Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1910-01-07
CHAPTER YI.-Continued.

He had an instructive loreDodlhg Ihat ne
should not see Anne.
Yes the Brown Holland concert party
was gone. The queer, stuffy little room
Iooted deserted The window was shut,
tbe flowers were dead, torn paper and
,ome bits of string Uttered the tiny
hearth; on the round table the remains
n an early breakfast still lingered-half
cottage loaf, jar of treaele, some but
ter a jug of milk, and three cups and
mates graced the board.
"Are you sure they left no address?
Surely you know where they went this
mornins!'' he exclaimed impatiently
HTheir luggage must have been ad-
dressed"
Grannfe shook her head with an in
dulgent smile.
"Bless We, sir, pore folk don't have no
negage," she said They'd a bit of a
tin box, poor things, amongst the
three of 'em, an the instruments
what the little chap set such store by
carried them hisself he did, bless him,
and my Jim he shouldered the box for
,em up to the station, but I didn't see
no labels"
Roger turned away in despair. The
bundle left in Grannie Burns charge and
directed in Anne's firm, bold handwrit-
ing to "The Housekeeper, White Barns,
near Hassocks, Sussex" contained, as he
expected, only the shawl borrowed for
Gerry and the clothes that had been lent
her, There was nothing else-no note, no
message nothing by which the divers
could be traced.
Apparently Anne had wished him to
consider their acquaintance at an end.
Would it be wiser to let her have her
way was his unspoken thought, as he
turned his back on Fushsia cottage leav-
ing old Grannie richer by a sovereign for
his visit.
Unfortunately the consequences of
poor little Geraldine divers accident at
White Barns proved far more serious
than anyone imagined
Possibly, had Anne been willing to
follow good advice, and allow the child
TO remain where she was until she had
thoroughly recovered from chill and the
shock of her fall into the water, no had
effects might have followed the acct
dent but, as it was, a week after their
return to London, complaints of pains
in all her limbs accompanied by high
temperature drove Anne to call in the
parish doctor, and for thirteen weeks
the little girl lay in bed, rocked and
helpless with rheumatic fever. A mar
tyr to self-reproach, poor little AM e
wore herself to a mere wrath nursing
her sister
Had not Lady ChiIcote's unjust accu-
sations raised such storm of passion
in her breast she and the children would
have remained quietly at White Barns
for twenty four hours, at any rate, in
stead Of stealing away as they had done,
like thieves in the night
Sometimes in those endless DAYS of
watching, Anne would snatch ND a pen
and write few lines to Sir Roger, be-
wailing her own apparent ingratitude
for all his past kindness, and telling
him the sore straits to which Gerry's
long illness had reduced them, but pride
always stepped in and tempted her to
destroy the letter instead of going down
the street and posting it.
Meantime the precious extra funds
that the divers had collected during
their happy August holiday, as the re-
suit Of appreciation on the part of their
patrons, were rapidly disappearing I'M
der the heavy strain of Gerrys pro
longed illness.
Iypewriting was all little Anne had
10 depend upon as a means of livelihood,
ior her engagement at the Chilcotes had
oeen dead-letter from the moment
Lady Chilcote had recognized her gov
erneSs at White Barns, and no further
communication had taken place between
them.
its SO cold, Nan, and T want my
Yea cried Gerry in plaintive voice.
The fire in the little crate had died
Gown to q mere handful Of cinders. The
december night looked dark and gray
through the uncurtained window OF the
shabby sitting room.
Little Anne knelt before The dying
einoeFs and carefully scattered few
grams OF brown sugar On them to Goa X
little blaze; her own hands we're so
Oenumbed she could hardly feel them,
of the tiny room which she and the
3PeWriting machine shared between
tnen had no fireplace, and hot-water
ap0'ue Tor her feet which she wac too
oosy TO refill when it cooled. was the
ng means of keeping up the heac Of
"1e room which she possessed.
~ am SO sorry, darling: | know I've
eeen long time away, but / had 70
.llsh that article in time for tonight's
POST Then I can call at the Office to-
al lolrow morning and get paid" she said
ss I:.e as she piled the reviving fire
~lth bits of stick and carefully insin-
Sa'ea some little humps of coke and coal
L'o the meager heap Now I'll light
s ss lamp and pin up the shawl to the
Undo %,ihdow, and by that time we shall be
-On5 10 boil the kettle"
r. ISN'T there anything nice for tea {?
~. m tired of toast, Nan; it's never but
40 enoughi can't / have glass win
VS.! asked the child, feebiy raising
s @r,sei on her pillows and farming her
SS' their size out of all proportion TO
r el plnehed, white face, towards the
\ Yg preparations for the evening
80, Her sister looked away ia haste
lou lou mat wan, wistful face, and swal-
4 II IL. something in her throat ,esolute-
a1 U-lore she answered.
f.po Wy yes, darling, you can, if you
49, u more I've got few Jumps of