Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-01-24
CHAPTER II,

And you are my mother?" They
were the only words Audrey could utter
She was bewildered, amazed; her heart
was beating with a nervous excitem ,nr
i'll which pride and joy mingled largely.
She felt as though she were in some
sort of dream, or waking trance; every
now and then she passed her hand over
her eyes as though to clear away the con-
fusion that existed.
She was kneeling beside Constance
Fraser's slender figure, the pretty, white
hands were clasping hers, the soft. mlsi-
this was her mother: She-Audrcy
Maxse-the waif and stray. the nameless
nobody she was this delicate aristocrat's
child
You are my child, my darling. My
own, my very own"
Audrey gave little cry and nestled
close to her new-found mother.
1T is too beautiful, too beautiful to
be rcal!'' was all she could say; and
then, as she felt the soft, tender lips
pressed to her brow and cheeks, she be-
gan to wake from her dream.
Tell me- tell me how it all happened,
how you found that l was not dead"
1T was your face that first seemed to
whisper hope" Mrs. Fraser replied.
when you came in that morning it was
as though Frank stood before me again.
You have his very eyes; the expression
in them is exactly what lived in his
began to wonder, to dream. ! was not
happy till | had learned your history
Now you know why | have had so many
long chats with dear Mrs. Thorngate |
determined to confide in her; | knew |
could trust her. as, indeed, that has been
proved. At once she took matters into
her own hands. She communicated with
her husband, who made every investiga-
ton about you, my darling, and discov-
cred, thank heaven that when you were
placed in the home through the influence
OF Sir Henry Bulstrode, certain things
belonging to the woman supposed to be
your mother were deposited in the care
of the matron. Miss Irons. | examined
these few poor things-an old satchel
a Bible, a bundle of old letters and in
the satchel, hidden away in the lining.
we discovered the certificate of your birth,
together with the last letter Roderick
must have written to the woman before
she died. Oh. my darling! my darling ~
she cried. holding Audrey pressed close
TO her. How can l ever describe the
exquisite JOY that came to me when l
knew what heaven had sent me?
seemed to live again-to grow. as | once
was, strong and full of courage. Kiss
me, my child. my baby Kiss me. and
let me hear you say you have forgiven
me for my cruel desertion of you.'
Forgiven you! Oh, my poor. dear.
sweet. new mother, don't say such a
thing! When | remember how you must
have suffered, how cruel that wicked
| man has been to hide me from you all
these years. | feel almost mad"
That eventful night ended in more ex-
element, for the report spread to the
house of the discovery of Jack Glendur-
wood insensible and horribly wounded.
and in the tumult that ensued Sheila
worked off some of her violent feelings.
| She broke in abruptly upon the length
! eped conference between Audrey and her
mother, and blurted out the news with
out any warning; bet her eyes glistened
! gladly as she saw the color leave Audrey
| face and lips. and heard the moan that
came from the sorrow-stricken heart.
| Constance Fraser turned pale. too but
| the sight of her child's face gave her
! courage. AS though she had read it in
| large letters. she knew the truth then.
1T may not be so bad. Sheila, These
| things are always exaggerated" she said,
as she put her hands tenderly on Au-
drey's shoulders. 1T seems TO me in
| credible that Jack should have been at
tackled like this. Surely such nun can
| have no enemies.
''He has ben robbed of all the jewelry
and money he had onthat will be a clew, =
Sheila said. apparently with indifference,
but watching Audrey keenly as she spoke
Al! at once she seemed to realize that
| things were not so bad for her. This
sudden illness of Lord Johns might
after all. prove good friend to her.
| At any rate, it would separate him
| from Audrey. and that was great deal
She noticed with the keenest pleasure
| the anguish that had dawned on the
young girls face She must not let her
| step-mother notice her hatred of the Cir
that had stepped in between her and her
| happiness.
But l am forgetting" she said. in a
| frank, pleasant manner. Il have to offer
all sorts of congratulations to you, nam
ma. Why. it is like a fairy stary. And
SO this pretty little girl is to be my
sister," Sha had come up to the slender