The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-04-23
Cbe rove Chat neper Dies
N
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a pace that by the time the brougham
got to the outer wall of the stone
court, the master of. the house was
already making a tour of inspection
inside of the building.
This old seat of the Catherington
family was a pretty place enough.
There was not very much ground be-
tween the road and the old house,
which appeared to Beatrice, in the
twilight by which she first saw it, to
be long white building, by no means
high, and with no architectural pre-
tensions whatever. The main build
ing had a slate roof, and was flanked
on either side by a wing covered with
tiles; while beyond these We're other
and less regular erections, which APP
pear to have been added as the need
arose for more accommodation, with
out much regard to the symmetry Of
| the whole.
| This same irregularity, however,
gave a sort of cosy look to the place:
evergreens on the lawn in front,
which allowed only glimpses to be
seen of the house behind, the whole
| effect was much more to Beatrice's
taste than the cold formality of the
handsome house in London which they
had just left.
| Some preparation had evidently
| been made for Lord Catherington' S
coming, and instead of driving up as
they had done in London to a cheer
less and almost deserted house with
rows of urlighted windows, there
peeped out from between the trees
| in front Of stone court two rows OF
| lights, showing that the travellers were
expected: while the door under the
unpretending little portico was thrown
open as the prougham drove up, and
,,n1 al nf
welcome their masters supposed
| daughter. -
Beatrice felt her conscience singing
her as she thought Of this; and when a
couple Of footmen had come out, one
Of whom insisted on carrying Ermyn
in, and stately person., as tall
and gaunt as Mrs. Newton was short
and tiny, came bowling to meet her
Beatrice, who felt that her own eX-
posture was more certain in Hamp-
shire than it had been in London,
found herself blushing with shame
and contrition as she saw the splen-
did reception which was bestowed
upon her own little girl.
Ermyn stared about her, half
dazzled, half delighted by the bright
lights, the smiling servants, the
pretty, pleasant hall.
The fire that cracked and blazeo
on the hooded hearth threw patches
of red light on the dark oak vain
scotting and upon the black coat OF
large Newfoundland dog, which
stood before it wagging his tail slowly
as if uncertain whether to treat the
new corners as friends or foes.
Ermyn decided the point.
"Doddie!" said she. "NuZzer one big
| doddie! My doddie!"
, And she toddled up to the ANNA
and put up one small hand to pat hi'
massive head. The dog wagged hi
. tail Justify, tried to lick her little face
, and amid q murmured chorus Of HOY
pretty" from the servants, Nero ant
: Ermyn swore perpetual friendship II
their own peculiar fashion.
= Mrs Bream, long as was her necl
7 and gaunt as was her figure, was by N
means so terrible q person as the Lon
don housekeeper, and Beatrice fel
} more at home with her and less afrai'
than she had been of the little aci'
Mrs. Newton. She was not allowed t
take Ermyn upstairs herself; tn
: housekeeper insisted upon CONDUCTING
the little lady, whom she believed t.
be the Honorable Ermyn Gathering
ton, up the wide, shallow, easy stair
case which led to the upper floor
Impostor as she was, and over
l whelmed with remorse and with fea
of impending danger, Beatrice forge
! for the moment all her troubles VINE
she was shown into large, Old-fash
q toned room from which, over an eE
G panse Of lawn which looked gray i
the twilight, she could see the dim lin
q of the sea.
She loved the sea. She threw u
d the window for moment to hear tn
}. pleasant sound of the waves as the
broke upon the low-lying beach jus
out Of her sight. The briny punger
smell OF the salt water and the sea
weed came refreshingly to her no:
If trlls; and as her eyes wandered frol
l. the soft gray line in front to tn
d black fingers Of the ragged cedar
e which stretched out their boughs i
o picturesque rigidity on the rig}
n and on the left of her, she felt that
1T she had only come to this place wit
a an innocent heart existence wou
n have been happy there indeed.