Probable Sons | Page 5

best. Do
you like it?"
Sir Edward replaced his cigar in his mouth and strolled on without a
reply. His little niece's words awakened very uncomfortable feelings
within his heart. Years before he had known and loved his Bible well.
He had been active in Christian work, and had borne many a scoff and
jeer from his companions when at Oxford for being "pious," as they
termed it. But there came a time when coldness crept into his
Christianity, and worldly ambition and desires filled his soul. Gradually
he wandered farther and farther away from the right path, and when he
came into his property he took possession of it with no other aim and
object in life than to enjoy himself in his own way and to totally ignore
both the past and future. Beyond going to church once on Sunday he
made no profession of religion, but that custom he conformed to most
regularly, and the vicar of the parish had nothing to complain of in the
way in which his appeals for charity were met by the squire. It is
needless to say that Sir Edward was not a happy man. There were times
when he could not bear his own thoughts and the solitude of his
position; and at such times there was a hasty departure for town, and
some weeks of club life ensued, after which he would return to his
home, and engross himself in both his literary and country occupations
with fresh vigor.
CHAPTER III.
THE FIRST PUNISHMENT.
Slowly but surely little Milly was advancing in her uncle's favor. Her
extreme docility and great fearlessness, added to her quaintness of
speech and action, attracted him greatly. He became interested in
watching her little figure as it flitted to and fro, and the sunny laugh
and bright childish voice about the house were no longer an annoyance

to him.
One day he was moved to anger by an accident that happened to a
small statue in the hall and Milly was the delinquent. Her ball had
rolled behind it, and both she and the dog were having a romp to get it,
when in the scuffle the statue came to the ground and lay there in a
thousand pieces. Hearing the crash, Sir Edward came out of his study,
and completely losing his temper, he turned furiously upon the child,
giving vent to language that was hardly fit for her ears to hear. She
stood before him with round, frightened eyes and quivering lips, her
little figure upright and still, until she could bear it no longer; and then
she turned and fled from him through the garden door out upon the
smooth grassy lawn, where she flung herself down face foremost close
to her favorite beech tree, there giving way to a burst of passionate
tears.
"I didn't mean it--oh! I didn't mean to break it," she sobbed aloud.
"Uncle Edward is a fearful angry man; he doesn't love me a bit. I wish I
had a father! I want a father like the probable son; he wouldn't be so
angry!"
And when later on nurse came, with an anxious face, to fetch her little
charge in from the cold, wet grass, she had not the heart to scold her,
for the tear-stained face was raised so pitifully to hers with the words,--
"Oh, nurse, dear, carry me in your arms. No one loves me here. I've
been telling God all about it. He's the only One that isn't angry."
That evening, at the accustomed time, Milly stole quietly into the
dining-room, wondering in her little heart whether her uncle was still
angry with her.
As she climbed into her chair, now placed on the opposite side of the
large table, she eyed him doubtfully through her long eyelashes; then
gathering courage from the immovable expression of his face, she said
in her most cheerful tone,--
"It's a very fine night, uncle."

"Is it?" responded Sir Edward, who was accustomed by this time to
some such remark when his little niece wanted to attract his notice.
Then feeling really ashamed of his outburst a few hours before, he said,
by way of excusing himself,--"Look here, Millicent, you made me
exceedingly angry by your piece of mischief this afternoon. That statue
can never be replaced, and you have destroyed one of my most valuable
possessions. Let it be a warning for the future. If ever you break
anything again, I shall punish you most severely. Do you understand?"
"Yes, uncle," she answered, looking up earnestly. "'You will punish me
most severely.' I will remember. I have been wondering why I broke it,
when I didn't mean to do it. Nurse says it was a most 'unfortunate
accident.' I asked her what an accident was. She says