Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1901-03-14
CHAPTER TX.

iy alone In the world; Kitty had taken
a fancy to her; and when Harold came
In for tea the three were as much at
home as though they had known each
other for months.
you must let me take you home"
Harold said to the little governess.
when she came downstairs about eight
with her hat on.
"Oh, I could not trouble you, Mr..
Dynevor. it is SO far! And | am not
at all afraid"
Harold loves an evening tramp. and
1t is much too far for you to go alone"
said Kitty. Mind you come again
soon. Mother wants you to, don't you
mother?"
YES" put in Mrs. Dynevor. II shall
be very pleased to see Miss Tendon
whenever she has time to come"
When they were walking down the
broad, shady lane which led from Up
lands to Easthill village Harold asked
simply. do you know you have made
conquest OF my mother, Miss Len
don? l never saw her SO much taken
with stranger"
'She was very, very kind to me. Oh.
Mr. Dynevor, when | saw her and
Kitty together l could not help wish
ing l had a mother"
The voice was so sad 1t touched his
heart.
Il wish you would confide your trou-
bles to my mother, Miss Lendon," he
said gently, "she would know how to
comfort you. The advertisement Of
fering the reward has not been re-
peated for some weeks now. and l had
hoped you would feel happier"
To his surprise and alarm, he heard
her sob. They were quite alone in a
little frequented lane. He longed to
comfort her, only he could think OF no
words.
miss Lendon," he said, very gent
ly. like you, / have known troubles
one presses on me now whose weight
seems to crush me to the earth. HUI
man friends can do very little to
soothe an aching heart; but there is
One above who knows all His chill
dren's griefs, and sorrows for them.
He will comfort you better than any
earthly friend"
II know" she said, simply yet re-
verently. "Mr. Dynevor, had better
tell you the truth. ! can trust you not
to betray me to my father, and | can
not bear to come to Uplands and take
kindness from you all when, II you
knew my story. you would shrink from
me in loathing."
An awful fear crossed Harold's heart.
What could she mean? Only little
while ago, at the fete, she had assured
him she was not fleeing from justice.
and he had retorted no one could take
her for a criminal. What did her
present words mean?
Whatever you tell me l will keep
as sacred trust" he answered. But.
indeed. Miss Tendon, you are mis-
taken; nothing you can say will make
me shrink from you"
But l am the child of the two who
wronged you cruelty. am your
enemy's daughter-Beryl Lindon."
He started involuntarily. Really
the movement was simply surprise, but
she thought 1t was due to aversion.
Il never meant to deceive you or
any one," she went on. her voice grow
ing little firmer as she proceeded. Il
ran away from home because my IA
Their wrote that he had married again,
and his new wife was to have full au-
thority over me. Mr.. Dynevor, that
woman had lived in the house for nine
months, openly as my maid. really as
my tyrant. Last January, while my
father was away, she-she struck me.
l appealed to the housekeeper who
dismissed her. Do you think I could
have stayed to see that woman In my
mothers placer"
mo one could have wished it." he
answered quickly-'no one who loved
you"
II took Mrs. Tanners situation be-
cause 1t was the only one l could get
and the time was all too short. had
only three weeks from getting my IA
Tiers letter to the day he brought his
wife home.
when I came to Easthill / had
never heard of Dynevor Manor. l had
not the least idea my father possessed
property here, or l should have been
afraid to come.
Mrs. Tanner told me the first night
came to her that the Wilmots, who
were her chief supporters here, OBJ
jected to my name. She said they
urged 1t was slight to their employ
er, Mr.. Lindon. that poor little gov
erness should be called by his name
When l found that this Mr.. Lindon
lived in Elchester square, and his
name was Eustace, knew 1t was my
father, and I was only too thankful
to agree to the proposal that | should
change one letter of my name. and be
known here as Miss Tendon.
when later l heard my fathers
story from Mrs. Grey, and the cruel
wrong he had wrought you and yours,
felt overwhelmed with shame
Though your sister had urged me to 60
and see her, l felt dared not accept
her Invitation. l should never have
come to the Uplands only she fetched
me, and all through my visit I felt as
though | were deceiving you all, that
II you knew the truth your doors would
be closed against me-"
Harold took the girls hand In his
and held 1t close under cover of the
darkness.
do you know what first made my
mother take an interest In you? Your
likeness to her sister-in-law. Nina Lin
don. You must remember she and
your mother were close friends for
over three years. My father on hts
death bed told me he believed firmly
that my Aunt Nina had never meant