The Lost Heir

getting up of the tent, provide a gypsy for you, and someone to stand at the door and let in one visitor at

f course the great thing is to get as much

est to let them give what they l

t keep some o

ble gypsy. You see, you could not charge above a shilling entrance, a

is a very happy thought of yours about the gypsy; I hope that you will find a clever one. But you must mind and impress upon her that we don't want any evil predictions. Nothing could be in worse taste. It is all v

be 'couleur de rose' as to the future, and that she shall

ds, and I am sure that

r "The Society for Affording Aid to Decayed Ladies." It was on behalf of this institution that she was now organizing a fête in the grounds of her residence at Richmond. Hilda Covington was an orphan and an heiress, and was the ward of her uncle, an o

rd to throw away such chances, even if she is,

irl l

d French perfectly, because I have been four or five years in Hanover; b

he way you seem to understand people's characters astonishe

such a good judge of character I am not likely to make a mistak

d her that although he should not interfere in any way with any choice Hilda might make, he should make it an absolute condition that s

psy for Lady Moulton's fête, Hilda related what had

o for me to be suspected of being the sorceress, and so you must be my double, so that I

"But what should I

do get only commonplaces we shall make a general sensation. Of course, we must get two disguises. I shall have a small tent behind the other where I can change. It won't take a moment-a skirt, and a shawl to go over my head and partly hide my face, can be slipped on and off in an instant. Of course I shall have a black wig and some

u will have your wa

end that I always have my own way. Why, I cannot even get my own way in persuading you to come and settle over

ht have a long illness that would throw me out. I might suddenly lose a situation, say, from the death of a pupil, and might be a long time before I could hear of another. She said to me once, 'I do hope, Netta, you will never embark one penny of the little money that will come to you in any sort of enterprise or speculation, however promising it may look.' We had been talking of exactly the plan that you are now speaking of. 'The mere furnishing of a house in England large enough to take a dozen children would swallow up a considerable sum. At first you might have to wait some time till you could obtain more than two or three children, and there would be the rent and expenses going on, and you might find yourself without money a

I am still ready to b

s laughed

r women go into business, why shouldn't I? As you know, I can't absolutely touch my money until I come of age, and it is nearly three years before that; still, I feel sure that the General would let me have some money, and we could start the I

th girls

w that your guardian is very kind, and indeed spoils you altogether, but I

ly in earn

wait until you come of age. There is plenty of time. I am only twenty yet, and even in three ye

said positively, "and if you are disagreeable and won't do as I want you,

r laughe

English girls who have learned the system, and either your superintendent

e happy days we had in that dear old house, with its pretty garden, when you were thirteen and I was ele

not know what you le

u, dear, not to say anything about that curious accomplishment of yours. I know that you would never use it to any harm, but if people knew it they would be rather afraid of you.' Uncle sai

. A year after her illness Mr. Covington heard of an aurist in Germany who had a European reputation, and he and Mrs. Covington took Hilda over to him. After examining her he said, "The mischief is serious, but not, I think, irreparable. It is a case requiring great care both as to dieting, exercise, and clothing. If it could be managed I should like

r only child must either make this considerable journey once a month or live there altogether was very painful to them. However, on talking it over, they a

no doubt be taught to talk German and French, and even if she is never able to

like your daughter, the power of speech, and who have lost only their hearing. But even those born deaf and dumb have learned to be able to converse to a certain degree, though their voices are never quite natural, for in nine cases out of ten deaf mutes are mutes only because they have never learned to use their tongue. However, happily that is beside the question in your daughter's case. I hope that she will regain her hearing; but should this unfortunately not be the case, it will at least be

g!" Mrs. Covington exclaimed. "

nt, who has established herself here in order that her niece might have the benefit of learning the new system. Here is her name and address. The professor has reason to believe that her income is a small one, and imagines that she would gladly receive your daughter as a boarder. Her niece, who is a bright girl, would be a pleasant compani

her husband fully agreed with her. The doctor handed her a slip o

day, and although she had cried at the thought of being separated from her father and mother, she had said that she would willingly bear anything if there was a hope of her regainin

way what people say, instead of watching their fingers (and some of them don't know the a

over together, and they agreed that, if Miss Purcell were the sort of perso

to take some pretty little house with a good garden, just outside the town, and furnish it, and that Miss Purcell and her niece should move in there. Of course we should pay a liberal sum for board, and if she would agree, I should say that it would be best that we should treat the house as ours and should pay the expenses of keeping

hink your idea is a very good one, and we could arrange for her to have the use of a pony-carriage for

. The thought of a little house all to themselves and a girl friend was a great relief to her, and she looked brighter and happier than she had done

ll's, is it not?" M

a slight expression of surprise which

hat we shall be glad if she will allow

in a minute or two. "Will you come in?" s

dly face. The room was somewhat poorly furnished, but everything was s

ers. The doctor is of opinion that our daughter may in time outgrow the deafness that came on a year ago, after scarlet fever, but he wishes her to remain under his eye, and he suggested that it would be well that she should learn the new system, so that in case she does not recover her hearing she would still be able to mingle with oth

rankly that my means are straitened, and that I cannot indulge her with many pleasures. She is a grandniece of mine; her father died some years ago, her mother three years since, and naturally she came to me. Shortly after, she lost her hearing through measles. Just at that time I happened to hear from a German workman of the institution which had been started in this town, of which he was a native. I

s. Hilda is our only child. We have talked it over, of course, and will tell you

lan that she and her

of each month, send us a line saying what the disbursements had been. We would wish everything done on a liberal scale. Hilda has little appetite, and it will, for a time, want tempting. However, that matter we could leave to you. We propose to pay a hundred a year to you for your personal services as mistress of the house, and fifty pounds to your niece as Hilda's companion and instructor in German and in

"my only hesitation is because the terms t

omfortable, happy home for our child, and shall always

ully. The arrangement will be a delight

th speakers, clapped her hands joyously. "Oh, auntie, it will be

ll we have been s

"I did not catch every word, but quite

he system," Mr. Covington said, speaking for th

on very fast, as there were so many words that I did not know, so that really I have only been a year at it. The professor says that in another year I shall be near

arden and stables, had been taken, and Netta and Hilda had already become friends, for as the former had learned to talk with

essor Menzel will not allow any of his pupils to use their fingers