The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-14
THE MORNING SUNDAY, IA, 1s9lTWELvE PAGES.


| lingering upon his lips, as he once more
handled the paper-cutter.
While Lady Kesterton ives interviewing
her son in the library. Philip Winya es was
soothing his wounded feelings by a gossip
with his particular friend, Mrs. Bates, the
housekeeper Mrs; Bates was m 'theriy
woman, who petted the orphan boy, aud
gave him more tenderness than he got from
any one else. And it was to her THAI ne con-
fided the story Of his wrongs in the park
that afternoon-how old Nanny Moggs had
told his fortune in mysterious WORDS, and
how angry Lady Kesterton bad been. he
did not tell old Bates that Lady Kesterton
had struck him; that seemed to him an in
dignity too great to be put into words. But
he wanted to know why she should have
been so angry.
why. my dear" said Mrs. Bate sooth-
ingly, MRS. Moggs must have got hold Of
that queer old rhyme that's scratched on the
wall Of the Priests Hole upstairs. You
mind the Priests hole. don't you! A secret
room it used to be, but there's not much
secret about it now days. And all the
country side knows the rhyme"
81 don't know it," said Philip in an in
jured tone. Tell it me-do."
well, let me see. It's a sort o prophecy,
you know-not that hold with such rub
bage myself. But this is how 1t runs:
Before the Northman is master
OF land which is water and waste,
Kester's lord shall see disaster,
Nor shall there be end to sorrow and pain
Till the land which was water be water again
THAT sounds like nonsense" said Master
Philip decisively.
$50 it does, my dear. Bat there's more
senss in it than you'd think. For the main
part of the Kesterton estate-all the part
near the village and up the chine-was once
water and waste indeed. It's what they call
reclaimed land. aud it's the richest and best
bit OF land Sir Anthony has. Well, when
that silly old woman said that you were
northern lad, and would be master some
day OF land that is all waste aud water,
don't you see that she was foretelllng dis
aster for Sir Anthony? 1t was that which
made my lady SO angry and put out"
But what nonsense! Does Lady Kester-
ton really believe itT'
mo. OF course not. my dear. But she
don't like to hear evil foretold of the master
which is natural enough--and this old
Mother Moegs, as some people call her,
must have had wicked bad temper, and
been an old silly too to have mentioned it.
For it's not very likely for one thing,
Master PhiliD"-eyeing the boy medita-
tively-"that you'll ever come to be master
of the land down by the shore"
mot Bit" said Philip, laughing and
yawning. And the last thing wish is
disaster to the Lord Of Kes, erton. So good
night, Bates"
"Eh, DEAR" calculated the old woman.
looking after him refectively, "but for ali
said 1t wasn't likely, it is possible thing,
seeing as how Sir Anthonys so fond of him.
And If Sir Anthony didn't marry after all
there's no saying how the property would
CO."
1t did not seem as if Sir Anthony in
tended to marry. Miss Lester, to whom he
had paid no attentions worth mentioning,
left the house in few days, and was not
succeeded by any other young lady visitor.
Lady kesterton had apparently given up
her attempts to procure suitable bride for
him. And before six months had passed
away she became almost an invalid from
the effects Of paralytic attack. Her brain
remained quite clear. but her lower limbs
were affected, and the doctors declared
that she would never walk again.
After this event it was noticed that Sir
Anthony became more and more of a re-
cluse. Half the house was shut up, and
several of the Notwithstanding the
worthy Mrs. Bates and the butler-were
pensioned OF or sent away. Sir Anthony
fell into the way of inviting few guests to
the house, and of Of accepting no Invita-
tions. II was understood that he intended
lie I'd the life Of a student and scholar, and
that he would one day publish some very
remarkable books In the meantime he
shut himself up and was seldom seen outside
ths grounds.
But unknown to him, Lady Kesterton's
vigorous constitution was rapidly gaining
the day over the disease that had assailed
her. Long before her son was aware of the
fact she was able to walk about her rooms.
The doctors representations mad always
been secuted by the old lady. And a day
came when Lady Kesterton felt so remark
| ably brisk and we'll that she resolved to
taly DO ha ida
her bedroom, ard have a look at some of the
old rooms upon her way. She was quite
| sure, she said to herself, that they were
srnothered in dust, and-in the absence of
| Sir Anthony for the day, and the temporary
| disappearance of her nurse-she meant to
| go and see.
She was so much shocked at the appear
ance of some of the rooms that she went
farther than she had intended. And at last,
| pushing open green baize door-where she
| remembered. by the by, that no baiZs door
| used to be-she found herself in that por-
| ton OF the house known as the West Wing,
which had not been in use for many years.
| Now, however, it seemed to be inhabited
| for sounds of voices and laughter reached
her from one of the rooms She was not
| equal to going up and down stairs, but she
| was strong enough to walk straight on. She
| went to the door from which the sounds
seemed to proceed, and pushed it open.
| Then she stood on the threshold, angry,
| startled and amazed.
| For there sat a woman of remarkable
beauty-the woman whom Lady Kesterton
| had once lectured her son for kissing-with
needlework in her hand, and an indescrib
able air of being perfectly at home. And
on the floor besides her, with the same air
of intimacy and enjoyment, sat two lovely
children-a girl and boy-playing with a
kitten and some toys.
Lady Kesterton stood aghast.
lTo BE Continued