The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-06

| for your words in a court of law. Sc
be careful"
| Old Mrs. Fletcher was so overcome
Vernon's having to soothe her before
she could leave the house. Wher
at last she got away, her one doml'
mating desire was to leave the village
without being seen or followed by
Jem. She got her bicycle from the
shed where she kept it and raced
home as if pursued. And all the
time in her heart ragged a fire OF
championship, a deep central indig-
nation that any one should dare to
trump up such a charge against him
| She did not ask herself-at least,
| then-why she was so sure, so con-
WINGED that the charge was false. She
felt as if she knew it. What with
the speed of her ride and the heat
of her emotions, she was in state
Of terrible perturbation when she
reached home. She had wholly for
gotten that Evelyn was expecting her
to tea-forgotten that she had had
no tea. Lionel had for the moment
passed out of her mind, as one wipes
breath from a mirror. The dastardly
charge against Jem was the only
thing she thought of-the question as
to whether she could help telling her
aunt, the one point which engrossed
her.
Mrs. Bardsley was not in her fav-
| orite morning-room; neither was she
in the drawing-room. Vernon went
upstairs, and found her in her dress
| ing-room, a small sitting-room lead
| ing from her bedroom, where she had
sat much during her husbands long
last illness, when he could not get
downstairs.
When Vernon impetuously entered,
| her aunt was seated at her open
| bureau writing-table; and her elbows
were resting upon her bloter. while
| with her hands she held a handker-
chief to her eyes.
Vernon paused, staring upon thu
unprecedented sight. why, auntie,
what is it-has anything happened?'
she cried.
Mrs. Bardsley started. Her face,
raised instinctively to look at Yer
non, disclosed eyes half -extinguished
with weeping which must have been
both long and bitter. The girl en-
tered in one rush, flung herself on
her knees, encircled the good lady's
solid middle with her vehement arms.
and cried out, Darling darling! What
is it? Tell your girl what is the
matter"
AS might have been expected, this
moving address caused a fresh burst
of feeling. But Vernon was dismay-
ed at the idea that she had brought
sorrow rather than comfort. She
beside the grieving lady, and with
kisses and warm, clinging arms, soon
soothed the audible part of her trou-
BILE.
"And now tell me what it is" was
her imperious command. What IS
the good of me, if I cannot help you
to bear your troubles? Do, do tell
me all about it."
"Oh my dear, it is difficult to ex-
plain to you the full bitterness of it
or why I am feeling it so deeply.
seem, all my life, to have been only
half alive-to have gone blundering
on, never seeing into the hearts OF
others, thinking everybody as dull, us
easily satisfied as I am myself! And
now, you see, now that I am getting
old, I suppose it has been worse! 1t
is Jeny my child, who is the trouble
He-says-he is going away"
"Going away" echoed Vernon, with
a curious numbness as if her heart
stopped beating.
Eyes; going-right away-never
coming back! Leaving-leaving Eng
land event. A burst of sobs here
uPlSu Tic ICSiIcl LUZ d
but Vernon had no comfort to offer
Tiff there were a chance of my
seeing him again before I die, it
would be something-it would be a
d-drop of c-comfort, But he talks Of
going to America. He wants to know
if you were thinking of selling your
estate, as perhaps he might b-buy
it,
Vernon sat white and dry-eyed, her
arms about Mrs. Bardsley's piteous
stout form, shaken by sobs. She
drew a deep breath, the numbness
was passing, and something in her
was hurting desperately.
Did he tell you why-why he
wanted to go?" she asked in low,
hard voice.
"He would only say he-he is in
trouble. He said he thought he could
fight it down, but he finds he can't.
He says he has tried, and tried, but
he must go. He says if he stayed ne
should go mad"
'Ridiculous!" said Vernon wrath
fully.