"Yes, dear Sybil. Being separated from me, and in the hands of outlaws, you did right to yield to law. But tell me the immediate motive of your action."
Being so pressed, Sybil commenced and related all that happened to her from the time that she had been so rudely torn from the side of her wounded husband to the moment that she met him again in the court-room.
And she did not fail to give due credit to young Raphael, her devoted worshipper and brave deliverer.
At the close of the narrative, Lyon Berners turned towards the boy, saying:
"Give me your hand, young friend! Henceforth you are our son, to share our home and hearts, and to be cared for as long as we all shall live!"
Raphael bowed low over the hand that was extended to him.
And no more words were then spoken, for the carriage was just turning in to the elm avenue leading up to Black Hall.
But when Sybil came in sight of her home, she suddenly turned to her husband, and asked:
"Oh, Lyon! what has become of my little Nelly? You know we left her locked up in our chamber that morning we started out for a walk, and was stopped by the sheriff"s officers in the hall of the hotel. What has become of her; do you know?"
"She is safe. I brought her from Baltimore to Blackville with me. But then--I am very sorry; but in the rush of other events I forgot her, and left her in the hotel. However, she will be well taken care of, for the people know her."
"I am so glad to hear she is safe. We will send for her to-morrow,"
smiled Sybil.
The carriage rolled on to the house, and drew up before its doors.
Sybil looked out from the window, and saw Miss Tabitha Winterose at the head of all the house servants, standing on the porch to welcome her.
Among them was her little Skye terrier, held in check by Joseph. But as soon as Nelly saw her mistress" face she broke loose, and with almost human cries of frantic delight and impatience, scampered forward, and climbed into Sybil"s down-stretched arms.
"The first to welcome me home, you faithful little friend! But how did you come here, Nelly?" asked Sybil, taking the little creature on her lap, holding its head between her open hands, and looking down into its loving brown eyes.
But for all answer Nelly suddenly darted up and kissed her mistress on the chin.
"Welcome home, Miss Sybil! Oh, Lord be thanked as I have lived to see this blessed day!" blubbered Joe, coming forward, and laughing and sobbing with delight under the full conviction that all his mistress"
sorrows were now over.
"Welcome back, Mrs. Berners, my dear child! a thousand welcomes back!"
whimpered Miss Tabby, pressing forward to meet her.
"And me too, Miss Sybil," added Dilly, rather irrelevantly.
"Now, Lord, let thy servant depart, for I have seen the desire of my eyes," said old Abraham, reverently lifting his hat from his white head, and slightly misquoting the Scriptures.
Sybil had by this time alighted, and was shaking hands right and left with her attached servants.
But now a touching sight met her view--a little delicate baby boy, with fair curling hair, clear blue eyes, and a pink and white complexion, hiding behind Miss Tabby, clinging to her skirts, and peeping out with a look half shy and half confiding.
"Oh, you poor child!" said Sybil, tenderly raising him in her arms and pressing him to her bosom, while her tears fell fast upon his head.
"You poor, poor child! If I had done what they said, could I ever have looked in your sweet eyes again?"
"Don"t cry, poor lady, don"t cry," said the child, lifting up his little ap.r.o.n and trying to wipe her eyes.
"Ah, you poor baby! But you shall never want a mother while I live,"
continued Sybil, still weeping for pity.
"Don"t cry, Cro" will be a good, _good_ boy," coaxed the child; softly stroking her face with his little hand.
"Cro" will give you his mudic box, and all his p"ay things. Don"t cry,"
begged the child, and as a last resort, he put his arms around her neck, and added, "Cro" will love you."
"Come, my dear Sybil! come into the house," said Mr. Berners, who, having paid and discharged the hired carriage, now turned to offer his arm to his wife.
But Sybil covered the child in her arms with kisses, and pressed him warmly to her bosom, before she relinquished him to the care of Miss Tabby.
Then she turned to her husband, who still held out his arm to her.
"Poor Lyon!" she said. "You are scarcely able to stand, yet you wish to escort me in. Joseph!"--she called to their faithful servant--"come here. Don"t you see your master"s state?"
Joe came and looked upon his "sovereign lord," and his eyes and mouth gradually opened in a growing consternation, as he gazed upon the bandaged head.
"Lor save us, ma.r.s.e Lyon; has you been blowed up agin, or has you got you"sef inter a--" Joe paused in respect.
"Row, would you say, Joe? Something like it, I must confess; and a very disreputable appearance I present, no doubt! But there, Joe, I will take your arm into the house, for I do feel rather light-headed still," said Lyon, with a smile, as leaning on his servant, he went up the porch stairs. Sybil followed, attended by Raphael, Miss Tabby and little Cromartie, Delia, and all the servants.
"Come up into your own room, my darling Miss Sybil, Mrs. Berners I mean, which it is all well aired, and nice and warm and ready for you," said Miss Tabby, leading the way up-stairs, followed by Sybil and her maid Delia.
"Oh, how good it is to be home once more! Oh, how delightful to enter one"s own bed-room again," sighed Sybil, with the sense of a great relief, as she sank into her own luxurious easy-chair, beside the bright wood fire.
"Let me take off your bonnet, my pet," said the affectionate old maid, untying with trembling fingers the hat of Sybil.
"Miss Tabby, how came little Nelly here?" inquired Mrs. Berners, as the little dog, who had followed her up stairs, jumped into her lap.
"Why, lors, Miss Sybil, the groom from the livery-stable who brought the news of your coming, fotch the dog too. I b"lieve he said as Capting Pendleton found him running round loose, and sent him home."
"Oh, Miss Tabby, sometime when you and I are sitting by our winter evening fire, I can tell you such stories of what I have gone through, and the best story of all is that of little Nelly," said Sybil caressing her tiny four-footed favorite.
"Surely!" exclaimed Miss Tabby, who, having relieved Sybil of her bonnet and shawl, now sat down for a quiet little talk, while waiting for dinner to be announced. She had little Cro" on her lap.
"Miss Tabby," inquired Sybil, suddenly, "where is that child"s nurse? I notice that you seem to have him all the time."
"Where is his nurse, is it Miss Sybil? Ah, the brazen, piece! She"s gone and got married to Saundy McGruder the livery-stable keeper--master of him who brought the news of your "rival! _Ugh!_" exclaimed Miss Tabby in strong disgust. _She_ had never taken upon herself to get married, and she set her face steadily against all such improprieties in the young servants that were under her control.
"And so she deserted her charge? Poor baby! Hard to lose his mother and his nurse at the same time," said Sybil, compa.s.sionately. Suddenly she changed the subject, and inquired:
"Miss Tabby! did _you_ ever believe I did that?"
"Did which, honey?"
"What they accused me of?"
"Now I wish you hadn"t axed me that there question, Miss Sybil! I do so!