Year: 1878

failed. Mr. Stanley bought it on the
spot. OF course everybody thought that
he meant to come here and live, and L
believe myself that such was his inten-
ton at first. But after he had furnish
ed the house, and got troop of mensat
work on the grounds, he suddenly
changed his mind, and invited Barbara
and her husband to live in 1t, rent free,
till he should call for it. So it has gone
on ever since. He has paid the taxes,
and they have lived in the house. At
first it was as much as they could afford
to keep up the establishment; but Mr..
Burkhardt soon got rich, and then one
of the first things he did was to offer to
buy the place. Mr.. Stanley wrote that
he wasn't going to sell it,, and asked
them why they couldn't be content to
live in it just as though it were their
own. OF coarse he means to give it to
them, for he hasn't chick nor child, and
must be about sixty years of age. But
he won't give them the least satisfac-
tlon about it, and seems to like to keep
them in suspense. 1t isn't likely he
would think of coming here to live at
this late day, and it is still less likely
that he would sell the place to any one
else and turn Barbara out after she had
made the Hall her home for so many
years"


" Then it doesn't belong to them,
after ALL" was the housekeeper's con-
olusion.


Certainly it does" exclaimed the
lady, sharply somewhat alarmed at hav-
ing gone SO far in her tale-telling. cit
is merely form that stands in the way
of their title. To lisp such thing
would be as much as your place is worth.
Cousin Barbara has gone to England on
that business now. If she can see and
talk with Mr.. Stanley, she can persuade
him to make the place over to her. Be-
sides, they are rich enough to buy an
other as fine as this, if such place
could be found"


How long is it since Mr.. Stanley
was here last ?" the housekeeper in
quired.


"Sixteen years. He came when Bar
bara was married, and that was sixteen
years next month. She was married in
a white satin dress with point-lace
fiounces, and had six bridemaids."


There was silence for while them
The housekeeper had heard time and
again the particulars of Mrs. Barbara
Burkhardt's wedding, and the grand do
ings on that occasion. Presently she
took another tack.


Perhaps the things that the nurse
left might tell who her friend are," she
said. 81 saw beautiful miniature
about her neck"


There was nothing that would af-
ford clew," the invalid replied. 'The
miniature was of her husband, who died
long ago. She herself showed it to me
one day. The ring and watch were
very old, though nice, and were prob
ably given her by her husband. She
told me that she had no near relations,
and that no one was under any obliga-
tions to help her.


IOlHCo uSI nu5udHu uleu, SIG Iluu
been living as companion to an old lady.
The old lady died, leaving her fortune to
some public charities, and Mrs. Paulier
found herself homeless. 1t was there
that she told Doctor Malcome, the old
lady's physician, that she would go out
nursing. Oh, there's no one who would
take care of her, but if her connections
were found, they might take the child
out of the poor-house. L thought that
the poor thing wanted to say something
when she died, but she couldn't speak.
She took my hand though, and put the
child's in it, and understood that she
wanted me to befriend her. Dear me ~
cried the invalid, with nervous impa-
tience, do feel so anxious about that
child. Tomorrow morning L want
Beatty to go down and ask how she is
and carry some cake to her. Perhaps
will have her to come up and see me. y


Mrs. Conners lifted her eyebrows, but
said nothing, and the two sat while
listening to the soft clash of flowery
branches that were stirred by the light
breeze, and the fall of brook that flow
ed visible through the dale below. Pres
emily the sound of carriage wheels min
gled with these softer noises, and came
nearer. No longer on the public road
it turned up the avenue toward the Hall
and slowly approached.