WE COME HOME--MRS. BUNDLE QUITS SERVICE
The day my wife and I returned from our wedding trip to Dacrefield was
a very happy one. We had a triumphal welcome from the tenants, my dear
father was beaming, the Rector no less so, and good old Nurse Bundle
showered blessings on the head of my bride.
Frances was a great favourite with her. She was devoted to the old
woman, and her delicate tact made her adapt herself to all Mrs.
Bundle's peculiarities. She sat with her in the nursery that night
till nearly dinner-time.
"I must take her away, Nursey," said I, coming in; "she'll be late for
dinner."
"Go with your husband, my dear," said Nurse Bundle, "and the Lord
bless you both."
"I'll come back, Nursey," said Frances; "you'll soon see me again."
"Turn your face, my dear," said Nurse Bundle. "Hold up the candle,
Master Reginald. Ay, ay, that'll do, my deary. I'll see you again."
We were still at dessert with my father, when Bowles came hastily into
the room with a pale face, and went up to my wife.
"Did you send for Mrs. Bundle, ma'am, since you came down to dinner?"
he asked.
"Oh, dear no," said my wife.
"Cook was going upstairs, and met Missis Bundle a little way out of
her room," Bowles explained; "and Missis Bundle she says, 'Don't stop
me,' says she, 'Mrs. Dacre wants me,' she says, and on she goes; and
cook waits and waits in her room for her, and at last she comes down
to me, and she says--"
"But where _is_ Mrs. Bundle?" cried my father.
"That's circumstantially what nobody knows, sir," said Bowles with a
distracted air.
We all three rushed upstairs. Mrs. Bundle was not to be found. My
father was frantic; my wife with tears lamented that some chance word
of hers might have led the half-childish old lady to fancy that she
wanted her.
But a sudden conviction had seized upon me.
"You need not trouble yourself, my darling," said I; "you are not the
Mrs. Dacre Nurse Bundle went to seek."
I ran to my father's dressing-room. It was as I thought.
Below my mother's portrait, on the spot where years before she had
held me in her arms with tears, I, weeping also, held her now in
mine--quite dead.
THE END
* * * * *
The Queen's Treasures Series
_Small Crown 8vo. With 8 Coloured Plates and Decorated Title-Page,
Covers, and End-Papers_.
_2s. 6d. net each_.
COUSIN PHILLIS.
By MRS. GASKELL. Illustrated by MISS M. V. WHEELHOUSE. With an
introduction by THOMAS SECCOMBE.
SIX TO SIXTEEN.
By MRS. EWING. Illustrated by MISS M. V. WHEELHOUSE.
A FLAT IRON FOR A FARTHING.
By MRS. EWING. Illustrated by MISS M. V. WHEELHOUSE. [_Nov_. 1908.
JAN OF THE WINDMILL.
By MRS. EWING. Illustrated by MISS M. V. WHEELHOUSE. [_Jan_. 1909.
_Others to follow_.
LONDON: GEORGE BELL & SONS
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