Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-05-08

Does your little gri 90 with you, Lady
Honoriaw asked Elizabeth.
'sWell, no. l think not can't bear part
ing with her-you know how hard it is when
one has only one child But l think she
would be 50 bored where l am going to stay,
for there are no other children there; and be.
sides she positively adores the sea- So shall
have 70 leave her 70 her fathers tender mar-
cies, poor dear"
81 hope she win survive it, I am sure, said
Godfrey, laughing.
81 suppose that your husband is going to
stay on at Mrs. Jones', ]" said the clergyman.
.ReaIy, / don't know. What are You
going to do, Geoffreyi Mrs. Jones' rooms
are rather expensive for people in our inn
poverished condition. Besides, | am sure
that she cannot look after Effie. Just think,
she has eight children Of her own, poor old
dear. And l must take Anne with me; she
is Effieis French nurse, you know-a perfect
treasure. am going TO stay in big house,
and my experience of those big houses is that
one never gets on at all unless one takes g
maid. You see, what is everybody's business
is nobody's business I'm sure l don't know
how you will get on with the child, Godfrey
she takes such lot of looking after"
"Oh, don't trouble about that, Honoria, :"
will manage somehow"
Here one of those peculiar CLEANS of intel-
hgence which marked the advent Of new
idea passed across Elizabethis face. She was
sitting next her father and, bending. whisper
cd TO him. Beatrice saw it and made motion
as though to interpose, but before she ooold
do so Mr. Granger spoke.
Look here Mr.. Bingham, he said, II you
want to move, would you like a room herei
Terms strictly moderate, but can't afford to
put you up for nothing, you know, and living
rough and ready. You'd have to take US as
you find US; but there's a dressing room next
to my room, where your little girl could
sleep, and my daughters would look after
her between them, and be glad the job"
Again Beatrice opened her lips as though
to speak, but closed them without speaking.
Thus do our opportunities pass before We
realize they are at hand.
Instinctiyely Godfrey had glanced towards
her He did not know If this idea was agree
able to her. He knew that her work was
hard, and he did not wish to put extra trouble
upon her, for he guessed that the burden Of
looking after Effie would ultimately fall upon
hsr shoulders. But her face told him nothing;
1t was quite passive and apparently indiffer-
ont
"You are very kind, Mr.. Granger he said,
hesitating. ~ don't want to go away from
Bryngelly just at present, and 1t would be
good plan in some ways, that Is IL the trouble
10 your daughters would not be too much"
al am sure that il would be an excellent
plan,n broke in Lady Honoria, who feared
lest difficulties should arise as to her appropri-
alton OF Anne's services. "How lucky that
happened to mention it. There will be no
trouble about our giving up the rooms at Mrs.
Jones', because know she has another appli-
cation for them"
every well,n said Godfrey, not liking to
raise objections to a scheme thus publicly ad-
vocated, although he would have preferred
10 take time to consider. Something warned
him that Bryngelly Vicarage would prove
fateful abode for him. Then Elizabeth rose
and asked Lady Honoria II she would like TO
see the rooms her husband and Effie would
occupy.
She said she would be delighted and went
off, followed by Mr.. Granger fussing in the
rear.
''Don't YOU think that you will be little
dull here, Mr.. Binghamr said Beatrice.
''On the contrary" he answered. why
should | he dulll cannot be so dull as |
should be by myself"
Beatrice hesitated, and then spoke again.
"We are a curious family, Mr.. Bingham;
you may have seen as much this afternoon.
Had you not better think it overF
"If you mean that you do not want me to
come, / won't" he said bluntly, and next
second felt that he had made mistake.
III" she answered, opening her eyes. 81
have no wishes in the matter The fact is
that We are poor, and let lodgings. That is
what it comes to. II you think they viii suit
you, you are quite right to take them.'
Godfrey colored. He was a man who
could not bear 10 lay himself open TO the
smallest rebuff from a woman, and he had
brought this on himself Beatrice saw it and
--Jas44d
'Of course, Mr. Bingham, so far as am
concerned, shall be the gamer IL you do
come. do not meet so many people with
whom care TO associate, and from whom |
can learn, that wish to throw chance
away"
~ think you misunderstood me little, he
said. ~ only meant that perhaps you would
not wish to be bothered with Efiie, Miss
Granger
She laughed. why, love children. 1t
will be great pleasure to me to look after
her so far as / have time"
Just then the others returned, and their
conversation came to an end.
''It's quite delightful, Geoffrey-such funny
old fashioned rooms. | really envy you"
Qf there was Que thing in the world that
Lady Honoria hated it was an old fashioned
room.) 'sWell, and now we must be going.
OH you poor creature, l forgot that you
were so knocked about. am sure Mr. GraAr
ger will give you his arm"
Mr.. Granger ambled forward, and Godfrey
having made his adieus, and borrowed a
clerical hat MIR Changers concession to GUS
tom, for in most other respects he dressed
like an ordinary farmer), was safely conveyed
70 the fly.
And so ended Geoffrey's first day at Bryn-
gelly Vicarage.
| CHAPTER XII