The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-17

worry much. She never had thought
herself beauty; but she knew that
she had boon very different from this.
sne WAS glad that she know at lust
what mad coma to her. She was able
/ 10 look into the mirror very soon,
and arrange her hair without tears.
There was Il place in the wood near
/ Chesnef Void where 1t was peaceful
| TO sit and think. Here Esther sat one
day when Lady Dedlock came upon he,
suddenly. She began to speak IL few
courteous, formal words: but cried ali
AT once wildly: "Oh. my child! My
| chlld. and drew Esther to her breast
kissed her and wept over her ana n /
iast sank to her knees and sobbed: u
/ am your wicked ami unhappy mother!
Oh. try to forgive mel"
| Esther raised hor UP, besecchinx
her not TO kneei before her In humilia
! lion, trying 10 tell her thnt IL there
was anything to forgive. 1t was for
given long ago. and that always, al.
ways. she had loved her mother. when
she did not know her. and now when
She did
When they became more 1uict. ard
sat. holding each other, and Lady Dcd-
| lock had told her how she hnd thought
her child dead until recently, Esther
asked II her secret was safe; and nor
mother told her that it was being
heid over her by the family lawyer,
MIR. Tulkinghorn.
They said farewell to each othor
knowing that 1t must be farewell for
life. Esther watched her mother
through tears. watched nor Till. with
stately and proud footsteps, AS ever
Lady Dcdlock disappeared In Chcsrcy
Void. She kncw with bite: grlet
through what dark and btttor shadow
those proud feet went: but nhc did moi
aream the dreadful road that they wcr,
! to go on soon.
That night Esther Summ,rson la,
awake long. long while. heavily sor.
!oWful that she ever had boon horn
burdehcd with tho thought mat IL
would have been better ana hanptet
Tor many peopl, If she had died Al
birth. But when she thought of hot
guardian and OF Ada and OF many
o'hers' she knew that This was wrong
ana before she cried herscl: TO sicsp
Sho was able to be humbiy thankfuI
ioF the chang that illness had mad.
III her. 30 that She never could dis
grace her mother hcnccforih b. any
trace OF likeness
She succeeded before many days in
turning her OLD smile and manner 10
inc world. and when sh. returned 10
hlehk House. whore All declared they
| had missed her sorcly she was m.
heavily hcr secret lay on her heart
non" dreamed that anything burdened
| ller except John Jarndycc. to whom .if.
| hau told II under permission from
he: mother. Even nc could do no,h,ur
! except 70 watch and walt He !uukrG
concerned and alarmed when he hcar,'
about Mr.. Tulkinghorn and said that
| ne was dangerous man.
! II Was on the evening ihnt Estne,
gave him her confidence and tie urb,
/ encd her secret as She told him rr,t..
fully by sharing T., that No tod he,
/ nc had something that Ito wish.d nor.
/ to answer. ana that he would writ,
IT 70 her rather than ask her in
| speech.
Her li,,le maid Charley. brough, her
| his letter next day
| Bcfor, she had read il through. her
eyes We're full OF tears. /, was so
! Impressive in It's love for her so I'm
selfish In cautionlng nor TO know ber
own heart. that she could not read
much at time, But she read II,
! through three times before shc laid
u down. /, asked her would she be
the mistress OF Bleak House?
| She saw his face and heard his voice
and felt the influence OF his s!rnplc. true
nature in very line. IT addressed hnr
as II their places werc reversed. and
all IN" good deeds had boon lors And
! nc sHid that she must haze amplo.titnc
| t" cnnsid ,r and that IN any event; .hs
would ever be his brlRh, Dana Dur
den
That he could love her as vol whcn
her old face was gone. as in hsi fair
| er days; that his generosity rose above
her inheritance o: shame; that lie had