Walter's word Author:James Payn Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. THE ARRIVAL. I HE carriage here began rapidly to descend, and passing under a gateway, and through a wilderness of shrubs and laurels, dr... more »ew up before a flight of stone steps. Litton knew, of course, that they had stopped at the front-door of the Hall, and was all anxiety to note how his companions were received. His quick eye had observed, even in that uncertain light, that the gateway was not only old, but crumbling to its fall; that the shrubbery showed no tokens of the gardener's care; and that the steps were chipped and broken. The whole place was evidently poverty-stricken; but it was not poverty—just then—that he feared upon Lotty's account. He was anxious tosee what sort of guardian Selwyn had provided for her in his aunt. The door opened, and an old man-servant appeared, and came slowly down the steps, at the top of which, with a lamp in her hand, stood a tall dark woman, gazing at them intently. " That's my aunt," whispered the captain, jumping out, notwithstanding his game-leg, and running up to her. She did not move towards him a hairbreadth, nor even hold out her hand. Then a question and answer were, as it seemed, rapidly exchanged—and, to Walter's extreme relief, a smile broke out upon the hostess's face, and she came swiftly down to the carriage-door. She was only just in time, for poor Lotty, in an agony of grief and shame, had almost fainted away; it had seemed to her that Mrs. Sheldon was about to refuse her admittance. " What a journey you have had, my dear, and how tired you must be !" were that lady's first words, uttered in a sweet and sympathetic, though, as it seemed to Walter, a somewhat affected tone. "However, you have reached home at last." She held out her arms, gracefully, almost theatrically, in welcome, and Lotty ...« less