Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-06-09

very poor, l believe the dean has
adopted the little girl
Indeed, | must go and see her
when we go back to Worthington. the
exodus is already beginning: the
hrst installment of nurses and child
rem went off this morning, and |
only meant now just to come in and
wish you goodbye but as usual
have been betrayed into gossiping."
Lady Worthington was quite an
old family friend of the Magnays,
and since they had been left orphans.
she had taken them specially under
her protection. Claude owed great
deal TO her; she was undoubtedly very
roma OF him, and after his sisters had
gone to India, and he had been left
TO himself, she had spared no pains
IN helping him. constantly inviting
MIN to her house, and what was bet
Ter really winning his confidence
and giving him almost a sons Mace
in her affections.
Claude was by no means her only
protege; she was genuinely warm
1 hearted. and really wore herself ont
] Tor other people when she liked them
/ she mad, however. strong dislikes as
! well, and when any one was not in
her good books, she allowed it to ap-
! pear In her manner quite as much as
! Sood-oreeding would permit. This.
| added to her carelessness of appear-
| ances, was no doubt the reason whv
she was often not so much appreciated
as she ought to have been. .
! claude knew that the Collnsons
were particular favorites of hers.
! Worthlngton Hall, Sir Henry's coun-
/ Try house, was only two miles from
chichester, and the families were of
course acquainted; he was. however.
not sure how far Lady Worthington
! cared for the intercourse, and began
rather hesitatingly to ask what had
/ long been in his mind.
/ Have you time and inclination TO
! add one other to your long list of
prot&es? Because, if so, little Made
/ moiselle de Mabilon is the person of
! all others who is in need She seems
/ quite miserable at the deanery"
Poor child" said Lady Worthing-
| ton, compassionately 1T must IN
/ deed be a dreary house; tell me about
! her"
rhaps this will tell you better
/ than words, said Claude, bringing
forward his picture Accidentally her
brother caught sight of that when he
was here, and | wish you could have
| seen his face of grief and dismay! He
! says she used to be the brightest child
] imaginable"
And that is really her likeness?
such young face, and so utterly
miserable, You have been eXagger-
ating, Claude.
Il am afraid not" said Claude,
! smiling. But that you will see when
you are at Rilchester. You do not
: think it a bad return for your kind
! cases "
Lady Worthington laughed
1T is like the story of the man who
| cured lame dog, which, as soon as
it was well, ran away and brought
| its lame friend | shall be only
too glad, though, to help this
! little girl If | can; but the deanery is
terribly unapproachable house.
wish | had known that young Mon
sieur de Mabillon; he must have
thought me inconsiderate not to re-
call his fathers name. Where does
/ he live?"
In some wretched rooms at PEN
! tonYille," answered Claude, wondering
! If Gaspard also. were to be adopted
q think l will drive round that way
4 and just see him; he may have some
1 thing TO send to his sister; and
! feel sure Sir Henry would wish IT,
+ Yes, | will certainly do so: he must
he home by this time Then goodbye
= for the present, Claude; you will let
/ us hear from you, will you not?
| And remember that you must spend
/ Christmas with us at Worthington,
/ if you can. but don't refuse a better
/ invitation"
/ Thank you. a thousand times
replied Claude, gratefully For me
( there could be no better"
! Lady Worthington looked anxiously
/ at her watch as she drove away from
/ St. Johns Wood II was very much
| out Of her way to visit Gaspard de
/ Mabillon. and her last day in town
was, necessarily, a busy one, but now
| that the idea had once entered her
/ head she would not give II up. Her
| coachman, therefore, received orders
I TO drive fast 70 the address which
/ Claude had given, and being accus-
toned to her ladyship's freaks did
not even grumble. though a bad fog
was coming on. and the horses were
| already far from fresh.
Arrived at the bakers shop, and
! having ascertained that NJ de Mabil-
Ion was at home, Lady Worthington
hastned in, and was shown upstairs
D