At Love's Cost

They drew a breath of relief, and nodded assentingly; and presently

they made a general movement of departure. Lord Bannerdale lingered

behind the others. "I won't ask the poor child to see me, Mr. Wordley,"

he said. "Will you therefore be good enough to give her Lady

Bannerdale's love, and to tell her that, as Lady Bannerdale has written

to her, we shall be more than pleased if she will come to us at the

Court. She is to consider it her home for just as long as she should

please; and we shall feel it a pleasure and an honour to have her

amongst us as one of our own. Of course she cannot remain alone here,

in this great place."

The old lawyer bowed.

"I will give her your kind message, for which I thank you on her

behalf, Lord Bannerdale. I do not know what she will do, or where she

will go; at present she is not in a condition to discuss any plans for

her future, though to-day she expressed a desire to remain at the

Hall." He paused for a moment before he added: "I do not know whether

she can do so."

"My cousin is young, and a mere child, and she must follow the advice

of her elders and her guardian. The future of even the sparrow is in

higher hands than ours, and we know not what a day may bring forth,"

said Mr. John Heron, grimly, and with an uplifting of his heavy brows.

"Quite so," said Lord Bannerdale, who had taken a great dislike for the

sanctimonious speaker, and who could scarcely repress a shudder as he

shook Mr. John Heron's cold and clammy hand.

When they had all gone, Mr. Wordley said: "We had better go into the library and talk matters over. I will send

for Miss Ida. It seems cruel to disturb her at such a moment, but there

is no help for it."

"You speak as if you had bad tidings, Mr. Wordley, to give us," said

John Heron.

"I am afraid I have," responded the old lawyer, shaking his grey head

sadly.