The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-01
CHAPTER xxx.
AT HEXHAM COURT.


sprang into her delicate face. Evidently she
was astonished and even a little frightened,
but she held her head haughtily in spite of
her timidity, with the look of one who had
never known fear save as thing to be de-
spised.
'You can hardly expect Sybil to remem-
Der you, think" said Lady Hexham, with
a friendly smile but an observant glance
"Perhaps if you looked at me little more
closely, George, you would recognize an old
friend"
SIS it possible that did not know youa
But you have changed SO much, Diana. l
ought to have seen you at once, know.
beg your pardon"
"Yeu need not, she answered. II am
little surprised at your remembering Sybil,
however, she was such child when you
saw her last"
ut is the same face" said George, looking
at the girl so intently that she blushed and
dropped her eyes.
But he was not looking at her in admira-
ton SO much as in keen recollection of the
way in which she had tried to comfort him
after his illness when he was staying with
his uncle at Wychford Nevertheless, his
close gaze looked SO much like admiration
that Diana raised her eyebrows in sur
prise.
There was another person also who seemed
to object to MIR. Eastwood's manner. This
was a young man who had struck across
the park by a side path and joined the little
party at this moment. He was a fair
haired, handsome young fellow in gray
clothes. but his dark eyebrows had way
IF inof fharn0alUcC
eyes until they looked quite formidable.
He did not appear to be more than two and
twenty.
"Oh, this is my nephew, Tom Lorimer,n
said Diana, lightly. my cousin, Mr..
George Eastwood. Were you going to the
village, too, TomW
IF you will allow me,n said Tom.
''Then you two children shall run on to-
gether, and leave that basket at Mrs. Ben
net's,n said Lady Hexham, "while escort
Mr.. Eastwood to the house."
Toms brow cleared instantly. Sybil
cast a shy glance at George Eastwood and
moved onward. Eastwood spoke precipi
lately.
''Don't let me prevent you from going to
the village, if you had an errand to do. l
should enjoy going with you"
s'Oh, no, it does not matter" said Diana,
who had her own reasons for not liking to
see Lorimer cast down. I'VE will go TO
the house; the children will run to the vii
lage more quickly than you and than l,
at least"
''Do you call them children~
''They are my elder children" said Diana
with sweet, grave smile; "both left in my
guardianship Tom is son of Hexham's
second brother who died some years ago.
Sybil's is only a step-relationship-a mock
relationship, we sometimes call it-but she
is like dear daughter to me and | love
hot
DIANA and l feel as if they were brother
and sister,"
''You are young to take such responsible
ties upon you, DIANA" said George, with
certain wonderment in his tone.
81 thought | was 50 much alteredr' she
said. ALTERED, with respect to woman,
always means agedP'
said, quickly. "Imean developed, statelier,
queenlier, all that sort Of thing. am not
a good hand at making compliments,
Diana; you must take what | mean for
granted"
II will" she said, with little gracious
bend of her head; land will take it for
granted that you mean all that is kind and
fiattering. And where have you been all
this long time, George? Come, give me
some account of your wanderings. You
must be a confirmed globe trotter by this
timer
George shook his head.
~ have grown very tired of wandering
he said. ~ think l shall settle down in
England now"
''That will be very nice" said Diana.
And yet in her tone and in the glance of
her dark eyes, George thought that he de-
tected something alien, something not quite
uDfriendly and yet not cordial, and he half
repented that he had expressed himself so
decidedly. But before he could contradict
his statement she continued her comments.
1T will be very good thing for the estate
to have the master back again. | think it
is time you came back. There are many
Kings which you only can attend to-"
Sure enough, said George, rather sadly,
and walked for few moments in silence.
Lady Hexbam looked at him once or twice
, with some curiosity. George was greatly
changed. she said to herself. Older,
sraver, more determined-looking but VITA
n air of harassment and trouble with
which she was not acquainted. He Ger
talnly had not the air Of a happy man.
Diana almost forgave him his sins in MOTTO
ing this change. But she did not mean to
be particularly friendly; she had seen the
weaknesses in his character long ago, and
she dreaded their effects. She would be
civil and neighborly to her cousin, but not
intimate with him. And she did not wish
Sybll to see much of him either, for Sybil
was romantic, and George was of the
type (Which touches the fancy of roman
tic ri.
AZ they proceeded toward the house,
which was very stately looking building
fred brick, yelled by creepers to the furth-
est limit allowed by the massive chimney
stacks, they were met by nurse with
perambulator, in which was enthroned
little boy of two years old-the present
Lord Hexham, born just before his fathers
death. Diana's face frightened and soft
ened as she stopped to speak to him, and
George made as many admirlng remarks ON
the boys size and strength and beauty as
occurred to man who knew very little of
children. But it was not very difficult to
praise little Lord Hexham, for he seemed to
have inherited the best physical traits of
father and mother alike; and as they had
been remarkably handsome pair, it was
impossible to overlook the really splendid
proportions, the beauty of features and
coloring possessed by their offspring.
Lady Hexham took her cousin into
pretty little room she called the ''tea ROOM"
and rang for tea at once. although it was
yet early. She had some sort of desire
upon her to induce him to go away before
Sybil returned But George sat on, talking