Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-14

Clifford had left you, and that you had
quarrelled; and told him pretty plainly
to his face that didn't believe you were
a woman to quarrel without very good
cause, which suppose you had?'
Nancy was silent.
1.-The long and short OF II is, child,
that think he has behaved shamefully
to you, and I've come up to London on
purpose to take you and little Tommy
back with me to Gateford, and l think
the sooner you make up your mind to
leave here the better. -
''You are very good.
mo, | IN noti don L set up to be
good. but wish people TO know that you
are not TO blame in this matter; that the
person TO blame is Hugh Clifford, and all
| can say is he ought to be thoroughly
ashamed of himself if be ism 't!''
my mother is with me, you know, -
said Nancy. gently.
Yes, know; but your mother can't
give you the same position in the world
now that your husb band has left you, as
your husband 8 great aunt can. How Is
the rhild?''
VERY well, indeed" said Nancy.
smiling.
''Send for him, and make up your
mind 10 go back with me the day after
Tomorrow, for you want country air
and change for one thing and protection
for another
And the old lady got her own way and
took Nancy aud her boy back with her TO
Gateford Manor House and Nancy told
herself she was glad TO go; glad TO leave
the house where she had suffered such
haunting anxiety and dread.
In the still old garden ct Gateford, with
It's trim clipped yew hedges, its ancient
sun-dial, and moss-grown walks, she
somehow fit more at pence. The child
throve here too, and the dark shadows
from the past seemed further away. And
sometimes Godfrey Erne used to ride over
to Gateford and the old lady always made
him welcome. Thus the summer passed
| away, and In the early autumn news
! came to Gateford that Gerard 8 child was
| Torn, and that q new Lord Gilmore had
| come 10 share tine pleasures and troubles
of the world.
And this news was a relief to Nancy,
| though a great disappointment to Miss
Clifford, who openly grumbled at 1t.
"Nobody wanted it, - she said; 'flit-
tie Tommy should have been the heir,
not this tisher-girl's brat.
But Nancy took her boy In her arms
and kissed him tenderly, and murmured
softly some words of thankfulness in his
| eur
The birth of this child she knew would
| prevent Hugh Clifford from again holding
prominent position in the world; would
| probably keep him still abroad, and
| Nancy knew that this was best. And q
| week or two later, when at the earnest
| advice of MIR. stafford, the family law
yer, and Father Hayward, May, now
Lady Gilmore, came TO reside at Wroths-
ley with her baby, Nancy proposed one
| day to Miss Clifford that they should go
to call on her.
mot l., ''replied the old lady brusquely
81 IN no hypocrite, and | cannot go and
tell her am pleased to see either her or
her baby, when l am not.
81 should like to go if you don't OBJ
| ject, Miss Clifford. Poor young woman,
l feel so much for her, and l should like
| to take our boy, - said Nancy.
This soft answer Modified Miss Clifford.
"WeIl, my dear, you are your own
mistress; go, if you want to go, and I've
no object on for the boy going too, If
| you choose to take him. -
Thus Nancy went, taking with her the
| fine little fellow; VINO was the idol of the
| household At GGteford; and as she drove
up TO the stately mansion which had
! once been her home, and where her baby
nad been born, she could scarcely con-
| troll her emotions.
She had not been strong enough before
| TO go to Wrothsley, since she had been at
| Miss Clifford g, but Miss Pennythorue and
the children had been twice over to
spend the day at Gsteford while she had
not been there. And Nancy had written
to Miss Pennythorne to tell her of her
proposed visi; to young Lady Gilmore,
! and there was grent excitement in con-
| sequence al the castle,
She was received at the entrance by
Graham with great state, and conducted
| to the morning room which poor Lady
| Gilmore used to occupy; and as she en-
tered it, carrying her little son in her
| arms, pretty fair young woman in the
deepest mourning rose to receive her.
'Mrs. Hugh Clifford. my lady - an
nounced Graham, and thus for the first
time the sisters-in-law met, athwart
whose lives such tragic shadow had
fallen.
Nancy put out her hand little uerv-
ously, and May took it gratefully and
trembiugIY.
at is very good of you to come and
see me, - she said.
~ am very pleased to do so,' an
swered Nancy gently.
"And this is your little boy?" said
May wistfully, and she took Master
Tommy's sturdy hand. "What fine
little fellow-he looks far stronger than
my poor little one.'
HE has always been strong, am
happy to say
"He is a beautiful child-the children
told me about hint is very kind of you
TO have brought him to-day
"You must Introduce him to his little
cousin, - smiled Nancy.
Eyes, my poor baby is delicate-but
no wonderi"
Mays delicate complexion flushed |
painfully as she made this ailusion to the |
sorrowful circumstances of the birth Of |
her little son.
Nancy did not speak for q moment,
then she suddenly and impulsiyely put |
out her hand and clasped the young |
Widows.
''Do not let us talk of-the past,n !
she said with emotion; ''let us talk of |
the children. l should like to see your
baby
So the little heir of this magnificent |
house and the vast wealth left by his |
great-great-graudfath was brought in |
for inspection, and Nancy took him ten
derly in her arms and kissed his tiny |
s-k, - 1