Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-06-19

at once"
Godfrey reached town little before IL
O'Clock that night, haunted man-haunted
for life by a vision of that face, still lovely in
death, floating alone upon the deep, and com
panioned only by the screaming news, OF
perchance now sinking or sunk 70 an unfath-
ENABLE grave. Well might such a vision
haunt a man. the man whom alone OF all
men those cold lips had kissed, and for whose
dear sake this dreadful thing was done.
He took a cab, directing the driver TO go to
Bolton street and to stop at his club as he
passed. There might be letters for him there,
he thought-something which would distract
his mind little As it CHANGED, there was a
letter marked 'private," and a telegram;
both had been delivered that evening, the
porter said, the former about an hour ago by
hand.
Idly he opened the telcgram-it was from
his lawyers.
"Your cousin, the child George Bingham,
is, as we have just head, dead Please call
on us early tomorrow morning.
He started little, for this meant a good
deal 10 Godfrey 1t meant baronetcy and
eight thousand year, more or less. How de-
lighted Honoria would be, he thought, with
a sad smile; the loss of that large income had
always been bitter pill 10 her, and one
which she had made him swallow again and
again. Well, there it was. Poor boyl he
had always been ailing-an old mans child
He put the telegram in his pocket end got
into the hanson again. There was lamp in
it, and by its light he read the letter. 1t was
from the prime minister, and ran thus;
"MY DEAR BINGHAM-I have not seen you
since Monday TO thank you for the magnif-
cent speech you made ON that night. Allow
me to add my congratulations to those Of
everybody else. As you know, the under sec
retaryship Of the home Office is vacant. On
behalf IF my colleagues and myself / write to
ask il you will consent TO fill it for a time. l
say for time for we do not in any way con-
slider that the post is one commensurate with
your abilities. 1t will, however, serve TO give
you practical experience of administration,
and us the advantageo of your great talents to
an even larger extent than we now enjoy.
For the future, it must of course take care of
itself; but, as you know, Sir -'s health
is not all that could be desired, and the other
day he told me that it was doubtful If he
would be able to carry On the duties Of the
attorney generalship for very much longer.
In view of this contingency | venture to sug-
gest that you would do well to apply for silk
as soon as possible. l have spoken 10 the lord
chancellor about it, and he says that there
will be no difficulty, as, although You have
only been in active practice for so short
time, you have good many years standing
as barrister Or il this prospect does not
please, doubtless some other opening to the
cabinet can be found in time. The fact is
that we cannot in our own interest overlook
you for long,
4 At ~,
letter Who could have believed year ago
that he would have been today in position
to receive such an epistle from the prime min
lister of Englandl All, mere was the luck of
the drowned ones shoe with a vengeancel
And what was it all worth to him nowl
He put the letter in his pocket with the
telegram, and looked out They were turn
ing into Bolton street. How was little Efiel
he wondered The child seemed all that was
left him to care for. If anything happened
TO her-bah! he would not think of it,
He was there now How is Miss Effiei'
he asked of the servant who opened the door.
At that moment his attention was attracted
by the dim forms of two people, man and a
woman, who were standing not far from the
area gate, the man with his arm round the
woman's waist Suddenly the woman APP
peared to catch sight of the cab and retired
swiftly down the area. 1t crossed his mind
that her figure was very like that of Anne,
the French nurse.
"Miss Effie is doing nicely, sir, am told,
answered the man.
Godfrey breathed more freely where is
he's ladyship,n he asked; Tin Miss Efiie's
roomp
''No, SIR" answered the man; 'her ladyship
has gone to ball. She left this note for you
in case you should come in
He took the note from the hall table and
opened it.
DEAR GEoFFREY," it ran "Effie is so
much better that l have made up my mind
to go to the duchess ball after all. She
would be so disappointed If did not come and
my dress is quite lovely. Had your mysteri- |
Gus business anything to do with Bryngellyi |
Yours, HoNoRIA."
"She would go on to ball from her mo-
theirs funeral, said Godfrey to himself, as
he walked up to Effie'- room. "Well, it is
her nature, and there's an end of it.n
He knocked at the door of Efiie's room.
There was no answer, 50 he walked in. The
room was lighted, but empty-no, not quitel |
On the floor, clothed only in her white night
shirt, lay his little daughter, TO all appear
ance dead.
With something like an oath he sprang to
her and lifted her. The face was pale and
the small hands were ccld but the breast was
still hot and fevered, and the heart beat A
glance showed him what had happened. The
child, being left alone, and feeling thirsty,
had got out of bed and gone to the water bot
tle-there was the tumbler on the floor. Then
weakness had overcome her and she had tainted
tainted upon the cold floor with the infiam'
nation still on her
At that moment Anne entered the room,
sweetly mnrmuring, ga va bien, cherie"
'sHelp me TO put the child into bed, said
Godfrey. sternly. "Now ring the bell-ring
it againlr
And now. woman, goI Leave this house
at once-this very night. Do you hear mel
No, don't stop TO argue. Look here II that
child dies | will prosecute you for manslaugh-
ter: YES, saw you in the street, and he took
a step toward her Then Anne fle1, and her
face was seen no more in Bolton street, or in
deed in this country.
James said Godfrey to the servant,
.send the cook up here-she is a sensible wo-
..,.,t a,d do Won take a hanson and drive to