Wanted A Chaperon Author:Paul Leicester Ford 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: " Oh, aunty," cried the girl, springing to her feet, " I 'm so glad I How good of you to come I But how did you know?" " Put on your cloak at once and come wi... more »th me," directed her aunt, sharply. " Oh, aunty, won't you please let me tell you how it all happened, and introduce—" " Not a word, Lydia; but do as I tell you," ordered Mrs. Travers. With some difficulty, for the crutches were out of reach, Mr. Murchison rose to his feet, and said: " I trust you will let me explain how little Miss Greenough is in fault in what I can see you both misjudge and blame." " My niece, sir, can tell me all I wishto know," she replied as icily as could be, " and I do not choose to stay here an instant longer than we must. Come, Lydia," she said to the girl, who had hastily thrown on her wrap, as she moved away from the door. " Yes, aunty," came a frightened acquiescence. Then she held out to her host a hand that trembled. "Thank you, thank you, oh, so much, for being so kind to me, and please don't think— " " Lydia," called her aunt impatiently from the hall; and leaving her sentence unfinished, the girl added an " Oh, forgive my not saying all I want to ! " even as she ran after her aunt. Finally getting to his crutches, Mr. Murchison hobbled to the door, just intime to see the butler close the front one. " Did you answer the bell just now, Richards?" he asked quietly. "Yes, sir; I wash jush goin' up- shtairs when I hearsh it." " And what did the lady say ?" " She ashks for young lady, sir, an' I tells her she dinin' wish you in back room, an' then she hurrish down hall wishout ashking permission." " Very well. Go to bed." The order given, Mr. Murchison limped back to the center of the room, and stood there leaning on his crutches. The fire had died down, t...« less