The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-05-14

source Of dread 70 her whether this girl
might not suppiant her In the future az
ven as in the present Would she sue
coed 10 the old mans money at his deathi
Not II Harriet Priolo--could pre-
vent It! She was on her guard.
Il shall never be so-neverir she said
70 herself with ever-increasing vehemence
~ in the gathering darkness she looked
toward the house which In the future was
10 be their home.
As Miss Warde entered the sitting
room, both gentlemen stood up to greet
her, and Mr.. Bowyer introduced her to
his landlord with the customary formula-
Ny neice, Miss Warde.
With q fieeting smile she acknowledged
Colonel 6evern's deep bow and pleasantly
spoken words, then busted herself about
the old mans comfort, taking cushion
from the sofa and placing 1t on his chair,
pushing . foot-stool toward him, and
then STOPPING to stir the fire. Her iaxen
hair, which she wore in boyish fashion,
cut close to her head, shone like threads
Of gold In the light, all the more from
contrast with the soft black Grape gown
that she wore, unrelieved by even .
speck Of white,
How lovely she would be II she
were happierr" thought George Severn
as he gazed at her, for the smile that had
SO swiftly illumlned and then passed from
her face had only served to impress more
clearly upon him its habitual sadness.
Surely some great grief must have enter
ed her life to turn all the natural gayety
and hopefulness Of youth to such allah
sorbing sorrow; or the loss she had evil
IDENTIFY sustained was OF very recent date,
and this was the first violence of despair!
wonder il you will like LittlehaA
venp he began, addressing her abruptly,
and, in the deep interest he felt, uncon-
scious that he had left q remark OF Mr..
Bowyer's unanswered.
"Oh, think SO Why should not 2"
hope there will be no reason. 1t is
dull perhaps very little society"
My niece does not care for going
out, put in Mr.. Bowyer
There are some lovely walks and
| drives and the garden will give you .
little occupation.
10 bhOAC q BdiucHE BIG dShtu.
Mr. Bowyer looked at her impatiently.
My dear Ellen, you passed through 1t
as you came ina charming garden, and
so well cared for-quite blaze Of GRO
cuses already!n
:. 1t was growing dark when came In,
and was thinking Of other things but
remember a sweet scent Of violets-and
we're there not some snow-drops as well2
am very fond Of flowers.
Then you must not pluck the few
you have here. l will send you basket
every day from the Abbey enough to
decorate your house..
She thanked him with q glance, under
standing his intention to be kind, and
feeling grateful to him for 1t.
The hands Of the small traveling-clock
which Mr.. Bowyer had placed on the
mantel-piece were pointing to six O'Clock
the visitor rose to take his leave, feeling
that he had no longer any excuse for re-
manning with them.
A cordial hand-shake from the Austral-
ian, smile from his niece, and George
| Severn was alone outside, walking rapidly
toward the Abbey, shrinking as he had
never done before from the lonely gran
deur that awaited him, and realizing how
utterly unlike it was to any preconceived
idea he might once have had Of home.
All, well, when Charlie came, 1t would be
differentl But how lonely that girl was!
What conld be the cause Of such poign-
ant, apparently all-engrossing grief9 She
was a mystery-a mystery well worth
studying 80 he thought.
Il wonder what Charlie will think of
her ?" he thought; and then another
question presented itself which made
him draw his breath hard and dark
/ flush suffuse his sallow face even in the
darkness :" What would she think Of
| Charlie-would she like him2"
In the meantime, at the Dover House,
Mr.. Bowyer and his niece were seated to-
gether before the fire, the former looking
idly over newspaper the contents Of
! which he had already mastered in the
train, the latter, making no pretense at
! occupation, seated on low stool, with
her elbows on her knees, her head rest
! ing on her hands, staring at the glowing
embers that burned brightly beneath an
upper crust of coal. Suddenly dropping
his paper, her companion startled her by
taking up the poker and thrusting it
into the fire, so that the fairy-like cavern
| into which she had been gazing was de-
stroyed, and darkness and brightness
intermingled lost the beauty they had
possessed in contrast.
The girl called Ellen Warde looked UP
and sighed as she said,
"Do you want anything, Mr.. BowyerS"
"No, mol" testify. Why don't you
call me uncle? 1t makes people talk
when / introduce you as my niece, and
yet you always call me by my name"
81 forget, sir. 1t is not because do
not love you and am not grateful for
your goodness. II that were all, / might
call you .father'-and it would be no un-
truth, for no parent could have done
more for me than YOU"
Nonsense. child Why do you go
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