Part 12 (1/2)

And now that evenings of study had stopped for awhile, Sally went again after supper to the beloved seat at Ingleside. And Lady Lucretia Grandison and Lady Rosamond Earlscourt strolled often over to the arbor and chatted gaily while their white fingers held the embroidery at which they worked continually when not reading.

Many the scarf, cape, or flowing sleeve they worked themselves with which to deck their fair necks, shoulders, and arms.

One evening, as Sally sat dreaming on the stones, she heard Rosamond Earlscourt say:

”I must furbish up my riding-suit, for cousin Lionel will want to mount Hotspur once he is home again, and I my Lady Grace.”

And Lucretia answered, ”Lionel liketh best to ride alone when on Hotspur's back. Do not you remember he thought it made Hotspur impatient to have another horse beside him, and raised his temper?”

”Then there are other horses he can ride,” returned Rosamond. ”My beautiful Lady Grace is tired of standing in the stable, but I like not to ride alone or only with a groom for company.”

These words seemed to rouse something in Sally's soul, and she cried, inwardly:

”Oh, why could not I have a 'Lady Grace,' a dear horse of my own on which to fly across the country? I could ride, I know I could, and oh, oh! I feel it within me that a fine horse, fine books, fine clothes, a fine house, all, all that I see at Ingleside or Cloverlove, would fit into my soul!”

”Dear child,” said her Fairy, pityingly, ”it is hard not to have what the heart cries out for. Why not try to find out more about yourself?

Have you ever questioned Mistress Brace about your father, or it might be about your mother, or what she may know of the home from whence they came?”

Sally had never thought of this before. She was now twelve years old, but the three years spent at the Flats, rather a miserable place, and now nearly four at Slipside Row, were all that she plainly remembered.

Now, seeing and hearing these people who were so far above her, had wakened that spirit or Fairy within her, which set her thinking of a better kind of life.

”Perhaps Mistress Brace has things that belonged to my parents, and that ought to be given me,” murmured Sally.

”Why not ask her that, too?” said the Fairy.

”It would be no use,” sighed the maiden.

CHAPTER XI.

FACE TO FACE

It was but a few days later that Goodman Kellar banged l.u.s.tily on the door, asking to see Mistress Brace. He had a fine setting of duck's eggs to sell.

Sally was in the keeping-room mending, but she called Mistress Brace down from her room. Then began a long parley about the eggs and some other produce.

Then Sally had an errand to her tiny room, and as she pa.s.sed Mistress Cory Ann's door, she saw that a queer little trunk, all hair on the outside, and with rows of great bra.s.s-headed nails along the edges, was standing open by the bed.

Sally had often seen the little trunk, which was always kept under Mistress Brace's bed tightly locked. She must have made a great mistake in leaving it open, Sally thought.

She felt for a moment that it would not be quite right to take a peep inside the trunk.

”It does not seem proper,” said the Fairy.

”I will take but a peep,” Sally replied.

She was so afraid the good Fairy might try to stop her that she hurried over to the bed and stooped down.