Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-10-06

| On the contrary, | think ii will be
very good or her to have a COM
panion; Esperance's chatter will keep
her from brooding over her troubles;
! besides | asked her in my last letter.
ana she made no objection. The at
tic makes capital pay-room for
Bella"
! Cornelia did not care to continue
the conversation, and soon LETT tn,
table to begin the difficult task of
writing to Bertha, which Mrs. Mort
lake altogether declined
Bertha came home the next day.
and early in the following week Es-
perance also returned. Frances Ne
vile was coming back with the child
rem to Worthington. so she was able
to take her home in her carriage.
Esperance had made up her mind to
be very brave-she had even per-
suaded herself that she rather wished
to get back to the discipline of Ril-
chester, that she was anxious to be
at work again after her long holiday;
but in spite of this her heart sunk
when she found herself once more
alone In the dimly lighted hall OF
the deanery. The dean and Miss
Johnson We're at afternoon service.
/ the footman, told her, and Mrs. Mort
lake had visitors in the drawing
room; then he carried her trunk up
stairs and disappeared.
| Esperance stood quite STILL as e
d n
eyes wandered from the blue-and-
white tiled floor to the frosted win
/ dows, up the dark oak staircase,
and round the wainscoted walls, and
she shivered a little as she remem-
bered that this was coming home"
She looked at the pictures of the
deans predecessors, and fancied they
looked down at her pityingly, while
the brown. CLASSY eyes of two stays
heads looked almost fearful. and
seemed to say. I'VE are sorry for
you we too are prisoners, out of our
neutral element"
! She felt the tears gathering in her
own eyes, and with an impatient ex-
clemation reused herself. and went
upstairs to her room. Forlorn and
uncomfortable as it had been, she re-
| ceived a sharp pang when she found
that the attic was no longer hers; 1t
was all strewn with toys, Bella was In
one of the corners, beating a refrac-
! tory doll and her nurse was working
near the window.
She rose, and received Esperance
with inquiries after her health and
warmth of welcome, which in the
present chilliness of her feelings was
really comforting Bella too, who
was always much better behaved
when away from her mother, ran up
to kiss her, and, by the time the ex
PLANTATION of the change Of rooms
had been made, Esperance had quite
recovered her spirits. She ran down
stairs to Berthas room, and knocked
at the door.
Bertha was sitting at her table
writing she put down her pen, but
Esperance was across the room in one
bound, and had both arms around
her neck before she could rise. She
submitted to one of those warm,
clirging French embraces, which Es-
perance was wont to give her, then
said in her quiet, impassive voice,
Il did not know you had come"
Il have been here five minutes, and
not soul have | seen except Bella
and nurse just think of that. You
will have to kiss me for all the rest or
the family"
you look much better" said
Bertha, still very languidly.
Eyes, | am quite well; it Is you
who look like the invalid. What Ia
1t, Bertha? | am sure you are Ill!
But she was not prepared for a
sudden outburst OF tears from her
usually reserved cousin. Bertha had
in truth found Esperance's endear-
ments too much for her. In few
minutes she had, whether wisely or
not sobbed out the whole story to
this most sympathetic OF auditors. 1t
had been no comfort to her to
speak OF it TO the others. She had
sat in one OF the great library chairs,
and heard her father express his
slow, hesitating regrets that he was
Obliged to cross her wishes, and only
grown more heavy -hearted. She
| had listened TO Mrs. Mortlake as she
sat over her bazaar work showing
! the many worldly advantages she
would have lost had she been able to
marry George Palgraye, and mad
hurried away, at once sore-hearted
and angry. She had seen Cornella In
her study and had only listened to
her grave words Of pity, with con-
victon that her sister had never ex-
petienced this kind OF sorrow, and
had no right to talk. Now, With a
sense OF relief she told all 10 one
i VINO would sympathize without re-
proof who would not add to ner dis
column, and quotes the statutory pro-
tress by saying, you ought 10 have
known"
{ And, luckily, Esperance was
safe comforter She did not say. as
some girls OF seventeen would have