The Lost Heir

h its garden and pretty pony-carriage and pony were nothing remarkable, but Netta's enjoyment in all these things amused her,

of Netta as they walked together in the garden, and they went home with lighter

atever was going on around her that had before distressed them. She progressed very rapidly in her study of German, and at the end of six months her conversations with Netta were entirely carried on in that language. She had made some little progress in reading from her companion's lips and had just entered at Herr Menzel's academy. She could now

ow, and possibly her hearing may never be absolutely good; but at least we may

e herself was quite content to remain there. She was very happy in her life and surroundings, and could now read with the greatest facility from the lips, and indeed preferred watching a speaker's mouth to listening t

to be noticeable; while she could with her eyes follow the most rapid speaker, and the Professor expressed his regret that so excellent an example of the benefit

me over to take her home, Miss Purcell, on opening a letter that came just as they had finished breakfast, said, after sitting silent fo

oke, even more than the words, se

she had from the first used the sa

ar-a very, very serious and sudden illness, a

ioning eyes, while every vestige of color

with the other arm close to her; "your mother wrote to me that I might prepare you a little before giving it to

it cannot be!

en him. You must be strong and br

" Hilda cried, bursting into a sudde

mposed to read her mother's letter, which caused her tears to flow

th me as your guardian. I have asked him to find and send over a courier to fetch you home, and no doubt he will

mpanied by a courier. It was a great comfort to Hilda

ourself, uncle," she said as she

don't understand any of their languages, and he will take all trouble off my hands. Now let me look at your face." It was

different from what it was when I saw you before you came out. You have

or three minutes, to all

me in and introduce me t

way into the

inly seem to have worked wonders between you for my niece, and I must own that in the first place I thought it a mistake her being here by herself, for I

h her, sir, and it is only a small p

he had not been perfectly happy here with you

sir? Of course you will

made every preparation for me. You see, I am accustomed to smoke at all times, and could not think of scenting a house, solely

ust getting cool and pleasant for walking, and

's death, and turning from that he spoke of her mother, and how nobly she was bearing her troubles, and erelon

s the ridiculously liberal sum paid to Netta and myself has been all laid aside and has mounted up to six hundred pounds. My pension of eighty pounds a year has also accumulated, with the exception of a small sum required for our clothes, so that in fact I have nearly a thousand pounds laid by. Netta is earning thirty pounds a year at the Institute; with that and my pension and the interest on money saved we shall get on very comfortably.' I should not like, uncle, to

r place; but your mother does not consider that these are ordinary circumstances, and thinks that her care and kindness have had quite as much to do with the improvement in your health as has the doctor. Of course we had no time to come to any definite plan, but she has settled that things are to go

eally mean

Purcell well, and you like the place very much, I don't think that any better plan could be hit upon. I dare say she will stay here two or three mont

of three months Mrs. Covington bought the house and presented the de

k of accepting it

two or three years, Netta could begin to take a few pupils. As soon as she is ready to do so I shall, of course, mention it among my friends, and be able to send a fe

d from the shock of her husband's death, died after a short illness, and Hilda became an inmate of her uncle's hou

tween that lady and Hilda, was a gay one. Everyone in society had been invited and there were but few refusa

the most popular entertainers of the day. In one pavilion John Parry gave a short entertainment every half-hour. In a larger one Mario, Grisi, Jenny Lind, and Alboni gave short concerts, and high as were the prices of admission, there was never a s

an attendant to a seat in an apartment carpeted in red, with black hangings and black cloth lining the roof. From this hung a lamp, all other light being excluded. As each visitor came out from the inner apartment the next in order was shown in, and the heavy curtains shut off all sound of what was passing. Here sat an apparently aged gypsy on an old stump of a tree. A fire burned on the ground

Moulton, and her experience for a year in the best London society, she knew all its gossip, while she

en laughingly challenged by the lady he was w

d woman said; "give me your

n. She crossed his palm with it and then p

ook to a vice-cards or horse-racing. Here are evil associates, but there is a white line that runs through them. There is a girl somewhere, with fair hair and blue eyes, who loves you, and whom you love, and whose happiness is imperiled by this vice and these associates. Beyond, there is another cross-line and signs of

word he

the lady said when he rejoined

but it is very far from being one. Either the woman is a witch or she knew all about me personally,

the lady said; "it

you not to," he

tions. I will go in and hear what she has to

aid as she dropped the hand. "Oh, ridiculous!" the lady exclaimed. "I have crossed your

again ex

loves you too, with a hot, passionate love that would soon fade. You had a letter from him a day or two back. Last night, as he passed you in a dance, he whispered, 'I have not had an answer,' and the next time he passed you, you replied, 'You mu

ed out a glass of water from a jug by her side, but her visitor waved it

to herself, "this wom

see on the palm. You cannot deny that what I have said is true. Stay

earth, half filled a tumbler, and held it out. The frightened woman felt tha

e, I thank you. You have read my fate

when she came out, but she

she said. "She is

as kept filled with visitors waiting their turn for an audience. No one noticed the long and frequent absences of Hilda Covington from the grounds. The tent had been placed with its back hiding a small path through the shrubbery. Through a peep-hole arranged in the curtain

ypsy," she said, "and eight pounds for

s of the power of your old woman. Several people told me that she seemed to know all about them, and

ything less than a sovereign, and in a good many cases they gave more-no doubt to propitiate her into giving them good fortunes. You see, each visitor

ypsy, and where d

s time in some caravan or gypsy tent. I do n

ed the gypsy yourself, Hilda, were it

t been in two places at once. I did my duty and heard Jenny Lind sing an

f such a number of people as went into her tent, few of whom she could e

ext few days, specially to inquire

gossip; but at least a hundred people visited this woman's tent, and from what I hear everyone was as astonished as I was myself at her knowledge of their family matters. It is said that in some cases she went farther than this, and told them things about the p

s Lady Moulton

have no idea, but I fancy that she must have got her from their encampment on Ham Common. She turned the matter off when I asked her point-blank, and I imagine that she must have given the old cron

m it she was able to so shape her replies that her questioners left her convinced that she had really, while carrying out