The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-07-27
HER INHERITANCE

be still living, they may hear OF some
thing to their advantage by applying 70
hessrs. Dodd q Son, Solicitors, King
street."
Barbara Read sst down the paper with
. jerk. "I wonder II that means me-"
she said, thoug ghtfully. "My grand.
fathers name was certainly James Hand
ford, and ! know he was curate, but i
aid not know there was any money In the
"If you think Il worth while 60 to
Hessrs. Dodd q Son and find out, sug-
rested sharp featured, elderly lady, who
vas stitching at the table opposite.
"Of course willf Why, there may Be
5000 waiting for me there"
"Or Is moro likely" supplemented the
stitcher.
Barbara laughed.
"Pd rather think of the thousands,
Mrs. Stewart; they would be very much
more to my advantage"
81 know Of something that would be
moro for your advantage than all the
money you are ever likely to get from ad-
vert sements, II you had but the good
sense to see II, "returned that lady, sig
nihcantly.
Barbara flushed as she left the room to
get her cloak and bonnet, and set out for
home. She was the music mistress In
Mrs. Stewards school, and had been one
Of the most promising pupils In IL before
that; she was almost alone In the world,
except for . distant aunt with whom she
lived, and after school days ended 1t be-
coming necessary she should do some-
thing towards keeping up the little
household, she had been very glad when
Mrs. Stewards proposal to retain her for
the younger girls music lessons saved her
from applying to strangers.
Still, Notwithstanding her obligation,
there were times when Barbara felt
strongly disposed to protest against that
lady's authority, which was pretty much
as II had been In the days when she was
"quite . child" as Barbara often phrased
IL to herself. "She never seems to re-
member that am grown up and able to
manage my own affairs. 1t does not fol-
low that because ! was her pupil once she
has any right to interfere in the matter
now"
She was marching down the road, her
head well up, while she argued the matter
out to her own satisfaction, when some
one quietly fell into step behind her. The
shadow vanished from her brow like
morning mist ~ she looked mp.
"Whst are You In such hurry fort !
could scarcely keep you in sight," In
quired the newcomer.
1t was the subject of Mrs. Stewards ad-
monition, her drawing master-clever
enough at his profession, but of his in
dustry and general dependsbleness she
had not the highest opinion. Not 30 Miss
Bar rbara, who was fast developing . very
warm sentiment for the good-looking
young artist.
II am going home TO deposit my
music; after that think of making Q
journey into the city, into King street."
King street, That Is an expedition"
Isn't IT. But have some idea of COM
ing into fortune, and that Ii the place
am to apply to-"
Mr.. LAwrence's face showed such genu-
Inc interest In tho news that Barbara
speedily told him all she knew, perhaps
with little unconscious exaggeration by
way of justifying her first announcement.
"You will be sure and let me know the
result Of your expedition" he said earn.
sstly, with q lingering clasp Of her hand,
40 he left her at the corner OF her own
street. ~ shall be most anxious to hear;
and no one deserves such fortune better
than yourself"
In King street she ran full against Q
plain, rather commonplace young man
coming out of one of the warehouses.
"Why, Miss Barbaral It's not often you
nnd your way to this quarter" he said,
90 he held out his hand. 1t was brown,
ungloved hand, and bore evident traces
Of hard service. Barbara gave the tips of
her fingers rather coolly, contrasting IL
with the well-shaped, yellow gloved one
that had pressed hers little before.
"I came on some business, Mr.. Grant,"
she said. ~ believe there is a legacy
waiting for me; It was advertised in the
papers, and / am going to see the solicitors
about It now"
John Grant laughed.
"Well, ! hope you may get It, Miss
Barbara. For myself, I've never had
much faith In legacies, since / wasted
twenty Ave shillings once In answering
advertisements about one."
"That may have been q very different
matter from this" returned Barbara
stifiy. "I had better not detain you any
longer, Mr.. Grant"
"And that is the man Mrs. Stewart
thinks is worth half dozen of Alfred
Lawrences," said Barbara to herself a.
she walked into Messrs. Dodd & Sons
ofice. at seems to be a decided virtue
in some peoples eyes to have coarse
hands and shabby coats"
Her face was several shades longer when
she came out again. Messrs. Dodd q Son
had not received her with by any means
the respectful enthusiasm she had ex-
pected. There had been awkward ques-
tions about proofs and genealogies that
she had not been prepared to answer; in
deed, she half fancied that they took her
for an impostor, they had been so reluc-
tant to part with any information. She
should hear from them in few days and
in the mean time she must kindly I'LL
in the answers to certain questions on .
paper they had given her.
Mr.. Lawrence sympathixed with her
over the delay almost as deeply as she
did with herself when she told him the
result of her visit the next day. Barbara
was quite struck with the way he seemed
to enter into all her feelings.
John Grant was the next person to
whom she bad TO explain her nom success.
"Just what expected, Miss Barbara"
said he. cheerfully. "One is never sure