Mary Louise | Page 8

this regard will be of great service to your mother and
me. Do you think you can follow these instructions?"
"To be sure I can, Gran'pa Jim. But why must I---"
"Some day," said he, "you will understand this seeming mystery and be
able to smile at your present perplexities. There is nothing to fear, my
dear child, and nothing that need cause you undue anxiety. Keep a
brave heart and, whatever happens, have faith in Gran'pa Jim. Your
mother--as good a woman as God ever made--believes in me, and she
knows all. Can you accept her judgment, Mary Louise? Can you
steadfastly ignore any aspersions that may be cast upon my good
name?"
"Yes, Gran'pa Jim."
She had not the faintest idea what he referred to. Not until afterward
was she able to piece these strange remarks together and make sense of
them. Just now the girl was most impressed by the fact that her mother
and grandfather were going away and would leave her as a boarder

with Miss Stearne. The delightful home life, wherein she had passed
the happiest two years of her existence, was to be broken up for good
and all.
"Now I must go to your mother. Kiss me, my dear!"
As he rose to his feet Mary Louise also sprang from her chair and the
Colonel folded his arms around her and for a moment held her tight in
his embrace. Then he slowly released her, holding the girl at arms'
length while he studied her troubled face with grave intensity. One kiss
upon her upturned forehead and the old man swung around and left the
room without another word.
Mary Louise sank into her chair, a little sob in her throat. She felt very
miserable, indeed, at that moment. "Harlequin fate!" she sighed. "I
wonder why it has chosen us for its victims?"
After an hour passed in the deserted library she stole away to her own
room and prepared for bed. In the night, during her fitful periods of
sleep, she dreamed that her mother bent over her and kissed her lips--
once, twice, a third time.
The girl woke with a start. A dim light flooded her chamber, for outside
was a full moon. But the room was habited only by shadows, save for
her own feverish, restless body. She turned over to find a cooler place
and presently fell asleep again.
CHAPTER V
OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION
"And you say they are gone?" cried Mary Louise in surprise, as she
came down to breakfast the next morning and found the table laid for
one and old Eben waiting to serve her.
"In de night, chile. I don' know 'zac'ly wha' der time, by de clock, but
de Kun'l an' Missy Burrows did'n' sleep heah a-tall."

"There is no night train," said the girl, seating herself thoughtfully at
the table. "How could they go, Uncle?"
"Jus' took deh auto'bile, chile, an' de Kun'l done druv it heself--bag an'
baggage. But--see heah, Ma'y 'Ouise--we-all ain' s'pose to know nuth'n'
bout dat git-away. Ef some imper'nent puss'n' ask us, we ain' gwine t'
know how dey go, nohow. De Kun'l say tell Ma'y 'Ouise she ain' gwine
know noth'n' a-tall, 'bout nuth'n', 'cause 'tain't nobody's business."
"I understand, Uncle Eben."
She reflected upon this seemingly unnecessary secrecy as she ate her
breakfast. After a time she asked:
"What are you and Aunt Polly going to do, Uncle?"
"Fus' thing," replied the old negro, "Polly gwine git yo' traps all pack
up an' I gwine take 'em ovah to Missy Stearne's place in de wheel-
barrer. Den I gwine red up de house an' take de keys to Mass' Gimble,
de agent. Den Polly an' me we go back to our own li'l' house in de lane
yondeh. De Kun'l done 'range ev'thing propeh, an' we gwine do jus' like
he say."
Mary Louise felt lonely and uncomfortable in the big house, now that
her mother and grandfather had gone away. Since the move was
inevitable, she would be glad to go to Miss Stearne as soon as possible.
She helped Aunt Polly pack her trunk and suit case, afterwards
gathering into a bundle the things she had forgotten or overlooked, all
of which personal belongings Uncle Eben wheeled over to the school.
Then she bade the faithful servitors good-bye, promising to call upon
them at their humble home, and walked slowly over the well-known
path to Miss Stearne's establishment, where she presented herself to the
principal.
It being Saturday, Miss Stearne was seated at a desk in her own private
room, where she received Mary Louise and bade her sit down.
Miss Stearne was a woman fifty years of age, tall and lean, with a

deeply lined face and a tendency to nervousness that was increasing
with