l. l., n 3,
house?"
Yes" said Eleanor, with sinking
at her heart as the woman followed her
into the house. Mrs. Gray met them
in the sitting-room.
Mrs. Gray?" asked the newcomer.
Yes" was the answer.
81 am the widow of Harvey Gray
your half-brother, wasn't he?"
eyes," repeated Mrs. Gray, avoid
ing the look of dismayed inquiry with
which Eleanor sought to meet her eye.
81 suppose you know something of
what his life was. / married him, sup
posing him to be a good man. He
spoiled my life; did me all the harm a
man can do woman. He used up my
property and his own, and then died
/ huNC lHCoC w oOPPOlt, anu
can do it, but l want little help first
not much. | have secured a situation
in the orphan asylum in the city, where
l can earn enough to keep them and
myself. But l can not go there unit
| September"
"Sit down." said Mrs. Gray, who il
her surprise had forgotten that all were
standing.
A." / don't know where we are to stay
till then" went on the woman in the
same dull, hard voice, without noticing
Mrs. Gray's invitation. 81 have
borne all there was to be borne from
your brother. 1t wasn't my fault tina
he was what he was, it was the fault o.
some one else. But it has all been Wis
tied on me, and now | am come to SCI
if some of his kindred will take me ant
my children in until my place is opel
for me. 1t isn't much to ask, consid
ering all"
She had never varied from the har'
tone which showed that she in part, a
least, held these, her husbands rela
tives, responsible for the trials she hat
endured Having finished sOeakinp