Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-01-17
CnAPTER mI-Contlnued.

hour, forlOrn as sparrow on a mousse
top, and very near the house-top, too,
before any sign reached him that his
possible mother-in-law - the sweet
Swiss lady whom he felt he loved al
ready, she was 80 like her daughter in
some things-had recognized his ex-
istence or his eagerly claimed cousin
ship. At last the door opened.
Koderick sprang forward, then drew
back painfully embarrassed. But ST.
lence advanced with that gentle COM
posture which nothing ever eemed to
disturb, and with only the faintest
added color to her cheek, as, English
fashion, she extended her little, soft,
thoroughly English-looking hand.
"Monsieur my cousin, mamma bids
me welcome you to our country, and to
say that she will receive you at this
evening, if you will do her the honor
TO come.
"Mademoi .elle-Miss Jardine.
She lifted up her eyes, smiling.
ayes, am that by right, and l like to
be called so. Miss reminds me that l
belong little to fathers country.
Then you are satisfed-your moth
or, too, IS quite satisfied that | am
really your cousin?" cried Roderick,
eagerly
mot my cousin-german, of course"
she answered, again drawing back a
little, but my cousin much removed
how do you say it in English?-tres-
eloigne. That IS, they had the same
great-grandparents these three who
we're educated together-Nir. Henry
Jardine, who was the father of mon
sieur, my father, and the lady was
named after, Cousin Silence"
"Then you, too, have heard OF Cousin
Silence?" cried Roderick, feeling every
minute the mysterious chains more
tightly ound him.
Certainly: my father loved her very
much once-alwaYs, l think-though
it was years since he had written to
her. Did you know her? Is she liv-
ing YETI"
Then M. Reynier's note, which he
had not yet seen, had explained moth
Ing of the money affairs, Roderick
felt glad. His welcome here was sim
ply as Monsieur mon cousin, nothing
more.
"She is not living, but it is scarcely
two months since she died"
"Ah, then | shall rever see her, and
. I should have liked it so! Sometimes
papa promised when | was older to
take me to see his land. and Blackhall,
and Miss Silence Jardine. Did you ever
see her, SIR"
"Once-only once; the day my father
lied. will tell you about it another
time"
BY q sudden instinct she seemed to
catch his change of look, of tone.
t'Monsieur is very good, she said,
gently, and questioned no more.
There was indeed no more to say, no
possible excuse for him to remain: yet
he fingered. Shy as school-boy, he
felt as if he could not get out of the
room.
"This evening at G, then, said Mile.
Jardine, with gentle dismissal, not
hgain Offering her hand. but merely
bowling, as Roderick walked-he felt
very much like crawling-out of the
salon.
And yet it was a glo ious humility,
o noble shame, q sensation more de-
ticious than anything he had ever be-
lieved the world could offer-the
world, so empty to him of sympathy
Or love, that is, the unlocking love,
since his dear father died. He almost
felt as if his father knew it all; the re-
fex of what perhaps, he too had
known in his YOUTH the cloves young
DREAM" which never comes twice.
Happy those to whom it comes truly
as love, and neither as passion nor folly;
who can say to them :e.ves, as Roder-
lex did during the weary hours be.
tween II and Il, Nov, what shall L do
for her? What would she like me to
do? Something, am sure, that would
be good and i hit"
And with this intent, and perhaps
another behind it, he sat down and
did what he had forgotten to do day
after day, eve since he had reached
Neuchatel, he wrote long letter home
to his mother. A very atectionate
amusing, clever letter, just what he
knew uld please her, and which, as
he also knew, she would show to every
hear and dear friend she had. Conse-
buently it was not exactly confden-
Eial; indeed, Roderick was not in the
habit of writing confidential letters to
anybody; but it was quite honest, so
lbt 90 ~ WOhu' SoNO ~ 3 AONlh1 UOoOlA Y
tion of the Alps at BerGe, and an anus
ing one of the soiree at Professor
Reyniers; painted graphically the
quaint little town of Neuchatel, where
he said he intended TO stay few days
longer, and ended by stating briefly
how he had found, among M. Reynier
guests, the object of his search: at
least, all that we Q left to tind Archi-
bald Jardines widow and only surviv-
ing child. Whether the child" was
old or young, boy or girl, he omitted
to particularize "a degree OF reserve
which surpassed even the ordinary ret
icence of Mr.. Koderick Jardine
When Roderick went cut to post his
letter, he seemed to walk on air.
Every corner OF the quaint old town
looked picturesque; every pas er-by
interesting. For he had vague
hope-half fear, too-tbat under some
umbrella he might find the gray gown,
black felt hat, and blue eyes,
Just on the faintest chance Of this,
he went round by the shore of the
lake, whe a sudden wild wind had
caused the waves to rise and roll in,
almost like sea tide, greatly to the
distress of the poor Neuchatellerois.
Various movables had been carried
away, and large market barrow was