Think better of it, dear! Trust me again, and you will and little Lucy is darker far than ever her father was.
never have cause to regret it.” But dark or fair, she is my own dear little girlie, and “I have trusted you too long, Effie,” he cried, her mother’s pet.” The little creature ran across at the sternly. “Leave go of me! I must pass you. My friends words and nestled up against the lady’s dress. “When and I are going to settle this matter once and forever!” I left her in America,” she continued, “it was only He pushed her to one side, and we followed closely because her health was weak, and the change might after him. As he threw the door open an old woman have done her harm. She was given to the care of a ran out in front of him and tried to bar his passage, faithful Scotch woman who had once been our ser-but he thrust her back, and an instant afterwards we vant. Never for an instant did I dream of disowning were all upon the stairs. Grant Munro rushed into the her as my child. But when chance threw you in my lighted room at the top, and we entered at his heels. way, Jack, and I learned to love you, I feared to tell you about my child. God forgive me, I feared that I
It was a cosy, well-furnished apartment, with two should lose you, and I had not the courage to tell you.
candles burning upon the table and two upon the I had to choose between you, and in my weakness I mantelpiece. In the corner, stooping over a desk, turned away from my own little girl. For three years I there sat what appeared to be a little girl. Her face have kept her existence a secret from you, but I heard was turned away as we entered, but we could see from the nurse, and I knew that all was well with her.
that she was dressed in a red frock, and that she had At last, however, there came an overwhelming desire long white gloves on. As she whisked round to us, I to see the child once more. I struggled against it, but gave a cry of surprise and horror. The face which she in vain. Though I knew the danger, I determined to turned towards us was of the strangest livid tint, and have the child over, if it were but for a few weeks. I the features were absolutely devoid of any expression. sent a hundred pounds to the nurse, and I gave her An instant later the mystery was explained. Holmes, instructions about this cottage, so that she might come with a laugh, passed his hand behind the child’s ear, a as a neighbor, without my appearing to be in any way mask peeled off from her countenance, an there was a connected with her. I pushed my precautions so far little coal black negress, with all her white teeth flash- as to order her to keep the child in the house during ing in amusement at our amazed faces. I burst out the daytime, and to cover up her little face and hands laughing, out of sympathy with her merriment; but so that even those who might see her at the window Grant Munro stood staring, with his hand clutching should not gossip about there being a black child in his throat. the neighborhood. If I had been less cautious I might
“My God!” he cried. “What can be the meaning have been more wise, but I was half crazy with fear of this?” that you should learn the truth.
“I will tell you the meaning of it,” cried the lady, “It was you who told me first that the cottage was sweeping into the room with a proud, set face. “You occupied. I should have waited for the morning, but I have forced me, against my own judgment, to tell could not sleep for excitement, and so at last I slipped you, and now we must both make the best of it. My out, knowing how difficult it is to awake you. But you husband died at Atlanta. My child survived.” saw me go, and that was the beginning of my trou-
“Your child?” bles. Next day you had my secret at your mercy, but you nobly refrained from pursuing your advantage.
She drew a large silver locket from her bosom. Three days later, however, the nurse and child only “You have never seen this open.” just escaped from the back door as you rushed in at “I understood that it did not open.” the front one. And now to-night you at last know She touched a spring, and the front hinged back. all, and I ask you what is to become of us, my child There was a portrait within of a man strikingly hand- and me?” She clasped her hands and waited for an some and intelligent-looking, but bearing unmistak- answer. able signs upon his features of his African descent. It was a long ten minutes before Grant Munro “That is John Hebron, of Atlanta,” said the lady, broke the silence, and when his answer came it was “and a nobler man never walked the earth. I cut my- one of which I love to think. He lifted the little child, self off from my race in order to wed him, but never kissed her, and then, still carrying her, he held his once while he lived did I for an instant regret it. It other hand out to his wife and turned towards the was our misfortune that our only child took after his door. people rather than mine. It is often so in such matches, “We can talk it over more comfortably at home,”