Mary Gray

k in his eye, to be the friend of Lady Agatha Chenevix as well as the adopted child almost of Lady Anne Hamilton. Indeed, in the early days, when Lady Agat

ne and thought over things. Once she spoke her thoughts to Lady Agatha, to whom, indeed, she found herself often talking in a way that surprised herself. There was something about t

nephew, Jarvis, she'd have my condition of mind inquired into. Yet see how it has turned out! Is she spoilt? Is she an upstart? Is she set above her family? She's over there this

so many people push me out with her. I don't mean you, of course, Lady Anne. But yesterday I could not have her because she must go to your do

d. When he is especially bad-tempered he vents his anger on his quiet room-fellow, who never seems to hear him but works away as though he were a thousand miles distant from the grumbling and scolding. Well, it seems that the other day, despairing, perhaps, of rousing Mr. Gray by any other methods, he made a reference to Mary as having got into fine society and looking down on her father. It's a little place,

gether. "That's where Mary gets it. I've seen

e has heard of cru

ut the Continent where they would and for as long as they would. Everything was planned and mapped out. Mary had her neat travelling-dress of grey cloth, tailor-made, her cl

er and the others during those last hours. She h

, too," said Mary, clin

her father said, patting her hand. "I shall b

ite to you

g from place to place. I know you will write w

arruthers professionally. She had had symptoms,

d. I am more disappointed than she will be. I have been wilful all my life, but I am glad I did not take my own wa

better in your own

ully, but he could not keep

dred. She had been their faithful and kind friend from that propitious day when he had picked Mary Gray from under the feet

few months, but I assured myself that it was merely indigestion, which mimics so many things. I am glad my common-sense came to the rescue at last. Do you thi

ow when the worn-out heart would cease to p

suffer," he said gently. "I wi

t. I remember my dear mother telling me that when I had croup at two years old I mimicked the cows and sheep and cats and dogs between the paroxysms. I was just the same later on. I ought to have married a soldie

and set about writing a letter. But she paused after she had writt

f I drive out to Marleigh I shall just catch Buckton. He will be pottering round that orchid-house of his. He will just be

nterests safe. She had come to care for the child more than she had ever expected to care. She was going to make a provision for her, so that she should be secure against the chances and changes of this life. Nothing very start

and was driving along the winding road that ran by

ing which was her special abomination. Chloe had made a bolt for it, and had passed the tram safely and got away on to the back road. She had been accustomed, when she had made her small runaways before, to be petted and soothed afterwards. Indeed, as soon as her t

time going home, and we'll go the lower road. I feel as though Death and I were ru

n answer to her mistress's words, pricked

been the work of one of the mischievous lads whom he had driven with his whip from staring in at his stable door. What happened was that the

, but there was not a soul in sight to help her, not a sower in the fields, not a ploughman, not even a boy herding cattle along the road. Her right hand still grasped the useless rein. She stared before her, while the rockin

sted. If only the phaeton would not rock so much. It was swaying from side to side at a terrific rate. The few seconds of the runaway seemed ?ons of time to Lady Anne. S

nding the roads. Just ahead of them were the lodge gates and lodge of a big house. The gates were open. Out through them there toddled a small child abou

tly in the path of Chloe's feet. A woman ran out of the lodge, screaming "Patsy, Pats

child, after a second or so he broke into a lusty roar. He was only frightened, not hurt, but it took a little time for the mother to find that out by reason of the mud on h

terror. Someone was coming along the road-a policeman.

Her eyes were wide open, and had a mortal terror in their gaze. She would never set things r