A Family Affair

CHAPTER IV (Coxtinued). At last the Clausons returned to England. Beatrice made no objection to rejoining the family circlo. Her father and nis wife found her greatly changed. the was quieter, more reserved, more amenable to reason. Jt seemed to Sir Maingay that she had passed her time at Mrs. Erskine's in study. ïhe learning she had acquired almost frightened the baronot; bat he was glad to see she had grown into a beautiful woman, and so he feit quite proud of his neglected daughter, and noped that things would for the future run smoothly. His hopes were vain, Th!s time there was no doubt as to with whom the fault lay. A beauty like Lady Ciauson, could not endure the constant presence of a younger. fresher and even more beautiful beauty. Relations soon grew strained. and toward the end of the year Beatrice wrote to her úneles, and askcd il' they would give her a homo. She was now nearly twenty-three. Having when she came of aga succeeded to her late mothor's third of old Talbert's possessions, she was dependent both by age and by income. She was willing to live at Hazlewood house, if her úneles would take her. tf not, she resolved to start an establishment of her own. She was still in her fornicr anomalous position ra baronet's daiighter, who had never made a proper entrance into society. The Talbert s who liked what little thoy had seen of their nieeo went into solemn conclave on the request. Thoy .decided, in the event of S!r Maingay giving his consent - on that point they were most exacting - she might oome to them. Sir Maingay raised no objections, so Featrice Ciauson came to Hazlewood House, where since her arrival, about a week ago, she had lived in a state of amused wonder as the amiable poculiarities of the "Tabbies" gradually revealed thetnselves to her. She had, of coursc. intended to make herself uscful to her úneles. It may have been the want of some occupation other than study, whicli mnde her turn her eyes toward Hazlewood House, aud the two bachelors. She was no longer a school-girl, so at once broadly hinted that she was willing to regúlate their household matters. The silent horror with whieh her proposal was received told her, at once, that her place was to be a sinecure She saw that her úneles would on no account dreatn of instrusting their researches into domesüc economy to any hands savo their own, and the surpassing capability of those hands was deeply impressed upon her, wheu. the day aftcr her arrival, she found Uncle Horace bending over the maid who did the plain sewing, and in the patientest and gravest way, teaching her the most approved fashion of handling a necdle and thread. After having liyed at Hazlewood House for a week Miss Ciauson must have been ready to welcome any event of interest. It is no wonder that, when Horace Talbert at Mr. Mordle's suggestion, walked into the drawing-room and told his neice what had happened, her curiosity and excitement roso to a high pitch. "Is it a pretty child?" she asked. "Wonderftilly so. Mordle and Herbert are pettlng it like a couple of women." Beatrice did not run at once to see for herself. "What doyou mean to do about it?" she asked. "I don't knowl I suppose we must keep it till to-morrow and seo if the niystery is explained. You had better come out and give us your advice." Beatrice w.ilkcd ioto the hall The child had m ulo great progress during Horace's absence. The curato was tickling him and making him laugh. Herbert was stroking his bright h.iir in quite a paternal way. Kven the respectable Whitt;ikor was smiling pleasantly. "What adear little man!" exclaimed Beatrice, as sho walked to the table and looked at the sturdy urchin. She was the first woman the chil] had seen since he left his friends at the refreshment room. Maid servants, with the curiosity of their seic and kind had peoped surreptit ously over the balustrade, but had not attracted noticc. At such a tender age as his woman is a child'8 natural protector. He at onco quitted his stalwart friends and ran across the table to the fair srirl, who iiniled and opened her arms. The littlo man darted into them, and with a chirrup of deliglit laid h:s hoad on the girl's shoulder and seemed perfectly nappy and at rest He was so pretty that no woman could have refrained from caressing him. Miss Ciauson kissed him again and again, then, like every one who carno near him, feil to stroking his golden locks and twining them round her fingers The child's eyes began to close under her soft and soothing touches. "He must go to bed," said Featrice, decisively. "Certainly," said ITnclo Horace. 'Where had he botter gleepP" "Jane has a most comfortable bed," said Herbert "Vo no," exelaimed Peatrice; "lie ! shall sleep with me. look ;it kim, j ele Horacc; isn't he a perfect cherub?" j 'lle's a vory prctty little boy: but we j don"t Inow where. he comes from, my dear. I hardjv thinkyouought to take : a strange infant to sleep with you " "i h, nonsense, Knele Horaee! See what a clean, beautiful boy it s. Whittaker, sönd a large oan of hot water to my roo . Come, my pet; I will nee :iow I can et the part of a nur.se maid," ; Singing and croning and carrying I ,he child 10 the most approved faslvon. Miss Clanson procceded to bcar her prize away. "Y"ou had belter look at his liuen, Beatrice," said Horaee. "It iuay be marked with his name." in about half an hour's time Teatrice reappeared with the intelligence that he boy's clothing boro no mark of any ïind. Indeed, it all scerued brand-new. She was apparently muih delighted with her new toy. She kept running up and down stairs to ascertain that ler protege was sleeping the sleep of nnocent bab3'hood. At last she went away altogether. "Healrice is more demonstrativc than [believed her to be," said Horacororetfully. Herbert enhoed the regret, aut Mr. Mordlc sa'd nothing. He ;honght the instinctive kindness she showed toward this mysteriously sent child added anothcr charn? to tho niany be had already discovered in Miss ('kuison. Tho three men sat together until it was too lato to hopo that mattere would be cleared up that night. No mot her, no telegram carne. I he cnrate bade his friends good-night and walked ', back to hs lodjiin.s in the village, thinking what a charmiiiir piotore Miss Clauson with the child in her anus made. Pooi' Mr. Mordlc! He had only known IJeatrice a week, and was already beg nning to dreani a foolish dream. The brothers continued sitting une on either side of the lire. They wore not early-to bed poople. jS'ow that thcy were alone they said little more about the arrival. For three hours they had been discussing every possible theory which might account for the child's appearance amongthem, so the subject was threadbare, and they sat in silence trying to invent fresh causes. Suddenly a most curous and startling suspicon entered Horaco Talbert's mind - a suspicion which novv and then made liim glauco at his brother. Cou d Herbert by an chance know all about. the matter? He had certainly seemed greatlv taken with the little boy. Uorace remembered how much af home the cbild bad niadc himself with Herbert. Ho v wben he. Horaee, camo out of the drawing-room with teatrice, he had fonnd Herbert patting and stro'dng the litlle head. Could thcre be ïomant e p.issages in Herbert's life about which ho knew nothini? lic pooh-poohed the thought; but it came again and again. Just after on o'cloi-k, and wlien the brothers werc thinking of retiring, to their great surprise eatrice reappeared. She was in dainty dressing own and slippers. After waiting until Mr. Mordió must certainly have gone she had come don - of ourse to hear if anv more ncws had arrivcd. l mie Horace, with his eyes fixed on Ilerbert, exprcssed his conviction that no news was mcant to ar,rive. "Then what will you do?" she asked, at last. 'rte will wait uutil to-morrow, or the day after: then put the matter into the hands of the pólice," said Horace, decisively. Herbert said nothing, so his brothers' su-ipicions increased Beatrice rose, as if to say good night. She stood for a while on the rug, apparently intently intere-ted in a series of t ny circles which she was describí ng with the point of oue slipper. 1 rcsently sho looked up with a fituhed eheek and spoke in a quick hurried way: "If nobody coinés for the boy, would you mind ruy keep'nff hi n?" "My dear!" cried Uncle Horace, aghast. "Here? She clasped her hands. "Oh, l'n le Horace," she said "I have had sueh a dreary miserable life ever since 1 was seventeen. I have nothing lo do- DOthing to live for. I could be so happy with that dearchild to look altor. orne up and see him sleeping, üe is the sweetest baby." "Snob, nonsense, Beatrice!" Únele Horace sett-lcd himst;lf into lis cha'r and showed by the aet'on that a legión of sleopinir babies would not induce him to go and look at their slunibering forms. " ! hen you come, Uncle Herbert. He is a prettier s'ght than any of your old masters." Herbert gave his quief;smile. He was of less stern stuff than Horace thal is. if cither of the l'alberts could be oalled stern. He sull'ered Beatrice to lead him to her room; duly admired the little stranger, then, with his niece, returmul to Horace. After tuis manifestation of weakness Horace's unworthy suspicion was all but certa'nty. "You will let me keep him?" pleaded Beatrice. "I am sure you will." Horace made no reply to her unroasoníble request. ín their usual dignilied manner the two gentlemen made theiï preparations for shutting up. Beatrice went back to her room. "She grows very, very impulsive," sighed Horace. This time V erbert said nothing. As ho got into bed Horace ïalbort told himself that Herbert knew all about the boy; he also told himself that no power on earth eould induce him to tax Herbert with this knowledge. A man's private afiairs were hs own property. he himself had laid down this dogma and must now stick to it; the more so bccause on a former occasion he had luoken with Herbert for six years beeause the latter had infringed on this rule. fTO BE COXTIXUED]