The Red Cloud chief., 1901-02-22
CHAPTER XI.-tContinued.)

ma'am,' said Bridget Ransom; but
IL | tell my story my wi way perhaps
you'll understand. When you and Mr..
Dynevor engaged me as nurse to Miss
Kitty you made one stipulation-that
| was not to be talking continually OF
Mrs. Lindon. You said the subject
was a very painful one, and you did
not want to discuss it.
I'VE both felt 1t a mistake to dwell
IN it," agreed Mrs. Dynevor.
And so I never told you what my
q poor lady suffered" returned Bridget.
Care for her, Eustace Lindon cared
for no one but himself and the baby.
He was so jealous of his wife's anec-
tiou for her firstborn that as soon as
mis- own child was born he sent little
Miss Lillian away TO the country. She
was brought up in a French PEASANTS
cottage, and the parting almost broke
Ner mothers heart"
"But, Bridget" persisted Mrs. Dyne-
yor. why tell me all this now? 1t
Is too late to help either my poor Sis
t~er-in.law or her child
please hear me out" said Mrs.
Af.ansom. 81 might have written home,
and told you and Miss Lillian's uncle,
, only Mrs. Lindon begged me not. The
fact was her husband hated Miss Lii
lian, and she thought the pool child
happier anywhere away from him.
Did he care for his W child?
Eyes: but she was a sickly little
thing, and with none of her mothers
beauty. She had an English nurse
rather a Eighty young woman, whom
my mistress hated. When Mr.. Lindon
suddenly declared they couldn't afford
10 keep me and Julia, she begged and
prayed for him to let me be the one
20 stay, and ] humbled myself TO ask
q min, too. | said I'd do all my W
work and look after the child as well;
but it was OF no use. | went, Julia
stayed"
Mrs. Dyneyor could not see the
thread of these recollections, but she
listened patiently.
"A year or two after l left you.
ma'am, | met Julia again. She $
in service then, but she seemed to have
plenty of money. and she told me Mr..
Iindon allowed her so pounds a year
for the sake Of all she had done for
the child.
81 thought 1t was the most generous
thing I'd ever heard of him; but ]
didn't come all this way to tell you oil
this. I'm a widow now, and I've a
nice little lodging house at Brighton
| took a partner lately, and she turns
out to have been housekeeper to Mr.
I.indou for ten years; and, Mrs. Dyn-
evor, she says the woman he has mar
ried is the Julia who was fellow-sery-
ant with me in France.
Mrs. Dynevor looked bewildered.
Now. with all his faults, he was a
gentleman" went On Mrs. Ransom
and Julia Maunders. was a common
u~neducated woman, who could never
he companion to him. Mrs. Markham
= my partner, told me she had actually
been In his house as attendant to his
daughter. that she gave way to drink
and. when not quite herself, actually
struck Miss Lindon. Now, ma'am. g
gentleman doesn't marry a vulgar, un
educated woman Of forty. who. besides
is given to drink, without some rea'
SON. Mrs. Markham and l have talk
ed the matter over and over again
and we believe there's something
wrong about the will, and Julia knew
it,"
At that Harold Dynevol
came in. He would have gone ava,
. on seeing his mother was not alone.
but she detained him, and in a few
words gave him the heads of MIS-
Ransom's story.
IL can't see how the will could 81
a fraud" he answered, ''and yet every
thing points to it. Lindon dismisslns
the attendant who was true to hi
wife, and keeping the n who coult
be bribed, points to fraud; but, mother
don't see what we are to do"
Neither did Mrs. Dynevor; but thei
visitor now proceeded to relate thu
best part of her story.
MRS. Markham told me a good dea
u OF her young lady, Beryl Lindon, ant
I'm ready to swear she il not the chile
left in Julia's care when ! was sen
ava There must be plenty or peoplt
left In the French village who remem
Der little Beryl, She was so puny AM
backward for a long time the docto
feared she was IN idiot. h hat
light hair, almost white and perfect,
straight. and big, watery blue eyes
the sort of eyes you see oftenest IL
idiots. At three years old she coul,
hardly walk. No n but her fatheI
could see anything to admire in her
According to Mrs. Markham. Berry
4 Lindon has very dark eyes, blue-grey
= and almost black lashes, and curl!
brown hair. l can't think even hfteei
years would make such a change"
Mrs. Dynevor looked from her Sol
to Mrs. Ransom.
II am sure you both see something
some explanation; but cannot.
Mother" said Harold hoarsely