Innocent Her Fancy and His Fact

some bank-notes. With a sensitive pain which thrilled every nerve in her body she unfolded the letter, written in Hugo Jocelyn's

as dead! Her head swam.-her eyes were dim-for a moment she could scarcely see-then the mist before her slowl

ng. I'm writing it, remember, on the same night I've told you all about yourself-the night of the day the doctor gave me my death-warrant. I may live a year,-I may live but a week,-it will be hard if I may not live to see you married!-but God's will must be done. The bank-notes folded in this letter make up four hundred pounds-and this money you can spend as you like-on your clothes for the bridal, or on anything you fancy-I place no restriction on you as to its use. When a maid weds there are many pretties she needs to buy, and the prettier they are for you the better shall I be pleased. Whether I live or whether I d

ur

JOCE

she saw standing in one corner a figure clad in armour,-its vizor was up, showing a sad pale face and melancholy eyes-the lips moved-and a sighing murmur floated past her ears-"Mon coeur me soutien!" A cold terror seized her, and she trembled from head to foot-then the vision or hallucination vanished as swiftly and mysteriously as it had appeare

I mean to do!-it would break your heart, Dad!-but you have no heart to break now, poor Dad!-it is cold as stone!-it will never beat any more! Mine is

e plaintive little creature, without any freshness of beauty-all the vitality seemed gone out of her. Smoothing her ruffled hair, she twisted it up in a

quite unnoticed in a crowd. I'm glad I'm not a pretty girl-it might be more diff

Priscilla-but Priscilla would not allow her to d

' things to see to, an' 'e left you this little note"-here Priscilla produced a small neatly folded paper from her apron pocke-t-"an' sez 'e-'Give this to Miss Innocent`' 'e sez, 'an' she won't mind m

ook the no

any business matters we have to go into together, and it is important for me to thoroughly understand th

t she was free from love's importunity-she could be alone to think

s tea-time you'll come and fetch me, won't you? I

"You do think too much o' that there blessed old fi

a moment, and then fled back again-"He never had any

t among the radiant flowers. Her little figure in deep black was soon lost to sight, and after watching her for

ugh to fly! Eh, we thort we did a good deed, Mister Jocelyn an' I, when we kep' 'er as a baby, 'opin' agin 'ope as 'er parents 'ud turn up an' be sorry for the loss of 'er-but never a sign of

ing. Briar Farm, though more than three centuries old, seemed full of youthful life and promise-a vital fact, destined to outlast many more human lives than those which in the passing of three hundred years had already left their mark upon it, and it was strange and incredible to realise that the long chain of lineally descended male ancestors had broken at last, and that no remaining link survived to carry on the old tradition. Sadly and slowly Innocent walked across the stretches of warm clover-sce

orn! Oh, dear 'Sieur Amadis'!-you know how hard it is to live in the world unless some on

s no other alternative. And now, thanks to Hugo Jocelyn's forethought in giving her money for her bridal "pretties," no financial difficulty stood in the way of her departure. She must go-but where? To begin with, she had no name. She would have to

ed splendour slip from her hold, and her little face grew set and s

omething urges me on-something t

e almost beautiful. Herein lay her particular charm,-the rarest of all in women,-the passing of the lights and

urs-to be glad of his caresses, and miserable when he is angry or tired-to bear his children and see them grow up and leave you for their own 'betterment' as they would call it-oh!-what an old, old drudging life!-a life of monotony, sickness, pain, and fatigu

, and beckoning to her in evident haste and excitement. She got up at once and ran

illa's face, crimson with hurry and n

athless, and coul

Jocelyn's adopted daughter named Innocent. And she gave me her card-here it is"-and Priscilla wiped her face

be?-some one

at-"No-it's more likely one o' they grand folks what likes to buy old furniture, an' mebbe someb

ked talk," said Innocent. "Nothing wi

ld 'er the master was dead, an' onny buried this mornin', an' she smiled kind o' pleasant like, an' said she w

he yo

ng an' dressed beautiful! I never see such clothes cut out o' blue serge! An' she's go

beds of flowers, but turned round as she entered. For a moment they confronted each other in silence,-Innocent gazing in mute astonishment and enquiry at the tall, graceful,

e Innocent

ly,-something frightened he

imply-"I am Innocent.

the window-"and I also wish to talk to you. In case a

ousness and bewilder

nued the lady, smiling ever so sl

it half crumpl

ng to rally her self-

yt

Lady Blythe sank indolently into the old oaken arm-chair where Farmer Jocelyn had so long been accustomed to sit

are such unpleasant affairs! But the farmer-Mr. Jocelyn-was not your father, w

wonderingly-"but he was better th

!" and Lady Blythe turned a pair of brilliant dark eyes ful

serted

ythe extended a delicately gloved hand towa

ocent h

dignity-"I do not know you. I cannot understand

had surveyed her scrutinisingly

oud! I suppose I really must explain! Only I do hope you will not make

t friendly board and steady her trembling little frame. When she was seated, Lad

by a man on horseback'-and he left you with the good old farmer who has taken care of you ever since. I am right? Yes!-I'm

drew a sh

knew

ave a delicat

French-and very good-looking. Yes, he certainly was remarkably good-looking! We ran away together-most ab

itive terror. Her heart beat violently-she felt a stra

n't know the world-and they never calculate results. However, we had quite a good time together. We went to Devon and Cornwall, and he painted pictures and made love to me-and it was all very nice and pr

ing herself with one

d, with a kind of

ppose you've lived such a strange sort of hermit life down h

ou me

you I ran away with a man-I wouldn't marry him, though he asked me to-I should have been tied up f

nt, wildly-"oh, de

said Lady Blythe, calmly-"I think, on the whole, you

d overpowered by the shock of emotion, the girl sank back on her chair, and burying h

isciplined! No repose of manner-no style whatever! And apparently ver

she

ge should have brought you to him I never could imagine-except that once he was painting a picture in the neighbourhood and was rather taken with the history of this place-Briar Farm isn't it called? You'll make yo

oked straight into the rather shallow bright eyes

you are an unnatural one!" And moved by a sudden, swift emotion, she stood up with indignation and scorn lighting ev

glanced her

run away together, madly in love, and deluded by the idea that love will last-they get into trouble and have a child-naturally, as they are not married, the child is in the way, and they get rid of it-some people would have killed it, you know! Your father

the girl-"My

nt pictures in all weathers, or to 'study effects' as he called it-how I hated his 'art' talk!-and I heard he

eyes studied her "mother"

ve him?" she as

he laughe

rrible bore, and he had a very bad temper. I was thankful when we separated. But I have made my own private enquiries about y

t stood

ot!" sh

flushed and

she said, airil

ed her hands t

wledge of you!-you who had no shame in leaving me here to live on the charity of a stranger!-you who

g myself to be your mother-(although it happened so long ago I can hardly believe I was ever such a fool!)-am willing to do something for you-especially as I have no children by my

d at her grave

will own me?-name me?-ackno

at all for you now you are old enough to earn your own living. But I'm quite a good-natured woman,-and as I have said already I have no other children-and I'm willing to 'adopt' you, bring you out in s

Madam"-and she spoke in cold, deliberate accents-"you have lived all these years without children, save me whom you have ignored-and I, though nameless and illegitimate, now ignore you! I have no mother! I would not own you any mo

was on her cheeks-she looked transfigured-beautif

lind to your own interests. Now please remember that if you refuse the offer I make you, I shall never trou

ed Innocent, suddenly, "that it i

t startled-she looked so intel

e went on-"even you, in your

Lady Blythe-"How dare

at hypocrisy? You are a great lady, no doubt-you have everything you want in this world, except children-one child you had in

d her lips in a line of decided t

s, and we must be careful not to outrage them. In your own interests you shou

her with straight a

You say I am your daughter, and I suppose I must believe it-but the knowledge brings me sorrow and shame. And I must work my way out of this sorrow and shame,-somehow!

or flight-"I'm afraid you would hardly receive a parental welcome! Fortunately for himself and for me, he is dead,

t inflection of satire-so fine as to be scarcely perc

position of a mere farmer's girl, are likely to mee

n me a name?" interp

hould have inve

quietly-"and so you are relieved from all t

the star

, Lady Blythe, wife of a peer, and moving in the highest ranks of society, am willing to take charge

er to your husband and to all the world-but as your 'adopted' child-as a lie under your roof-I refu

priceless lace scarf ro

! I feel I have done my part in the matter by coming here to see you and talk to you and make what I consider a very kind and reasonable proposition-you have refused it-and there is no more to be said." She settled

rt oppressed her as she thought that this elegant, self-possessed, exquisitely attired creature was actually her "mother!

" she said-"Not even f

was a full head taller than she. She lifted her fair head-her eyes were fu

lead you into trouble! However, I'll give you one more chance-if at the end of this year you would like to c

d Innocent, in low choked accen

used smile, and passed out th

er Briar Farm is so famous! It's perfectly charming! Is this the way? Thanks ever so much!" This, as Innocent opened the gate-"Let me see!-I go up

d hardly grasp the full significance of what had happened-she did not feel, even remotely, the slightest attraction towards this suddenly declared "mother" of hers-she could hardly believe the story. Yet she knew it must be true,-no woman of title and position would thus acknowledge a stigma on her own life without any ca

ar? What

from under the porch,

he lad

es

e want with

smile-"Only just what you thought!-she wished to buy somet