Middletown transcript., 1904-02-20
The Youngest Miss Passinsham
CHAPTER 1

1ONtS4ChOs WI sasSAS 'sssS
|O1 the church in the valley, with
~ ita gray tower and the red
rooted cottages clustering all
around it; there were the river and the
old rustic bridge, and the long white
road over the moor leading to the Grange.
How well she remembered driving down
that road with Molly the day she went
awayl 1t was nine years ago now. but it
seemed as though it were only yesterday.
Dear old Mollyl 1t would be sweet to see
her again. She must have had dull life
of it shut up in the Grange with Cathar-
inc all these years. She wondered if she
had altered much. OF course she would
be good deal older. Why, she must be
about twenty-nine, for Stella herself was
twenty!
But they were close to the station now
"a pretty country station with gardens
gay with flowers and an ornamental
shrubbery adjoining it.
As the train slowed down Stella caught
a glimpse of a pony-carriage waiting at
the door Of the booking-ofice with man
in green livery standing at the pony's
head. Her heart began to beat little
faster. Had Catharine come or would
Molly be alone? Oh, she hoped Cathar-
inc had not come! And then, as her
glance swept the platform, she realized
that neither Catharine nor Molly was
there. The only person to be seen be-
sides the porter and the station-master
was tall fair young man in knicker-
bockers and brown shooting coat, with
a couple of dogs at his heels. He was
looking eagerly at the carriages, evidently
watching for someone, and, as Stella got
out, he came towards her with the cheer
lest of smiles.
Your sisters have sent me to meet you,
Miss Passingham. Don't you remember
me? I knew you in an instant.
Stella gazed at him demurely.
Ought 1 to remember? I can't. But
wait. The wide beautifully-formed mouth
began to smile, showing dimple in the
right cheek; the gray dark-lashed eyes
flashed sunshine. Oh, I know! You
are Tony. I beg your pardon. But l
always called you Tony in those days.
They were dear old days.
They were indeed! said Mr.. Anthony
West with emphasis. How do you think
1 felt when I got home from school and
found my little comrade gone? And you
never came back!
l have come back now, she answered,
with friendly smile. And the old days
don't seem so very long ago. Will you
let me drive the ponies? Do you remem-
Der the driving lessons which you used to
give me?
Do I remember? he said in feryent
tone. Up to the last moment or two
those old days had held but dim place
in his recollections. But at the first sight
of Stella the woman, SO like Stella the
child and yet 60 different, they had sud-
denly grown vivid; every detail came
flashing back to him with wonderful dis
tinctness. He wondered at himself for
not having been more excited at the
thought of meeting Stella. AS he had
driven from the Grange he had actually
been considering whether he should let
his shooting again and go abroad. Was
it possible that he could have dreamt of
going abroad while Stella was staying
with her sisters? Miss Mary could not
come to meet you, he explained, as they
went out to the carriage. 1t was great
disappointment to her. But Miss Pas
singham has one Of her bad headaches,
and Miss Mary could not leave her.
Miss Mary? Stella's dark delicately-
pencilled eyebrows were raised a tritie.
It used to be Molly, am sure; and I
shall call her Molly still. Why do you
call her Mary, Mr.. West? 1t sounds 80
stiff and formal to me.
Everyone does, he answered, rather
lamely. She prefers it, l think.
l wonder if she has altered, said Stella,
giving glance around her. They were
driving up the long hill, with the wide
moorland, now crimson with heather,
stretching away on either side. Every
thing looks so much the same that it
seems as if time must have stood still
since I went away. Her eyes turned
towards Tony as she said the last words,
and merry smile flashed out of their
gray depths. Oh, no-time has not stood
still! she added gaily. You are not bit
like my old friend Tony, Mr.. West.
But you knew me-don't forget that!
be said, bending towards her. You did
know me.
She regarded him with cool critical
glance.
1t was the eyes, think, she said-and
and your smile. Her cool tone faltered
for second. and the color came up into
her cheeks. She glanced away quickly
from Anthony's blue eyes across the
moorland. But tell me-has Molly al
tered?
He hesitated. He was still looking at
her, studying the delicate lines of cheek
and profile, the bewitching curve of her
upper lip. Her dark hair was coiled low
and set off the tender whiteness of throat
and ear. Her long lashes and her eyes
brows were even darker than her hair.
1t is difficult for me to say, lie an
swered after moment. l don't think
that she has altered much. But you will
find great change in Miss Passingham.
Did you know that her hair had turned |
quite white?
Stella looked at him quickly. His
words had been shock.
No-I did not know, she added after a |
moment, the pain deepening in her voice.
I know nothing. l had letter once |
year, but there was nothing in it. You
know how it was. When aunt Rachel |
offered to adopt me after fathers death,
Catharine was glad for me to go. And |
aunt Rachel was jealous of them, so it |
was settled that l was to be given up |