The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-04-07
on T OF T HE
NIGHT
by
Mrs. Baillie Reynolds
Author of
'BrOken Off," ''The Supreme Test"
"a Phantom Wife," Etc.
Mrs. Baillie Reynolds
Copyright, 1910
By George H. Doran Company
Continued from Page 1871

from the stables to take the horse.
Then he helped the newcomer to
alight, and let the way into the han,
and beyond to a comfortable coun-
trified drawing-room, where sat an
elderly lady in a Widows cap and
silk gown, pouring out tea for a
young man in rfding-suit who sat
near by, and a girl of about sixteen
in a habit and wearing a cap of
pheaants' breast feathers upon her
mass Of tawny hair.
Mrs. Bardsley looked up, and her
keen glance stiffened into surprise as
it fell upon her nephew's tall COM
panion.
Halo, Jem!" cried the girl, before
any one else could speak. "There you
are, I thought you were never COM
ing! I rode over on purpose to ask
you about my ferret, because he's ill,
and Miles wanted to walk me off with
out waiting for you"
Sorry" said Jem. who seemed un-
able to shake off his gloom. 81 was
kept. Aunt, here is visitor for you.
Your niece from Vancouver"
Mrs. Bardsley grew crimson. She
stood as If rooted to the ground, for
getting all but this surprising news.
my niece from Vancouver" she re-
child!"
ir1 I'd
ner a mixture Of shyness and appeal
which became her very well. "Aunt
Emma," she said timidly.
Mrs. Bardsley opened her arms
with an impuisive gesture which
seemed to the spectators of this lit
tie scene, very unlike her usual man
ner. The girl who gladly received the
embrace, OWNED in some subtle man
ner that there was remorse mingled
with the love which undoubtedly in
spired it.
Where's your father?" was the
first question, asked as soon as Mrs.
Bardsley could find her voice. When
the answer came-dead two years
she stood beside her tea-table, obliv-
ious of her visitors, Of her duties as
hostess, Of everything but this sud
denly aroused consciousness of the
past.
Jem found himself constrained to
come to the rescue. Miss Wilmot,
Sir Miles Umfraviile," he muttered,
Miss Selma Umfraville.''
Mrs. Bardsley started from her re-
.verie. Where did you spring from,
my child? How did Jem find you?"
she asked, little wildly.
"You had better ask him to tell
you," smiled Vernon, sitting down be-
side Sir Miles, and drawing off ner
gloves.
"She missed her way-so I under
STOOD" mumbled Jem awkwardly. 'T
went to see Trent, at Barrow End,
about his motor: and Mrs. Trent said
she heard her knocking at the door
she was caught in the storm last
night. She was wet through and had
no luggage So they put her up for
the night-and-and lent her things
''I thought that was Mrs. Trent's
motor-coat," burst out Selma triumph
antly, because we met them driving
the other day, and Miles said-'Just
the sort Of thing that woman would
wear"
al ,n1I '1,,
ashamed of you," said her brother in
vexation. He rose. 1--WE are in the
way" he said sympathizingly to Mrs.
Bardsley. LET me. say goodbye for
the present, and congratulate You
upon your niece's arrival"
ooh, Jem,. the ferret!" cried Selma.
Cali right, I'll come along and give
you some stuff for him." said Jem;
and the three left the room together.
Mrs. Bardsley seemed barely con-
scious of their going, except that she
did just wait for the door to close,
before gathering the form of the
lonely girl into her arms.
my dear-my dear!-you came to
met"
Her voice faltered and broke down:
dry fearless sob shook her. She
was a stoutish person who had never
been handsome, and had lost her fig
ure completely, as some elderly Eng
lishwomen do: evidently she paid 40
attention to fashion, She did not
look emotional, but there was no
doubling. the genuine character of the
feeling which now overswept her.
With eager fingers she removed the
girls hat, pushed back her hair, and
looked her long and earnestly in the
face, while she strove to trace the
features of~the brother who had been
dear to her, and who had not for
given a 1ong-ago quarrel Of youth.
"Yes-yes-you are like him. Ny
poor Vernon! He was SO chivalrous
and so impracticable! But you have
something of your mother too. Your
features are Wilmot, but your color
ing and expression are Ransom. You
are not so lovely as your mother was,
but, thank God, you are dearer to
me, because you are like your faith
err
HE left me-" said Vernon, choking