CHAPTER VI.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 277, 30 June 1888, Page 4

CHAPTER VI.

.TI>ITU\> OK HAM. Loud Str\thspi.\ luid made up his mind to spend the remainder of the winter in the south of France ; his wife hud a chateau there, for she was an heiress in her own right when he married her. She wab very food of Provence, and preferred ifc even to Aukland Oaks, which was the home ot her childhood ; and in obedience to her wishes it was settled that Provence should be their destination. Their preparations wore necessarily \ cry much hurried, for the winter- was preiby well advanced, and it was desirable that they should make the journey as soon as possible. A couple of weeks liom the day on which Doctor Renfrew suggested that they should leave the Towers, found them all in readine^, and the morrow appointed for their departure. The afternoon wagebill and gloom), with a leaden sky, and a desolate, driving rain. A bright tire burned upon the marble hearth of the crimson chamber, and the counters sat before it, wrapped in nor cashmere dressing- lobe, and the Httie baby givl upon her knee" Lord Stiath-pey was bending over her chair, his (me face full of tendcresb love. They had been debating in regard to the most appropriate name to bestow upon the little lady. 'Yes, it must be Marguerite,' the earl wan raying. ' Tis her mother's name, and the sweetest name in the world to me Marguerite, the pearl ! It will suit her— don't you think so, Judith '!' Judith '-at at a distant window, very busy over some article appertaining to the lady' 1 * wardiobe. ' 1 don't think you could choose a prettier name, my lord,' she replied, modestly. 4 Wisdom spoken, Judith,' returned the earl, gaily : ' and I suppose,' he continued, i k you are troing down to Provence with us, 1 Judith, to help take cave of Lady Pearl? I wa-s afiaid that Hendrick might raise some objection, or possibly want to claim you himself "/' ' No, my lord," the girl replied, her dusky fh^eks growing crimson, and the lids drooping o\erhei brown eyes, ' Hendrick does not object, and if he did 1 should ncvei d i earn of leaving my lady in her present condition." 'She would never be able to fill your place, Judith,' continued the earl: 'still we do not wish our inteiests to come be tween you and Hendrick ; he is a Hue, uoi tin young fellow. When is Lady Sti.it h^pey to have the misfortune of losing > ( >u '' 'Nc\ei, my loid," cried the counter : ' the> .ire both to li\e with us when the) j marry. ' r I ' X that it?' lcplied tho eai 1. 'Well, well, 1 quite approve of the arrangement, j When is the happy esent to come oft', .Judith?' Judith Hushed hotly, but her voice was i clear and steady. 1 Not until he makes another \oyagc, my lord," -<he leplied; 'he'll be second mate then, and he promises to give up the seaand settle down. But I doubt whether hell be willing, as J tell him, when the time comes, for you can't make a good landsman of a, sailor, no way.' ' Very true, my girl,' responded the earl ; ' but 1 dare say you can persuade him ; he'll have no need to follow the sea, for you shall bring him a dowry of live thousand pounds on your wedding-day.' ' Oh, my lord !' cried the girl, ' I would nevei think of taking nuch a fortune, though L'm obliged to you all the same.' ' Theie'll be no taking in the question,' said Lord Strathspey. ' I shall have the money settled upon you the day you marry, and think it but a pool compensation. You saved my wife's life, Judith,' ' The pleasure of knowing it is reward enough, my lord.' 'No doubt ; still a few thousands w ill not go amiss when you begin to have little ones ot your own about your teet ; hut we'll not argue tbepointnow — waittillHendrick's voyage is ovei.' ' Little one, Lady Marguerite,' he continued, turning to the babe upon his wife's lap, and pinching its velvet cheeks, ' can't you laugh a little bit tor papa ?' The iniant smiled, and its mother went ofl into raptures. 1 Oh, pray, look at her !' she cried. ' She is laughing, she knows you, she understands you, Angus !' Lord Strathspey kissed the little creature, and continued his> baby-talk, but all ot a sudden he grew silent, and glancing up at him the countess saw that his face was full of inexpressible regret. She read his thoughts in an instant, and her blue eyes tilled vvith tears. ' Poor Angufc !' she said, putting up one hand to caress him. lie clasped the little hand and carried it to hie lips. ' Forgive me, darling,' he said, ' I could nob help it! Tho thought struck me that if we could have kept the boy we should have been choosing his name and rejoicing over him. I could bear it if he were dead, but this uncertainty in regard to bis fate is terrible.' He stood a' moment, struggling hard to overcome his emotion, and then turned abruptly and left the apartment. Tho countess bowed her head upon her hand, and the tears trickled through her fingers. In a little while she looked up. 'Judith,' she said, her voice sounding hoarse and unnatural, ' the doctors ' say ] shall never' give birth to another child, and that i» why my lord grieves so for his boy. Judith, Judith, we must tind him ! With him tho name of Strathspey will die !

J Sir Rudolph Charming will come in as my 1 lord's successor; and to 'centuries the Strathspeys have lived and died in tins grim old castle. Judith, we mmt find the heir !' ' 1 think we shall, my lady,' replied the girl ; ' I had a dream the other night, and some way I can't put it out of my mind ; I can't help believing we shall hear something soon.' ' Oh, Judith !' cried the countess, turning breathlessly toward her, ' a dream, did you say ? What was. it V ' It was Tuesday night,' Judith began, as she lilted in the nleove of the dainty littlo robe she was making : ' I went to bod late, for I'd been in the housekeeper's room, helping her to assort the linen, and I got to sleep the moment I touched the pillow. I soomod all at once to be in a green valley between two high hills, and right befoie me was a little, low farm-house ; [ can sco it so plain, my lady.' 'Go on, Judith,' said the countess, impatiently. 'I thought,' continued Judith, 'that 1 wont in, and there was an old woman sitting in one corner, and a table in the middle of the flour, laid out for dinner, with powtor dishes. You can't tell how plain it all boomed.' ' (Jo on, ' nodded the counter. 1 An old man came into dinnor, and he ■seemed (o be dreadfully worried about a milch goat that was missing trom liis Hock. Ho wanted the old woman to go with him to torn eh for it, and then he asked me. 1 thought that 1 went out into the valley where he kept, his, cattle, and ever .so fai up the heights. Hut we could not find the missing goat, and the old man was about to return in despair, when away up onthevoiy top of a sharp clifV we copied her. 'And now, my lady,' continued Judith, 'comes the strangest part. When we had almoht reached Ikm, the old man cried out : " Why, .she's got kids !' But. at the same moment wo heaid a strange or} , and hurried on. And, my lady, it was not a Kid, but a Ihilhj.' ' A i>id>i/ t Judith ?' cried the countess. ' A real baby, my lady, and it a sucking the creatmc. I took it up in my dream, and looked ;il it> little luce, and 1 knew it in an instant ' Lady Strathspey uttered a suppressed cry. Judith lumicd to her side in alarm, hut she waved her on". 'What? — who was if/ she cried, excitedly. 'It \\u<- your huhy, the hur, my lady !' 'Judith " 'To make sure that my eyes did not deceive me, 1 thought 1 turncl up tho sleeve of the right arm, and theie between the fJiouldcr and the elbow was the birth-mark, I the scurfs of- I ).' Lady Strathspey turned deadly white, and fora moment oi two her breath came in g.t^ps. but by a great etlort she controlled herself, and .said quietly: 'And what else, Judith V Let me hcai the end." ' There*- but little else, my lady, ' Judith answered . 'at ter seeing the birthmark, 1 was* so glad, in niv dream, for your sikc and my lord'.s, that the hoir wan found, that I cried out lor joy, and that awoke me. But some way the dream has still haunted me and I can't get it out of my head that you will hear something soon.' 1 1 have felt impressed in the Hiine way for scveial days,' s-aid the countess ; ' and i very much i egret that we're going to Franco ; indeed, I would abandon the journey now if my lord would consent. I fear that nome tidings or messenger may reach the Towers while we are absent. The larjrc rewards ofieie.l will be sure to bring something to light.' 'In that case, my lady," Judith replied, ' it v» ill be all the tame it you are in France ; you will not be long hearing the news.' ' I suppose not *, yet I feel unwilling to go. At another time nothing would give me more delight than the prospect of spending the winter at the dear old chateau : but now 1 am in no mood for anything, nor shall I ever be until my boy is found. But Lady Pearl is asleep, and you may take her to her ciadlc, Judith.' And Judith obeyed, nestling the tiny, peail-laii face amid the cmbroideted pillows, and the night shutdown black and .stormy, their last night at Strathspey Towers. Alas ! could they have foreseen the many change.-, the undreamed -of changes, that v\erc to come in the ycar.s that la) bctoio them, the earl anil hislcnely >oung wife would nexei lut\o slept so peacefully a.s they did that night !