Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-02-25

Katherine thanked him.
Betty will be delighted" she said,
1--WE have been looking everywhere
for those red berries, and somehow
we never thought OF coming down this
road"
When they were back in the cab
and jolting on again. Haverford said
to her:
Although you pretend that you did
not expect me to write, suppose you
will be a little interested in hearing
that l have some odds and ends of in.
telligence to give you about yourself.
should have written to you days
ago" he went on quickly, "but my
mother Is rather difficult person to
handle. as you know, and it was only
yesterday that | managed to corner
her on this subject She knew what
was coming, and shirked me accord
ingly.
Katherine said nothing. She wait
ed for him to continue. Nevertheless,
her heart began to beat little nerv-
ously.
ut is quite true" Haverford said,
after that little pause, my mother is
your guardian, or rather was, for in
future | intend to relieve her of that
office. You are her niece by marri
age. Your mother was Gerald Bayn-
bursts only sister. From what | can
gather, this sister must have been
very dear to him. I am really as
much stranger to my mothers life
as yourself, Miss Granger. Beyond
knowing that she married Mr. Bayn-
hurst after my fathers death, have
never been informed, l may add that
| have never cared to inform myself,
about anything connected with this
marriage. So l can only give you the
bare outline of your story"
He paused again, and this time
Katherine spoke. her voice sounding
very low in her own ears.
"Of course, my mother and my
father are dead?"
Eyes; your father died before your
uncle" Haverford answered. "Your
mother, apparently very delicate
woman, was left in the charge Of her
brother Gerald, and he was also ap,
pointed your guardian. When he died
suddenly this charge passed on to my
mother
He ceased speaking abruptly. It
would have been difficult to have
grasped from his tone whether he
judged his mother harshly or not.
81 hope to get you more details"
Mr.. Haverford said, when he spoke
again. "As matter Of fact I have
brought down with me quantity Of
old letters and other papers, which
dare say will throw some light on
your early history You seem to have
been quite a baby when your mother
died. and you came to England when
you were little child between three
and four"
Then I must have gone immediate
ly to Miss Beamish, my old schoolmis-
tress?"
placed in school. She explains this
rather strange proceeding by telling
me that Cuthbert was at that time
such delicate child that her whole
thought and care had to be given to
poor state of health that she was not
in a condition to charge herself with
too much responsibility"
Katherine Granger laughed. It
was not an unkind laugh.
mo am sure Mrs. Baynhurst new
er did care about responsibilities" she
said
She stopped forward to push some
of the parcels more securely on the
opposite seat, and the color rushed
to her face as she asked him another
question.
There is one thing l should like
to know" she said, "and that is if l
have been kept by charity all this
time. Did you find out anything about
that?"
They were close to the gates of Vel
yerton now, and Rupert Haverford an
swered her hurriedly.
"You touch on rather important
phase of this matter, Miss Granger"
he said, "and have more to commun-
icate to you; but we cannot go into
this properly now. AS I shall be here
for day or so l hope you will afford
me an opportunity for speaking quiet
| ly with you"
"Of course" said Katherine Then
she thanked him. and indeed, she did
| feel grateful to him 1t sent a warm
sensation through her heart to real
Use that all this time, when she had
imagined herself forgotten (when, in
deed, it might have been excusable if
he had put her out of his thoughts),
he had been working on her behalf
Just be ore they rolled up to the big
door she turned to him.
81 want to ask you something.
Please let me know that you are no
longer vexed with me for having
agreed to stay with Mrs. Lancing. |
believe l am going to answer very
well, and you can't think how glad I
am to be with the children do see
now" the girl said quickly, that I
ought to have referred the matter to
you, but the circumstances were
against me- 1t seemed such a won.
derful chance for me to find work
in such moment
"Of course l am not angry Haver-
ford said.
He helped her to alight, and carried
all her parcels into the house, and as
Mrs. Brenton came forward to greet
him, Katherine ran quickly upstairs to
| her own ROOM
She was conscious of great desire
to be alone for a few moments, for
there was pressure on her heart,
and she hardly felt prepared to meet