Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-30
Continued.

He said no more to Lancelot, but
saw him into the dog-cart, that waited
at the door, and waved his hand at
fably to him as he drove away. linen
he returned to the din1ng-room ana
waited for the colonel, but was pres
emily informed that master had gone
for a walk and would not be back
until dinner time" By carefully care
less questions the count extracted the
information that the colonel had gone
to OkeIey, which was the home OF Lady
Steyenage. Evidently he intended to
consult his old friend, the countess,
on Lance's new departure.
1t was with very mingled feelings
that Lancelot found himself standlng
ON the doorsteps of the house, Whlcn
Nine Zavertal had made her home
He hesitated on the steps; halt-afrald
to ring the bell, not knowing what
he might expect. The house was
good one in a wide, airy street; but
to his fancy it had a gaunt, rigid look.
There was something dreary about IL,
he thought-but that was perhaps only
an illusion of his excited fancy. The
0OOlSIGDS were III ~ do IL WIZ IL ~
frequent feet; the windows seemed to
be uncurtained. What would his
mother be like if she could choose to
live in dreary house like this, In
stead of seeking the green solltudeS OF
the park the stately glories OF the
dear old house at Alderslelgh? He
pictured her to himself as tall, hand
some, stern-looking woman, consumed
with a consciousness of her wrongs
and the wrongs of her race. 1t was
certain that she was unforglVlng; for
surely the difficulties that stood in the
way of a reconciliation could not all
proceed from one side. For a moment
he wondered if he had done right to
come. Then he set doubt aside and
rang the bell with firm hand. An
old serving man, in red cap and
with foreign accent and a foreign
manner opened the door; Lance in
quired for Nine. Zavertal.
What do you want with madam
was the very unexpected question.
Il want to see her. said Lance.
"You gif me your name"
mo, | would rather not do that, "
said Lance, Il will tell Nine Zavertal
my name when | see her"
The old mamie was very white
and shriveled and small-suddenly ut
tered a little shrek of laughter and
pulled the boy with both hands into
the hall.
"As if | not know you," he said,
nodding his head and surveying the
visitor with kindly, scrutinizing eyes.
LAS if you were not madam's own boy,
with the face, the voice, the voice-the
everything l know so well. 1 bid you
welcome, M Lancelot; it is time you
come, for you no longer a child; a
man now"
"But-how do you know me?" said
Lance, who was utterly bewildered by
this manner of address.
"Ah, he ask how l know? Has not
old Josef seen three generations of
Zavertal blood? Are they not all sc
iike-so like as peas? You do not be-
long to the English side-you are the
mothers son. And l have often been
sent to see you at school-to watch
you-to tell madam what you were
like Have you not had presents on
your fete days and knew not whence
they came? There was fruit one birth
day and bon-bons when you were a
little child" said the old man, mark
ing off the items on his fingers, land
a set of gold studs when you were
older, and a gold chain and book-and
you did not ask from whence they
cameo"
II always thought-my father" said
Lance, and then he stopped.
"Ah, bah your father. He is Eng,
lish; he would have wanted formal re
oeipt fer ali MS gifts; he is cold-bu1
madam is not like that. She loves tC
give-she gives away all she has fol
others-even her own happiness" He
spread out his hands as he spoke ant
pathetic tone came into his broker
voice. Lancelot was strangely moved
and a new desire to see his mother
came into his mind.
"Where is she? Can | not see her?'
he said, eagerly.
'You shall see her You shall SEE
her" answered the old man, and h
opened the door of room on the RICH
hand of the front door. You mus
wait here a few minutes; she will no
be long. I will tell her-I will tel
her." and without waiting for an,
further speech or injunction, he hur
ried away, closing the door behint
him and leaving Lance to contemplat
the aspect of the room in which h
found himself.
1t was a strangely bare room from
his point of view. The boards wer
uncovered, the windows undraped. I
square deal table stood in the middle
of the room and a few chairs wer
ranged along the walls. 1t looked lik
the waiting-room of an institution am
was not at all the sort of a room tina
one usually finds in lady's house
And to Lances confusion of mind
some of the chairs were occupied b,
strange, grizzled, Teign-looking men
or queer, unkempt women and childre1
all dark, yellow-skinned, unwashed
yet with the picturesqueness of colo
and outline which showed that the
belonged to an eastern race. ar