The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

ey stole up to the third foor to :.fg\;v found Lally‘s room einpty ~old thing has gone to sleep," at Mrs. Blight. . ‘"‘I can hear â€" odious Peters breathing. Perâ€" i the girl bas slipped to her room atly ‘ that ~we did not hear ind dark. "\*Whey‘ve outwitted ‘us,‘"‘ said Mr. "WMMight, ‘with an oath. ‘‘The girl is ping to sleep with the old woman Roâ€"night. Dy Gcorge, I wish the old reature would, die in her slJeep. \)‘d bpave the girl arrested for her im râ€" @or. _ We\ imay as well 5o to b1, Degira.. We must be up carly in the _ Theâ€"girl was busy, folding her garâ€" _ments, and her rom=‘ gipsy face wa® O o@ll &glow, _ her Liack eyes had in _ them.a look of hopefulncss of late a â€" @tranger to them, and she was altoâ€" he changed . from the piteously @lul young creature of the day . fore. Even the love of her eccenâ€" .. Awic kinswomam had sorved to kindle the spark of new hopes, and new inâ€" terests _ in Lally‘s lonely life.. She * »regarded her visitors with something ©. of surprise, but received them courtâ€" " eously. . With this resolveâ€"the couple returfâ€" ed.to the drawingâ€"room, leaving the door ajar that they might hear. L4iâ€" y s e to her room, ‘They waitâ€" whours, but they did not hear it. @ ®ervants retired to bed, and the »ek» through the house struck welve, and _ siill Lally did not ‘@merge from Ars. Wroat‘s room. The 1 _@rept up again to their visiâ€" €or‘s door;, but silence reigned withâ€" E . retired to their room, but we safely assert that they did not : They lamented the fmilure of it » plans, _ accused each other. of ruining their mutual prospects and the prospects of their children, and mrose soon after daybreak, imbitterâ€" ed, angry, and full of rage and bitâ€" terness. â€" * _ About seven o‘clock they heard Lally coming forth . from _ Mrs. Wroat‘s chamber and go up to her room.~ The â€" young governess had slept with her aged kinswoman, ard mow, by Mrs. Wroat‘scommand, was about to pack her few effects in her box, ready for doeparture. Mr. and Mrs. Biight followed Lally to her room, and entered, without Mr. and Mrs to her room;, knocking. "Goodâ€"morning, _ ‘madam; goodâ€" morning, sir,"" ‘ she said, bowing. "Will you be seated?" **Viper! Ingrate!" _ cried Mrs. Blight theatrically, but with genuine anger. "I warmed you in my bosom, as it were; I fed you at my table;, I paid you at theâ€"rate of twonty pouxfds & year; and this is the way you reâ€" ward me! Serpent! Base serpent!‘‘ ~>**I don‘t understand you, madam. What‘is it I have done?" _ #*Hear her!‘‘ cried Mrs. Blight, her i ds upliftcd, apostrophizing . the eiling. ‘"She asks what she . has _ #Hear her!‘‘ cried Mrs. Blight, her hands upliftecd, apostrophizing . the @eiling. ‘‘She asks what she has done!"‘ and the lady‘s tones grew hysterical. ‘"‘She _ has taken the bread from â€" my children‘s mouths! She has made me a beggar! She has moW asks.us what she has done!"‘ â€".**Madam,"‘ said _ Lally, her black ,:wu flashing, "I have not traduced 'bn, nor lied about you.‘"‘ â€" t*Â¥ou have repeated to Mrs. Wroat my unguarded _ remarks about her, made to you in confidence." . *\"Again you â€" are mistaken, maâ€" \_‘""Again you _ are mistaken, maâ€" Jaim,‘‘ssaid Lally sternly. "I have repeated those remarks. . Mrs, j t judged you by words she herâ€" self overhcard. 1 have done nothâ€" ing to injure you, nor is it my fault .my greatâ€"auni has chosen to exâ€" e at your exponse. Delieve me, ,_ Blight, ‘ if niy aunt had _ not found me, she would not have (deft her money to you." . *tYour aunt?" cried the lawyer. *Seems to me you are getting along fast, young woman, Your aunt, ch? It is _ my opinion. thatâ€"yoff® are _ a ¢léver adventuress, and I deem it my to protect my dcar aunt from % marchifations. Put | your 4 to that trunk. Laura, ring bell for Buttons." ?{.finfiéh}. complicd. Buttons made is appearances _ â€" **Take that trunk down | to m.nd call a cab," comn ht. 2e trunk being locked y fpring cateh, . Buttons shoul and vanished down the stairs _ "Now, Miss,‘" said the lawyer, with ' ve triuniph, ‘"you must . be of ou_cannot be a!low(?i to speak _ to the infirm old lady _ you /% tod. _ March down the s m or I‘ll call a police man and Accuse you of stcaling.‘& . "‘Mr. Blightâ€"*‘ #. a word, Miss. . On with your 4 shawl, and depart. Oq d to. Mrs. Wroat, and I : agged off to jail.‘"‘ â€" ‘The color went in and out om 6 > and â€"she was frigh nd . .. Mer situation seemmed * terrible indeed. Peters . had €onfided to her during the previous night, while Mrs. Wroat slept, _ that old lady, in addition to her pul C disease, had an affection of § and her physician had de f that she must not be tnnoces snrily excited, for excitement imnight f hzm to her. The excite E of ing her greatâ€"nioce ... for ' 1. ahe had 20 Jong 80"ght bad on Aupost.. 199. _mury forâ€" fat, turther pu‘a Bullor go doTe +tc *‘ ko ” the & umt fhe Tik tor eaine yungml! e to a .qu:za.wr had h‘x go down,"‘ said wyer. servants are colâ€" pe on the basement stairs . Lo i Tthe cause ‘of the hubbub. We‘ll Aunt \ in the morning, and ince her that the‘s been taken in , clever adventuress, but the girl from: his m â€" tm inet** ally feared to disturb her need not lay yourâ€" hands "an lingiay insth ate7 ‘:fl, drawing away # touch. T will go from your as you commandâ€"but don‘t being locked with . a Buttons shouldered it BY MRS. HARRIET LEWIS down Into « 0 pav a i afe 104 o p®L to _ the commanded SA folâ€" "‘Where shall I ‘ . to go, Miss?"* asked the usherâ€" ing Lally into the stregt, laying hold of the cab door, ‘‘‘Get in,‘‘ he added flercely, : in nzmw-o. ‘"or I‘l send for a poli e its roof * i.nyi'enmbe%‘ m::‘ the cgab, not angwering. ‘‘To I staâ€" tion,‘‘ said ‘the W,lm the door softly.. ... _ Py onl open, ~and she went ahd l: uto the yard. The n&“fl“ T. n o ser o pcay nifonted «pon â€" The cabrolled down the street. n? Blighuf triumpbant, reâ€"entered their villa. a Lo e $Â¥3 . ue "I‘ll make it right with the old woman,"" muttered the lageyer, rub« bing his hands. "T‘lN tell her the girl has run off, after acknowledging that she was an imposter, and that her real name is Jones. Come in Laura. We‘re not quite ruined yet." _ If he was not quite ruined, he was nearer ruin than he thought. Asâ€" tute as he believed himself, he had not quite understood the young lady with whom he had to deal. Lally had not â€" gone . a block down the street, when she lowered the front window . of the cab, and quickly touched the driver‘s arm. Aath _‘‘We‘ll go back to Sandy Lands she said in‘a tome of command. / have no money with me."> . ‘Forgot ° your purse, hey?" said the driver. "All right, Miss." He turned and drove back. Lally commanded him to halt in the middle of the road, in full view of the front windows of the villa. The parlor of Mrs. Wroat faced the street. The inside blinds were raised, und Lally gazed up at the windows expectantly. _*‘Could }bu throw a pebble to hit those upper windows, driver?"‘ . she asked, of the puzzled cabman, . _ ‘"Doubtful, Miss. Might break the glass, and have a"big bill to pay. Is there somebody up stairs there you want to call?" Lally nodded, The cabman glanced up and down the street; there was mo policeman to be seen; and he then gave utterâ€" ance ~to such a yell as brought to the window not only Mrs. Wroat and Pcoters, but Mr. and Mrs. Blight at the drawingâ€"room tindows. mrs. . Wroat at i.« upper window saw Lally, the cab, and the box upon it, and comprehended what had ocâ€" curred. Peters threw up the sash. ‘‘Wait a minute, cabby," said the old lady, leaning from the window, and speaking shrilly. ‘"‘There‘s two more of us, and a parrot and & do; and plenty of luggage. I‘ll give you double fare, cabbyâ€"wait!‘‘ ‘ She disappeared, just as the lawâ€" yer bounded. out .of the house to. orâ€" der the cabman away. That worthy, obeying Lally‘s command, l';w his ground, and offered to fight the lawâ€" yer if he reccived ‘‘any more of his sauce." Mr. Blight retreated with his wile, and hurried up to . Mrs. Wroat‘s chambers. He met her hobâ€" bling out of her room, leaning upon the arm of the faithful Peters, who was laden with the parrot‘s cage, the bandbox and umbrella, and was followed by the dog. This latter ime mediately conceived a desire to mip the lawyer‘s legs, and Mr. Blight was obliged to keep up a very . unâ€" dignified dance to avoid him, while he addressed the old â€"lady in terms of expostulation and entreaty, heapâ€" ing vituperations upon Lally. "Send my trunks down, and be lively," said Mrs. Wroat, paying no _hced to his words. ‘"Don‘t act like a Panâ€"ing Jack, or your friends wil put you in Bedlam, Blight. Come, Peters, Mr. Blight has kindly order» cd a cab for us, and we must be off, If we‘re lively, we can catch the uP cxpress." : She brushed past the Blights, husâ€" band and wife, the latter weeping and pleading, and descended into the yard. The tabman was induced to go up after her baggage, the exhibiâ€" tion of a halfâ€"crown lemding him wonderful strength and alacrity, and the cab was soon piled high with luggage. Mrs. Wroat, Lally and Peters &poXk their places inside, tho driver unted, and .just then the Blights, |resolved upon a last deâ€" spairing ) effort to gain the fleeting fifty thowsand pounds, came out to the garden door. Mrs. Wroat bowed to them mockâ€" ingly, and said as she waved her hand, with glowing exultation, her eyes snapping:.. xk . e "Goodâ€"bye, Mr. and Mrs. Blight. My daughter and I will breakfast at the station, and dine at our house in town. My Blighted. friends if you are ever in need, write to my heiress, and I dare say she will send you a halfâ€"crown. Driver, to the railway station.‘ ho _ The cab with its ogcupants rolled away in triumph. resence of the; utterly discomfited glr. and Mrs. Blight, Mrs. Wroat, accompanied by Lally, and attended by â€" the~ faithful Peters, â€" proceeded without molestation»to the Canterâ€" bury railway station. ‘Theâ€"up exâ€" pnu“m â€"due in ';‘n’n ten nhllh:; and Mra, Peters fo opportunity send a ..5.r.pnu message to . Mrs. Wromt‘s ~housekeeper . in town râ€" nouncing the inmmediate return of her mistress with a young lady guest, and ordering that suitable preparaâ€" tions be made for their reception. _ After their ~triumphant departure from Sandy _ Lands, and from the _ t"This is my last . petors, _ mmn{rmmmui head, as the cab Folled out | of the |of station and Into the streets. ‘*‘My |@i travaeling days and here!" . se w l â€" ""So you always say, ma‘am,"" said :Inwamnny. ‘‘Bat yon’v;. : fouba what POick nich wenrching tor so long." and she glanced at Lally. ;fiis_&n:j h,.d,m been m_ M the train came to the m«» and the Mm their seats in a first<la=* coach, securing a compartment to ;!~~~<lves, _ . ;Y:M:\nfiho.ol" '1"-‘; néar?** sighed the â€" _On alighting at the L. ; tion Poeters procured a cab CHAPTER XXXIIL than half a century. _ Jt was a doubte house, with parlors on cither side of a wide hall, and was built of Lrick with stone copings and linâ€" tels, and possessed . a pretentious .‘rg of steps guarded by stonc lions a great oriel window projecting from the drawingâ€"room. ‘The front door of this house openâ€" ed as the cab dréew up, and a footâ€" man and a boy came down the steps and assisted their aged mistress to ;fi: and enter the house. Lally and came after, and Mrs. Wroat was taken to her own room, on# of the rear parlors on the first floor, which she had appropriated twenly years before as her bedâ€"chamber. Out of doors the September _ air was mild, but in this room of Mrs. Wroat a seaâ€"coal fire was burning in the grate, and its genial heat in that great house was not unpleasant, . A crimson carpet covered the floor; ie . en c ut a ce crimson damask curtains half draped the wide windows that looked . out upon a small square garden; . and crimsonâ€"hued easy chairs and couchâ€" es were scattered about the room in profusion. 6 * can ced h4 PTUERET CC Mrs, Wroat sank down upon one of the couches, and Peters bent over her, â€" removing her . huge . scutâ€" tleâ€"shaped â€" bonnet and . her _ Inâ€" dian shawl. ‘The footman and the boy were bringing in the luggage. Laily stood apart, not knowing what to do, when the housckeeper, an elâ€" derly, plainâ€"featured Scottish . woâ€" man, appeared. Mrs. Wroat beckonâ€" ed the woman to come nearer to ‘‘Mrs. Dougal,‘" she said, in a clear, loud voice, and looking affecâ€" tionately at the slender, blackâ€"robed ngure of TLaTty, "® nave Lrought home with me my great niece, Miss Lalla Bird, who is also my adopted daughter and heiress. I desire you to consider her as your future misâ€" _ Mrs. Dougal bowed low to the younr lady, â€" and Mrs. Wroat . conâ€" tinued : s j "Let the best room in the house be prepared for her use, Mrs. Dougalâ€"â€" the amber room. Ah, it is ready! Show Miss Bird to it then, and ce that her trunk is sent up to . her. And have luncheon ready or us in bhalf an hour or less, Mrs. Dougal. We are nearly famished.‘" ‘The housekeeper again bowed, and conducted Lally into the hall and up the broad stairs to a front chamâ€" ber, one of the state apartments of the house. Here, soon after, she left the young girl to tenovate her toilet, going again to her aged mistress. ‘‘This is a wonderful â€" change for me!‘‘ murmured Lally. ‘"I must be dreaming. So lately I slept in a barn with tramps and thieves, glad of even that shelter, and now I am housed in a palace. I am afraid I shall wake up presently to find myâ€" self in the barn. Ab, I never even dreamed of such magnificence!‘" She examined her surroundings with the excited curiosity of a child. Lally observed two doors at one side of the room, and crossing the floor softly, she opened them sucâ€" cessively. ‘The first door opened upâ€" on *a _ large and handsomelyâ€"ftted bathâ€"room, with marble basin _ and marble floor, half covered by a Turkâ€" ish rug. The other door opened inâ€" to a beautiful little dressingâ€"room, furnished to match the bedâ€"chamber. "It is like fairyâ€"land!‘‘ thought the girl. ‘"All this for meâ€"for me! I can hardly believe it." _ There _ were ivoryâ€"handled brushea en the lew dressing bureau, and Lalâ€" ly handled _ them carefully, almost atraid to use them. Her poor garâ€" ments seemed out of place in these beautiful rooms, but she had no betâ€" ter @ress, and with a smothered sigh she bathcd her face and hands in the bathâ€"room, and brushed her hatr and dréss in the dressingâ€"room. She tied anew â€" the bow in her hair and her black sash, and her loilet was comâ€" plete. She gave a last look to her mew â€" quarters, and hastencd down stairs te the chamber of her beneâ€" factress. _ She found Mrs. Wroat comfortably ensconced in an easy chair by her _ ‘"CGome here, my dear, and kiss me,"" said Mrs. Wrodt, not looking around, but recognizing Lally‘s step. ‘The girl obeyed, and sat down upâ€" on a stool at the old lady‘s foet. Mrs. Wroat â€" smiled upon her and talked to her, and when Peters came in, announcing that luncheon waited, Lally and her greatâ€"aunt were in the midst of a confidential talk, and their friendship had already decpenâ€" ed into a mutual affection. Launcheon was served in the diningâ€" room, â€" across . the hall from Mrs. Wroat‘s chamber. Mrs. Wroat sat at one end of the oval table, Peters at the other, and Lally took a place at one side. ‘The footman waited at table, but was soon dismissed,â€" and the three were left to themselves and the enjoyment of the dainties plentiâ€" fully displayed before them. After the luncheon, Peters assisted her aged mistress back to her own room, Lally lending an arm to the support of the old lady. *‘Ring the bell, Peters,". eaid Mra. Wroat, ms she again ensconced herâ€" self in her favorite chair. ‘"But, stav! Bring me my little desk. I want to write a note." Peters _ brought a portable malaâ€" chite 'flthm, and placed it upâ€" on a table before her mistress. Mrs. Wroat, with" an . unsteady hand, M.W note to her lawyer, <emanding his immediate aitendance FOR OVER FIFTY YEARS and looked from the s their wont; < her ched; and over all ad an ominous gTay } to the experienced that the diseased properly performing take the. letter to wait for an answer n the desk, and went ' ucm._ e Some two hours later, Mr. Harris, AMrs. \Wroat‘s â€" lawyer, arrived. x ml.hptnz::!l‘“"l'p KÂ¥ sence. .. He an old man, witted, .~ businessâ€"like, and rot T but honest, kindly, and devoted the interests of his client, whose perâ€" ! somal friend he hed been for overâ€" & | third of a century. J S _ NMre. M’ug?: him _r "=y friend, !Ms surprise for you. You have ‘gought, at my request, for my greatâ€"niete, Lally Bird, andâ€" failed to find her, evem with a detective offrer to assist you. I am neither Jawyer nor detective, but I am more ¢lever than you both, I have found my niece, and here she is. Lally, come nearer. Mr. Harris, this is Lally Bird, the daughter of my niece Clara Percy." _ â€" Lally bowed. Mr. Harris stared at the girl in surprise. _ _ . . .. â€" *"I beg your pardon, Mrs. Wroat,"" he :h‘.lmed. ""but your greatâ€"niece, Lally ‘Bird, is dead. Our detective discovered the facts some weeks ago, but I feared to communicate them hmmtsuuo!h-.m;. I cannot, however, permit you to. be imposed upoh by a possible advenâ€" turess. Miss Lally Bird committed mh’t July* She sprang from Bridge, and struck upon & passing boat, killing her instantly. I have a newspaper in my pocketâ€"* *‘Never mind your paper," interâ€" rupted . Mrs.. Wroat _ vivaciously. "Look at the girl. Has she not my black eyes? Can you not remember when I had hair like hers, and that déar olive skin? You are too susâ€" picious, my friend. Where do â€" you suprose I found her? Why, down at Blight‘s, at Canterbury. She was governess to the. Blight children. Now sit down, and I‘ll tell you the whole story. Stay, I â€" am tired, and â€" Lally will tell it. Question her, and be convinced _ of the truth of my â€" assertions._ _ Sit down, Lally, dear, and tell Mr, Harâ€" ris all about yourself." Lally sat down ncar her greatâ€" aunt. She was a little frightened unâ€" der the searching gaze of the lawyor, but her clear honest eyes met his unâ€" finchingly, and he read in the sad and innocent face how deeply he had wronged her in decming her a ‘"posâ€" sible adventuress." He asked her a few â€" questions in a quict, careless manner, referring to a noteâ€"book which he produced and then his proâ€" fessional spirit stirring itsclf, he crossâ€"questioned her as if she had been & witness in court whose eviâ€" dence he was trying to shake, and upon whose impeachment the success of his cause depended. He asked her her name, age, and date of birth, and applied the same questions in regard to each of her deceased parents. He demanded where she had been educated, how she had maintained herself after her father‘s death, and finally said, in a tone that betrayed how important . the question and its answer was to the establishment of the girl‘s claims: "I have discoveredâ€"Miss. Birdâ€"asâ€" suming that you are Miss Birdâ€" that you left your situation . as musicâ€"teacher, or, to be more exact, that the school in which you were engiaged closcd, and you were thrown out of a situation, in the spring . of this year. Where did you spend the months that passed between last May and this prefent month~ of Septemâ€" ber? And how, I may as well ask here, did your handkerchief happen to be found upon the water at the precise moment when that poor girl who was drowned, and who was supâ€" posed to be Lally Bird, was picked up?" Lally blushed and paled, and lookâ€" EC Lally blushed and paled, and lookâ€" ed uppealingly at Mrs. Wroat. . The ald lady stroked the girl‘s black hair softly, and said: "Mr. Harris, you have touched upon aâ€"pointâ€"of which I, as well â€"as my nicce, would have preferred not to sreak. But you are my personal friend, and the confidence will be safe with you. Lally tell Mr. Harris your story." Thus adjured, Lally, with much cmâ€" barrassment, told her story with a quiet truthfuiness that carried . conâ€" viction to the mind ‘of the lawyer; ufter which, at a signâ€"from Mrs. Wroat, Lally withdrew with <the maid, who soon returned alone. "‘Now," said the old lady briskly, ‘"I want to come to business. . Mr. Harris, I desire to make my will. Have you the necessary form with you? I want a will as strong as a will can be made, for the Blights may choose to quéstion ts validity, on the ground that I am infirm, or something of the . sort. Peters, wheel up the writingâ€"table." The â€" inaid obeyed. Mr. Harris drew from his pocket a large noteâ€" case, from which he extracted a docuâ€" ment, which he silently handed .to his aged client. C "Ah," she said, _ ‘"it is my will, which I requested you, months ago, to draw up, without dates or namos, ready for signature when I should be ready to sign it. It begins by deâ€" claring that I am of sound mindâ€"gh, yes, that {s all might. The property lg enumerated, and the legacy . to eters is down. I must have the anâ€" muity to her, to be paid out of the estate, doubled.‘" She read â€" (he docwment carefully She read . the docwment carefully and slowly, weighing every word and sentence. When she had finished, she gave it back into her lawyer‘s hand gave it back into her lawyor‘s hand "‘Write in the name of the legates, Mr. Harris, ‘I give and bequeuth all my real estate, bankâ€"stock, consols and personal,properiy to my greatâ€" niece Lalla Bird.‘ Make it plain and strong, so that no one but Lally can got my money. I want the proparty sottied upon her. «She may marry some day, if hor first marriage was no marriage at all. T‘ll discuss that first marriage with you at some fuâ€" ture time, for I want to know whether the child is bound or. not. But no husband must have power to squander Lally‘s money.". C â€" ~*A*y: must Aave« 1 luc, someh‘ws n Mr. Harris did as he was directed, making out the will to the perfoct satisfaction of Mrs, Wroat. Peters, at the command of hor mistress, callâ€" ed up the houschold, and in the presâ€" ence of the housekecper, the houseâ€" maid, the cook and the footman, h.m-wmwm.;lhh mestice appended their signatures as withesses, and . were then dismissod; Lally was called back to her greatâ€" wunt. and.Moon after the laWyer took Pos y Tib Lath SE s > * . viht, _.umw.‘@ nd n-uontus»t_u__ â€"« at et e Accisgumn r. Harris: and Indian.shaw!, j>we‘s, Fich and n regaitt ais en feaer mt dressingâ€"case : guses, a jowel case, and a of costly 1uxnrf- of which hmu' neither the uses nor the names.â€" : _ ~ *‘Why .. do you buy . @K., shaw! for so yourg a lady, M whispepad Petors, in surprise why buy those costly furs is tember?"‘ ; ‘ 1 shan‘t be here when the ‘cold uum in a m-b **And thoT I have Indian shawls which she will inherit, I want to buy her one for her own solf. She will keep it mhways, because 1 bqught . it for her .‘ % Lally, as may be supposed, Was grateful for her aunt‘s kindnesses; sho was more than grgteful,â€" But in the midst of her pleasure, & Dfl shot to her heart. She noticed tha although ‘this aged uhtinm her an abundance of aV stan: titles, and toilet appuLum. and dainty _ personal belongings, . .she bought but few dressesâ€"a token that she expected Lally soon to put on & mourning garb. uzl After a visit to the ladjes‘ outâ€" fitter, where (Mre. Wroat :mlnod for Lally a trousseau fit for . & wealthy bride, they returned . to Mount street, and to dinner. The next fortnight passed swiftly both to Lally and her greatâ€"aunt. The health of the latter Seemed . to improve, and Lally and Peterssenterâ€" tained high hopes that their kind friend and benefactress would ~live many years. f l n Choes ) Those two weeks sufficed to knit the souls gl Lally and her aged relaâ€" tive together in a bond which time alone could sever. They grew to enâ€" tertain & mutual love, which would be to the survivor a sweet and tenâ€" der memory while life should endure. Laily‘s experiences had been very bitâ€" ter, find she had thought she should / never smile again, yet in her aunt‘s society she felt a great degree _ of: uctual happiness, and waited . upon her, and tended her, with the care and love of a daughter. She played and sang to her; she read to her; she listened with keen interest to . the ‘old lady‘s tales of her youth;. and soon Mrs. Wroat was heard to wonâ€" der many times each day how she had so long existed without . her bright young niece; and Peters grew to love Lally with a protecting tenâ€" derness. During this fortnight, which passâ€" ed â€" so happily in the great old miansion in Mount street, Mr. Harâ€" ris had traced out . Lally‘s history step by step from the hour of her birth until the present moment, not that he doubted her, but that he deâ€" sired to be supplied with irrefragaâ€" ble proofs of her identity, should the need arise for them. ‘The lapse of the fortnight indicatâ€" ed brought the time to October. One. evening, _ when the night was wild without, Mrs. . Wroat, Lally and Peters sat late in the parlor adâ€" joining the bedroom of the former. Lally played and sang & grand old anthem, while the old lady‘s crooked chin was . bent forward upon her goldâ€"headed staff, and her bright black eyes filled with tears.â€" Then followed some oldâ€"time bymns, such as the Covenanters sang in the loneâ€" ly Scottish wilds, in their hours of stolem _ secret worship. When the sweet voice had died away, and the strains of music melted inte ailence, the old lady called Lally to her. The girl came, and seeing the unwonted emotion of her aged relative, knelt before her and caressed her hand softly. ‘The withered yellow hands were â€" upraised â€" tremblingly, . and dropped upon the girl‘s dusky ‘head. "God bless you, even as I bless you, my darling,‘" said Mrs. Wroat, with m â€" great yearning over the young â€" creature. . ‘‘Poor orphaned child!1 You have blessed my last days; may your tife beâ€"blessed.â€"Petâ€" ers, when I am gone, stay with Lalâ€" ly. Be everything to herâ€"maid, attendant, nurse, motherâ€"all that you have been to me." 17 S oo en en eOsves "I willâ€"I will!" said Peters, as if registering a vow. f "And â€" now, my â€" darling, goodâ€" n%ht." said Mrs. Wroat softly. "Kiss me, Lally! . Again! Again! Goodâ€"night." â€" ‘The girl enfolded the withered form in her arms, and kissed the old lady a hundred times with passionate ferâ€" vor, and then, sobbing, went up to Peters put â€" her mistress to bed. ‘The old lady scemed as well, or betâ€" ter than usual, bug there was someâ€" thirg â€" unusual in her manner, and Peters sat up to watch by h@r. .‘‘If she wakes, she‘ll find old Petâ€" ers by her side,‘‘ the woman said to hersgelf. ‘‘How sweet she sleepst" ‘Toward morning. the maid dozed. Just at dawn she awakened with a great start, and a sudden chill. She sprang up and leaned over the reâ€" cumbent figure of her mistress. How pale the thin, sharp features were! One lock of ng hair on the witherâ€" ed cheek; the bony hands were claspâ€" ed upon the bosom; the hooked nose and the crooked chin almost met, but upon the shrivelled mouth was a smile far more sweet and lovely than any that had played upon those lips in the old lady‘s farâ€"past youthâ€"a smile such as angels wear! Peters thrust her hand upon the slceper‘s heart. It was silent. The heart, clogged or hampered by disâ€" ease, had ceased to work hours beâ€" fore; all the machinery of life had stopped; and Mrs. Wroat had wakenâ€" ed from her sleep in another world! Lally‘s generous and noble friend and protector was dead! PLEASE NOTE THIS FACT (To be continued ) you â€" buy . @& .. ourg a lady, “& be supposed, was 4n Sep Cood, Tender And Wholesome Cured Hams A Specialty . . . Phone 243 We represent the Canad: Cycle and Motor Co. for BRANTFORD both chain and chainless from $4C to $80. We also rspresent the Berlin Racycle Co. for ~ BERLIN and RACYCLES from $35 to $65. New and Second Hand whech from $5.00 up. We also handle full line of sundries Repairing done:promptly. Give us a call American Soft Front Shirts, the Latest Patterns. We Arc Sole Agents J. RITZER, Waterioo We also carty a good assertment EZ° Waich cur Bargain Box in front of the store. _ LADIES: You can pin your $Â¥ â€" faith on our Millinery for quality of material, style and price. â€", We â€"guaranteo to please you every time. King Street, Klipport Undertaking Co, Undertakers and © Embalmers, Calls .mvnd day and lflw 1901 Mcdels Meats is what people want especially gu.m(tho hot season of the year. As my business has greatly inâ€" creased I have been obl'Eed to build a new REFRIGERâ€" Merohant ‘Tailor ATOR in order to store my meats and in so doing I am better prepared than ever to supply my customers wih the most delicious roasts and tender steaks. Miss Penelton, | papyess SHOP _ N. B.-(()rg:r’lr d'?:ive:ed to any part of t â€"City a zut-clasc delivery. &Â¥ IMPERITAL OlL CO, â€"~ Upâ€"toâ€"date â€"â€"FOR THEâ€" KRUECER BROS., JOHN B. FISCHER, WATERLOO GENDRON Wheels Celebrated King LiVER Brand Hat. a_â€"___.ccoogime i IVERY AND EXCH lt of Um(m Ha‘s %‘mvm_m Gent‘s Furnisher. Waterloo. Berlin . | warterLo0, _ | HONEST HARNESS AT *» HONEST rates of interosk, YV «~ Bar ister, . oitice: n:-,"d" Gourt Em w * SnE his residence on Erb Bt. Wateriso Telephone communication., >A Q:sn.s.zu.n. BOWLBYX D. @3 by Coroner for the O.I:. . O. Bovn& treate dh-u-,dfi m s Licentiate of the College of Phy and ear tr#l‘l- Sm aye A’lbertst.mt d of the late Dr. Walden‘s A. HiLLIARD ‘ Den LD& “l{ %n"fi:.‘.:';".. enc it ies nb aigenigs Ju;‘-;c'iu' of dentistry practl anzen‘s m hn-c Store. hwmm ler and Stuebing‘s grocery. W. R.Wilkinson, L. D. S., D.D.$. Dentist, ‘Office in the Oddfellow . W *E w painless extraction of teeth. The W?m'â€"h;_?-d-â€"â€" _every Fri h-a‘: May 1st to November 18t. moderain, sinbloain remt 4 children‘s hair out. H WEBB, M. D. U _ Painterand Paper Hanging. Will un | dertake contracts for painting and paper han Ing in Town and Oountry. Pirstclass work wuaranteed. Charges reasonable, lflu; reaidence, Corner of Quesn and Princsss Ste, . Waterico Ns w Cnms'ronn WoOLFKJ® Painter and Paper Haz Get one of my «plendid new sete of Ha now. Tt will improve the sppeatance of ontfit one hundred per cent. Repairing at moderate rates, R. C. T. NOECKEER, ainter, Such #néfl_fiii'fi'n; hurch m‘m OHN L. WIDEMAN of Rooâ€"Post Office, St. }'uoh.m 'IHONINYDIL& flooâ€"At his Drug ‘* MIL F. BRAUN . HUGHES, hait io the ndse, Uhroat and chronie JOHN King St MISCELLANEOUS TD th. Strebel‘s EDICAL DENTAL DENTIST. LiIVERIES ph eCc wl > mc myst