The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-04-04
CHAPTER TX

Anu you are my mother. Iley
we're the only words Audrey could utter.
She was bewildered. amazed: her heart
was beating with a nervous excitement
in 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, musi-
cal voice was ringing in her ears. And
This was her mother She-Audrcy
Msxse-the wait and stray, the nameless
nobody, she was this delicate aristocrats
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 real 20 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 | was not dead"
1T was your face that first seemed to
whisper hope" Mrs. Fraser replied.
"Whep you came in that morning il 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. 1 was not
happy till l had learned your history.
Now you know why / have had so many
long chats with dear Mrs. Thorngate.
determined to con6de 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, 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 / ever describe the
exquisite joy that came to me when I
knew what heaven had sent me?
seemed to live again-to grow, a l 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 l remember how you must
have suffered, how cruel that wicked
NAL has been TO hide me from you all
these years, l 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 of some of her violent feelings.
She broke ia abruptly upon the length
eDed conference between Audrey and her
mother, and bfurted out the news with
out any waJ ming; bet her eyes glistened
gladly as she saw the color leave Audrey's
face an lips and heard the moan that
came from the sorrowstricken 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 . man can
have no enemies"
lie 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 a great deal.
She noticed with the keenest pleasure
the anguish that had dawned on the
young girls face. Size must not let her
step-mother notice her hatred of the girl
that had stepped in between her and her
happiness.
But l am forgetting" she said. in
frank, vleasant manner. II have to offer
all sorts of congratulations to you, man.
ma. Why, it is like a fairy story. And
so this pretty little girl is to be my
sister, She had come up % the slender