Middletown transcript., 1904-10-08
/ [ooxrINuEp PROM LAsr IsguEl


ised not to leave until your papa's re-
turn, and he is to settle everything 7
''Then, mamma" Kilmeny said, Il
must arrange so that shall not see Chris
again. Please do not say any more about
it, and let me 60 away BY myself. Do
any of the others know?" she asked
suddenly.
''No one knows anything about it but
you, and l hoped that you might not
hear of it until papa's return. II you
like, darling, will tell you the whole
story now that you know something. |
can fancy what shock any whisper OF it
must have been to YOU
81 don't want to hear it," Kilmeny
said, rising. "What | know is quite
enough. l think, mamma, l will lie
down for little while, and please don't
let anybody in
She went away without waiting for her
mother to speak. If she could only es-
cape anywhere If she need not con-
tinue living in Chris's house, where
everything reminded her of him Last
nights scenes, which the shock OF the
morning had driven from her mind, came
back on her with sense of longing.
She might find oblivion there for the
pain which she was experiencing. She
did not care for Lady Penryth's insolence
or for any humiliation which might await
her if only she could get away. A knock
at her door reused her after long time,
and note was thrust under it.
She went to pick it up. 1t was in Mrs.
Richmond's writing, and contained these
words
''Mr DaryPs carriage is waiting ont.
side, and YOU are to go i'll it to see him.
He has something important to say to
you. / am not to speak to you before
YOU leave. May Heaven watch over and
protect my darling !"
Kilmeny threw down the letter and
ran out. She met the old servant in the
hall.
"Where is mammal" she cried.
"She went away good while ago. She
told me not to disturb you until she had
gone, and that when the carriage came |
was to give yon,the letter."
"Gone! How could mamma 60 with
out me? Who has been here to-day?'
"Mr. Daryl was with the mistress for
long time. But you need not ask me
anything, miss. never saw such goings
on since came into the family, and that
was just after Miss Jessica was born. Mr..
Christopher never comes to the house
now, and You are taken up with Mr..
Daryl and his fine friends, and the mis-
tress crying her eyes out whenever no.
body is looking And now she and the
children are all gone off home, leaving
me to pack up and follow, without me
knowing what anything means. But
you, Miss Kilmeny-you can 60 to Mr..
Daryl's and enjoy yourself, and not
trouble your head what becomes Of any
of u.s."
As if could enjoy anything without
them all r. cried Kilmeny Indignantly.
"You know that is impossible, Hannah.
Oh, if there was only some one to tell me
what it means Why did mamma 60
away, and why am left behind without
a word? Tell me, Hannah you know
more than you say! Tell me what has
happened y
t,,1n
Miss Kilmeny! Your mamma said you
were to go to Mr.. Daryl's, and he world
tell you everything"
Outside the horses were stamping, and
the coachman was looking in curiously
and impatiently. KilIneny glanced round
the empty house, where her voice and
HannaL's already went echoing through
the silent passage. Everything was in
deed changed, and nothing was left to
her but Mr.. Daryl, whose acquaintance
she had wilfully chosen. She turned
away from Hannah and went back to her
own room.
Presently she returned with her hat
on. She hugged Hannah silently and
went out, looking very proud. The foot
man ran to open the carriage door, the
coachman touched his hat, and they were
off.
Kilmeny's bearing was just as proud
when she went up the steps Of the gloomy
gray house which she had once SO much
longed to enter. Her eyes were dry and
bright.
There was fOutman waiting who le-
quested Miss Richmond to see his master
in his own room, and she followed him.
He took her to a part of the house where
she had never been before, and ushered
her into splendid apartment in which
the master of the house was seated, wait
ing impatiently. As Kilmeny's eyes
fell on him, che experienced revulsion
of feeling. He looked 60 shrivelled and
cynical as he sat there waiting for her,
and there was such an evil gleam in his
eyes, that she wished she had never seen
him. He smiled, but the smile failed to
brighten his face as he held out his hand
to her.
Il hope Mrs. Richmond told you moth
ing further T' he said abruptly. "How
any oae guessed my secret am at loss
to know but, as you know something
and other people have found out more,
nothing remains but for the rest to be
published. Sit down; have you any
name but that outlandish one?'
II have no name but Kilmeny. And,
if you please would rather not hear any
more Of the story you speak of
Nonsense p he cried sharply. "You
have left your old life behind, and you
must forgot all those people who brought
you up. You belong to me-not them
They were paid for what they did, and
they Lave done with you. 1t is not fit |
that my granddaughter and heiress
should be mixed up with people who are
merely respectable and nothing more"
"Y our granddaughter" Kilmeny cried.
4s<Ayh3t csn ~o,1 mean2 Dootor R;ol,