Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-10-17

mot long. l hope, sir she said.
Meanwhile, l will get you some tea
or perhaps glass of wine?"
"Oh, tea, ma'am, tea, thank you
very much"
At that moment slim figure in a
white dress was coming with q quick
springing step up the path on the
edge of the cliff. She was dressed
in a white frock simply nd plailly
made, with a black sash and little
knot of black on the shoulder, anI
wore a straw hat, plain though it
was, like her dress and somewhat
tanned by the sun, sat upon her head
as gracefully as the dress sat upon
her figure.
Within a couple of hundred yards
of the cottage, she stopped, and lead
ing upon the rail on the very verge
of the cliff looked out to sea, as che
had done time out of number, at that
very spot for sixteen years.
The face was thoughtful rather
than sad, for grief and youth are soon
divorced, and once or twice smile
curved ner lips at the antics of the
guHs which wheeled screechingly be-
low her And yet, though she smiled,
she was thinking of the dead woman
who had been so. devoted a servant.
so tender a second mother to her
thinking also of her own lonely lot.
Thinking, too. of the letter which sae
posted, and wondering who the Earl
of Arrowdale might be and why Cath
crime had written to him. The dying
woman had limited, in broken sen
fences, of something which she might
| tell Norah; had this something any
connection with the earl?
The question rose in vague form
only, and with little of earnestness
in it, for her life had been so IN
eventful, so changeless, that she was
not on the lookout for surprises Ur
mysteries as persons with more active
! lives are wont to be.
/ For sixteen years she had lived in
/ the little cottage on the cliff, content
with her quiet life, happy in the
beauty Of the place, serene in the
protection of the devoted Catherine
and for herself in maiden medita
ton fancy free"
Life was still a sealed book to her
and she was scarcely even curious
about it.
After a times he left the gulls, aa1
reaching the cottage passed through
/ the tiny hall and entered the parl)r
Mr.. Petherick had been standing
looking at one of the etchings AMI
swinging round as she entered. ut
! tered an involuntary exclamation OF
surprise and admiration.
| Even to the dry, matter-of-fact old
! lawyer, she seemed rather an ethreal
vision there in the sunshine than flesh
and blood, and he stared at the lovely
oval face, with its dark eyes and
sweeping lashes, the wealth Of auburn
red gold-hair, and the slim, girlisu
figure with its graceful outlines, in
| speeches. establishment.
! A faint blush rose to Norah's face,
though the dark eyes rested on him
with maiden serenity and she WAS
the first to speak.
| Il beg your pardon" she said.
! And Great Heaven, what a sweet
voice." flashed through the old mans
mind.
Il didn't know any one was here,
and she turned to go.
stop beg" he said, with a
little furried bow, whereas she vas
perfectly calm and self-possessed.
You are Miss-Frere?"
Yes" assented Norah, with a faint
hesitation
II thought so. he said, strIg-
Cling bravely to suppress all further
signs of surprise Yes! My name
is etherick-Petherick & Gregsoa
of Grays Inn, and I--er-in fact, Miss
Frere. I have come down to see you.
TO see me?" said Norah.
"Yes-ahem VIII you not sig
down? On business"
lists nothing to be alarmed
at.
Il am not alarmed"
Heaven. The most lovely Great
ure."
"rm-I'm glad to hear it" he said
aloud Ladies', young ladies' es
pecialIy. are generally frightened at
the very sound of the word"
Yes; but l know nothing of bust
ness. and So
Just so. just so. You have never
heard of me. Miss Frere?"
I'm afraid not, said Moran after a
moments pause
q thought that You might have
done so; that Mrs. Hayes"
II beg your pardon" He glanced
at the white dress and black sash
You feel your loss-yes yes; dear
me, yes! Ahem, You were very much
attached to her. Miss Frere?"
Norah made no reply and he hur-
ried on
"Of course, Of course Yes. Poor
woman, Most devoted to you, Mrs
Mrs. Jordan tells me. Sad loss, very,
very"
Norah waited in silence as he
finished his coincidence.
And she never mentioned me .
you?"
Ne" said Norah quietly.
"And-ahem, he coughed again.
Il ,s-,. -,-sl,,+ 4b,t 10 o~oor;o,no.1