Part 7 (1/2)

”O mummie,” he pleaded, ”not just yet Couldn't you tell me a story first?”

”I could, of course,” Mrs Orban ad late for you”

”But it is awfully early for you,” Eustace argued ”I don't believe you will sleep if you go now You always say you can't if you go to bed too soon You see, we needn't get up quite so early, as father isn't here to go out to the plantation”

”That is true,” said Mrs Orban with a laugh ”I really think we shall have to make a barrister of you, Eustace, you plead a cause so eloquently But what kind of story shall I tell you?”

”Oh, one of the old home stories, please,” he said instantly ”I should like to know all I can about it before Aunt Dorothy comes”

”I wonder if there are any I have not told you,” Mrs Orban said thoughtfully

”There must be hundreds,” Eustace said ”I always think Maze Court must have stories without end”

”We used to think so, I remember,” said his mother; ”but I suppose that is always the case with a house when one faenerations”

”It is a sixteenth-century house, isn't it?” Eustace asked

”Seventeenth century,” was the answer, ”built in 1688 by Eustace Chase, a loyal subject of the king His father lost everything for the cause, and the youngthe Royalist fortunes--or rather ain”

Eustace gave a huge sigh

”I do like belonging to people like that,” he said with satisfaction

There was a long silence

”Mummie--the story,” pro my memory for one,” said his mother ”Did you ever hear hoe lost Aunt Dorothy?”

Eustace shook his head and settled himself comfortably to listen, so Mrs Orban went on:--

”One su people It happens that several of us have birthdays in the summer, and this was a sort of coe frohteen, and a very loriously, but father prophesied it was going to be too hot to be perfect; and he was right About the athered quickly, and by tea-ti storm; but it was as short as it was sharp, and all over in an hour There was no question as to going out again, the ground was too sopping wet after the rain to dreaood game of hide-and-seek all over the house I wish I could tell you what a lovely place home is for hide-and-seek

There are so o the round of the house on any landing without coe more than twice or three times Then there are several staircases, and lastly the turret, which was always used for 'ho in Once found, you could never get away from there”

”O muo and see it all”

”I alad it does, sonny,” Mrs Orban said ”I want you to want to go--I always pray some day you will It is a home to be proud of”

”Go on, please,” said Eustace in the little pause that followed

”I don't think people ever get tired of hide-and-seek,” Mrs Orban continued ”It is the one ga people We played on and on till dusk, and then the ga to fetch their children hoood-byes,'

rown-ups most of the afternoon, came and asked for Dorothy No one knehere she was 'Who had seen her last?' It was impossible to find out, but apparently she had not been seen by any one for a long time Dorothy at five years old was a very independent little person, and resented being obviously looked after She always liked to hide by herself, for instance Well, then, there began a game of hide-and-seek in real earnest, and it becaroupsthat every corner had been searched, and still there was no trace of Dorothy”

”Didn't grannie nearly go ly He well knehat the loss of Becky would mean to his mother

”Very nearly,” was the answer; ”but I think your grandfather was even worse All the tiny children were taken hoed to be allowed to stay and help, and now the hunt began outside with lanterns a with Dorothy's naled back into the house and began calling and looking all over the sahts had got into our heads by that time We reme chest and could not get out--”