The Governess

The next few days passed rapidly and after a tender farewell with lutle Jirn, a cordial oqc with Mr. Locks ey and his sister, and a cold one with (Jertrude, Margaret entered the pony-earriagean'i was whirlod away to tlie station, en route for Devonsliire. The ourney v as long and soniewhat (edious, only the .suri was sh'ming bnght ly and budding Nature at her freshest and fairest, and she was interested' looking at Lhe lovely scenery through whieh slie was flying. "Norbi.ry! Xorhury!" rang in her ears at last, and with a start sïie rou.sed herself f rom herday dreams, andgathering up hur pareéis, alighted from the train and stood looking rather help lessly around, "Ány luggage, marni?" enquired a porter. "One box " Which after a while was duly brought to light and depositad nenr her. ". o you know,"' she asked timidly, "if any carriage has been sent from Harlowe Hall for nieJ' "Why, ye, 'm. The barush 'as been waitin' here a matter o' faive-and-thirty minu!es " Marga' et hurried out of the station 00 hearing this, followed by the porter shouldei'ing the box, and entering the carrage was swiftly away through the park likt; grounds. "There de the Hall, miss," announeed the coachman, turning his head round and p inting with his whip towards a Btately pile of grey stone, with square battlemented towers, and muil oned Windows, and (lieer twisted chimneys, and broad terracos rsingoneabove 1 1 1 e other, and a background of black firs and rising hills, Ihe wliole silvered by the coli.) beaiusof he newly risen moon. M;irgaret looked curiously at her new liome, wondering what the great grey walls luid for lier, and whether siio would be happy or melancholy there. She was fascinaledby its appearance, despite thatasort of loneliness, alinost ghosthncss, hung over it in the moonlight, and forgot her weariness as she gazed at the battlements, tho great windows with tlieir lozenge shaped panes, and the family coat-of arms blazooed midway in gold and rich co1ors, the mass ve oak door studded with Ijuge na Is, and the 1 ons couchint that guai deil eu h side of the entranee'. evcrtheless she was glail when the heavy door swung back, aud she was welcomed, in the dusky, shou'der h'gh panalled hail by a plurnp pleasant looking woman in a rustling silk gown. Miss Crewe?" she said interrogativo y . "Yes," assented Margaret. "Let n e show you to your apart ments. You must be fatigued. We expicted you an hour ago." "The train was late," exp'ained the govoruess, as the housekeeper opened a door atehing. yet not so heavy as the hall door, and wont up the broad t.me blackened sta rcasuto the corridor above, where he oiened a door disclos ng two snia.ll aud one fair sized room, in which a cheery lire - as buriii. , tur the spring day a werestillchilly " l his is vour bedroom. Miss Crewj; there is a sniall dressine room bevond, and this s.de :i coay siuing room thing you wili like tliem; the yiew across the r ver is con ide:ed very fine. "It is lovely," she agreed readily, lifting a jrlance across tho water, that looked like ripples of molten silver 'neath the moonbeams, ere the woman 1 rew down the blind. "Is there any company here now?" she addi-d. " ast I divss?" "ihere is no one here now but mistress. Mi:s orothy, and Mr. Norbury." ' Mr. )■ orbury!" echnid Margarot, while a bewiklered look crossed her face. the master- Mrs. Morton's brother " explaiued the housekeeper glibly. "Yes, of course," murmured Mar garet not willing to let the woman know that she had never even heard her actual employer's name For she had learnt from Henry Locksley that .Mrs. M 01 ton possessed only a paltry hundred ayear. and in roality was dependent on her wealthy brother for almost everything. "Mrs Morton wouid like you to come down to dinner at e ght if you are not too tired. Master dines early, and never leaves lis room of an evening " "1 seo. will be ready at eight " "I will send one of the maids to show you the way. You might lo-e it yourself."' "Yes. easily in a great place like this." "If thcie is anything you require, will you pi ei se to ring the heil." 'Thank you, yes;" and then the woman withdrew, and Margaret was left alone or a few moment? she gat there gazing aronnd the cusy, well lighted, we.l vvarmed rooms in sileuee, admiring the old fa.shioi ed earven furniture, the great Iour-po-t bed, ihe. oval swin; mirror the high maolelshelf, the quaint china: und then -lus rose with a half sigh, and, throwing off her tweed fcray! eling dress, proceeded to don a dark blue si k a present from Miss Locksley. atxl, fasteniui the lace around her lirm whiti' throat with a tiny diamond arrow, a remnant of happier and more prosperous days. stood for :i moment scanning the redectioo in the old mirror. " wonder wilt she bo jealous, ' murmured Miss Crewe by "she'' rneamng Mrs. Morton. "It is a pit v, m I have to earn mv bread, that i am not a rightdown ugly woman- a fright ; they would not want toturn me adriftthen.'"' Foor Margaret! i er rare beauty had brouglit her little but sorrow up to the present, and she tiirned away from the brilliunt retlection in the mirror with 8i.gh heavier and deeper than the first. fust then a knock carne at tho door, and opening t she found a mail servant ready to conduct her to n rs. Morton's presence. They traversed sundry passages, all panelled willi oak of a mediaeval appearanoe, through the ontranoe hall with d garn'shing of sworda and apeara and other deadly weapons, and then througti a (oor on tho light. s Margaret slepped through this doorslic found berseli transíormed f rom the. past to the present Outside all was old, dark, antique; tliis room was bright, and light and modern to the last degree. Tho walls were living with au eesthetio gre n paper, borderi-d by a creen and gold dado; a car, et of tho same hue covered the Hoor, into which the fect sank luxuriously; a Rplendid bear skin tras atretobed bef ore the ourtained üre pla e, in which glowed a ruddy log lire that eraitted a pleasant perfume. t retty tables laden with dainty nick-nacks, were dotted abont; low inviting chairs and ie e a tetes, and haiulsome vases bearing ilowors. On the walls were sev eral g o 1 water colors, interraix( d with raio bits o' china, push mountcd and splendid, some of the Sevrcs being stud ed with precious stones. A grand piano stood open, strewn with SoUlvan 8, Milton Welling's, ow j eu s and o'her popular coni] oséis' songs; a harp stood in the corner, while agilitar with a broad blue ribbon leaned against a chair bt'side it; anda tiny King Charles spaniel snoozled into the warm rug, and a soft light streamed o:i the charru'ing room trom smeral gleaming crimson gold monnted lampa that hurig from thepainted ceiling, and softly illuminated the face of a lady reclining wiih negligent graoe on a sofa near the lire. She was a very handsome woman, undoubtedly past her lirst prime, being nearly forty, still splendidly, if ieily heautiful. Tbe features were perfect, straight, and finely chisellcd: the large eycs of a cleargray, hard and iinll ncliing. Pencilled black brows arched above theni, and contra ted strangely with the bright bronecolored ha r. The shape of her head was classic; j and its grace displayed by the Grecian coil of hall low on lier neck. Her ligure was grand and queenly: but I er expression and general air spoke of unbending pride and extreme coklncss. "Ah, Miss Crewt," she remarked, not rising, but stretching out a soft white hand, whieh feit to argaret cold as tha1: of a corpse, "you have come down. You are not tired then." "No, thank you," reuirned Margaret composedly; "ï am not tired." 1 hope you found jour rooms conifortable and prepared for yon " The words were studiously eoiuteous. The tone and marnier in which they were delivered was indifer. nt, almost scornful. "Yes, they are very comfortablo," : responded the governess, whose birth and-experiences enabled her to icply to ■ rs Morton with a quiet pride that equalU-d ;f it did not surpass her own. "I suppose Mr. Locksley informed you as lo your duties?' went on the widow languidly, coneentraiing all her attention on the httle dog, who had crept up to her silken s.irts at the approaoh of a stranger. "l'artly He told me that I should be expected sometimos to read to Mr. Norbury, or play chess with him of au evening. " "ometimes," echoed the other with a little derisive laugh, pulling at the spaniel's ears. 'That with him means every evening if you have a pleasant voice and kuow anything at all about chess." ' 1 know something of the gaine, as I uscd to play frequently with my father. As to my voice, 1 must leavo Mr. Norbury to decide whotlierit be pleasant or not to him." "Ah, yes, of course," assen tea Mrs. Morton, with the same air, ouly now for the iirst time she raised her eyes and looked at the new inmatc of i arlo we Hall closely. "Too good 1 oking, " was her silent verdict. "Only Ben n't likely to maUe a fooi of himself at his age, and Jack isn t here, so it doesn't much matter. ' Still, the full-blown widow feit her charras would appear a trille ; .■ c beside the b oom and fresliness of this irl, whose years d d not yet nuinber twenty-two. Aloud she went on: " y brolher is a little exacling, Misi Crewe. He is somewhat of -,.n invalid and keeps a good deal in his room, espeoially of an evening." " e does not dine with you, then?" ventured Margaret "Oh dear no," drawled his sister "''e dines at the barbarie h nr of one. Seven or eight snits me l etter. " hen at what honr will he expect me to play chess with hiniP" "About haif-past i-ight until ten. He retires to rest soou alter tl a ." "I sec and I am to hold luyself in readiness to go tohim on an eveningP" aid Margaret, who lie an 10 realiza ti at she would be more couipaniun to the master of Harlowe Hall than govrrness to Dorothy Morton '1 think it better thai you should do so: at all cvents until he seeois to take ; a dislike tojou. 1 mu-t warn you that he almost nvariably takes a ilislike to those who attcn.l on him, and frequently dismisses them at a moment's no tice." "I hope I shall not incur his displeasure and be dismissed in suoli a sumuiaiy manner," smiled Margaret. "1 hardly think you wil] '■ e (lismi-seil ' in a hurrv," thought Mra. .Morton, and she once moni regarded intently the other s beautiful face. " hope not," she answered a oud, with just a sxado more co rtesy in lu-r manner. 'You must be patent and foroearing with him. He really suffers agooddeal, and haviijg bees a ery active man, feels the almost eutire cunliin ment in one room gnallv." ' . aturally he would. I shall do my best to be i atient with hm. And w th regard to your daughter, will you pleass teil me what you wi.sh with regard to her?" "Oh, Dorothy! She is a mere baby, not six yet. Two or three l.outs a day will be ampie lor her. Teach her it little music and to read botter, and take her out for walks wl.cn yon ti el ínclined to do so and have the leisure." "Perhapa the best arrangement to make" suggested Margaret, "would bc to teach her in the mornings aiul go out in the af ti -rnoons." "Yes; at any rate for the present. But ou understand she has a nuise, so you necd only g when you are nclined." 'Thanks; 1 understand. Will Mr. Norbury expect me to read to him this evening? ' "Xo; you will eommence your now duties to morro w. nd now como to dinner," as tho sound of a gong rang through the house. The words were civil. ct Mrs. Morton's tone was insolently indifferent, a:id Miss Crewe followe i her acrusa tho spear-decked hall to the dark-pannoled, sombre dining-room. [TOBE CONTI. NU EU.]