Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-08-08
CHAPTER Xiv.

NEXT OF KIx.-JELrREY.-The next OF kin
of Eustace Jeffrey, who died in Africa, are re-
quested to communicate with Messrs. Beard
and Cartwright, Lineoln's Inn Fields.
That was the advertisement which at
tracted the attention of both Col. Stuart
and Marjorie Castillain on the very
morning Of Gerard's death, neither of
whom, however, broke in upon Lina's
solitary grief to show it to her.
BY the same days post the Colonel
wrote to Messrs. Beard and Cartwright,
describing Jets relationship to Eustace
jeffrey, asking for further particulars,
aud inclosing the address Of his own
solicitors. The reply was to the effect
that the particulars which Col. Stuart
had kindly furnished had been forward
ed by Messrs. Beard and Cartwright to
their client, whose further commands
they awaited.
1--WE will not show it to Lima, nor
tell her we have written, until a further
answer comes, Marjorie" Mrs. Esdaile
said. .."Only youand I and Alick know,
and we may save her disappointment.
On the very day after Gerard's fu-
neral Lima started for Cornwall, and
Mrs. Cheere and Jet accompanied her.
She was not yet strong enough to bear
bAAo ACSRNAAoAbAAtyD 10 "SAA 10 bAAO 4o-
Ggue, of travelling and it was much
better for her to have the care and at
tention of the woman who had grown to
love her for her brothers sake, than
those of o maid. AS for the child, she
was glad indeed to have him with her.
for she loved him for her brothers sake,
and she longed for her grandfather to
know Gerard's boy. So the thoughtful
plan, concocted between Marjorie and
Dorcas, succeeded admirably and the
fatigue Of the journey, as we'll as the
duties which awaited her at Tresean,
were Hghtened wonderfully by Mrs.
Uheere. They were Gghtened even by
Jet. too. for the teaching of childhood
had fitted him we'll for such tasks as lie
now loved to perform for Lima and her
sick grandfather.
More than three weeks Hiram Dy-
luocke lived, through Lima e eYer-watch-
full, ever-tender nursing; then he died
peacefully, with his wife's name upon
his lips, and the hand of his daughters
child in his. And when the old mans
will was read, it was found that, ut the
earnest desire Of his granddaughter, he
had left all which by right she should
have inherited to the adopted child of
his late grandson, to be invested for him
as his guardians approved, but not used
till he came of age. Then a grave in the
church-yard far removed from that one
beneath the walt, which was no longer
nameless) was closed for the last time.
and Hiram Dymocke lay beside his wife !;
the clouds and suspicious which had
separated them for years all scattered
and melted now.
On their return to HiShshlre Mrs.
Cheere and Jet settled quietly down
again in the white cottage in Neither
Lane, and Lima took up her abode with
Lady Adhesion at High Adhesion. 1t
caused her great struggle to do this,
because she knew her presence would
keep the mother and son apart still,
she could not forget that she had prom
ised Lady Adhesion, in Gerard's pres
ence. nor could she pretend to be iGno-
rant that it would be q relief to Neil's
mother to have her to depend upon once
more nor how she, too, longed in her
loneliness to be near those few true,
tried friends, who had been so kind to
her and to Gerard.
So she went, and the weeks passed on
until the autumn time, bringing no
changes but those subtle ones which we
pass by almost unnoticed. Lima was
indeed like daughter to Lady Athel-
ston, giving her q daughters care, al
most q daughters love, and quite .
daughters obedience. No one knew
what useless. though pleasantly-sus-
tanned, frauds were her grave consulta-
tons with Lady Adhesion, when any
plans were mooted for the estates or
tenantry, and those pet speeches of the
little real mistress of the house.
viii ask Lady Adhesion what she
viii wish done; will speak to your mis-
tress, and let you know what she de-
cides." No one knew what hollow little
hctions were those orders which she rep
resented as Sir Neil's, when the agents
told her he refused to give any direc-
tons by letter, and always referred them
to her. No one, on all the estate, knew
what an absolute little mistress Lima
was made to be, even while she gave
these commands which purported to be
Sir NeiPs or Lady Athleston's: nor was
any one ever allowed to see Lady Athels-
toms utter dependence upon her. With
noble, womanly, delicate tact, Lima hid
this, while she did, most anxiously, all
she could do in her new and trying posi-
ton.
It was not often that Sir Neil wrote to
her-rarely, except in answer to those
letters which asked for his wishes in GER
tain matters-but, when he did, he could
make his letters pleasant to her; and he
never let them speak one word of love,
or Of disappointment, or of dissatisfac-
ton for his isolated life. They were al
ways simple and manly, but nothing
more; for Neil had never possessed
Gerard's hopefulness and bright con-
tent.
Col. Stuart had, two or three times,
been to see him in Scotland, and had al
ways brought back a CHEEKY description
ofhis farm and his busy life.
e. It is q model farm, even for Scot.
land" he used TO say "and Neil is al
ways doing something: not that Neil,
even yet, knows very much about it all
but he is steadily determined to learn,
and he does not shun work. It is more
praise, too, than you can imagine it to
be, when his bailiff (himself an educated
fellow, and an experienced farmer) pro-
nounces him improving"
"Poor Neil
No. poor" the Colonel would an
Fns