CHAPTER XXVI

A STRANGER APPEARS AT EGLOSHAYLE

CORAL and Beryl received a hearty welcome home from the good folks of Egloshayle. Every one seemed glad that they had returned. The little Sunday scholars were delighted to see their teachers again, and to learn that the school was to be re-opened on the following Sunday.

After their long holidays, Miss Burton found that her pupils settled to their lessons better than she could have expected. She kept them well employed, and so busy and happy were they that the days seemed winged, so swiftly did they pass.

At the end of June, Mr. Hollys returned home, but he did not remain more than a few weeks at Egloshayle. After he had gone, in the warm August days, the children almost lived in the open air, reading and working, or learning their lessons in some shady nook in the garden, and often coaxing Miss Burton to allow them to have their tea or supper there. Sometimes they would picnic at some pleasant place along the shore; Andrew would go with them loaded with various requisites, and with his help the children would kindle a fire in some sheltered corner amongst the rocks, and boil the kettle for tea in gipsy fashion. When this enjoyable repast was over, Coral and Beryl would amuse themselves by clambering about the rocks, or wading in the waves in search of shells or seaweed.

Though she was now in her teens, and growing a tall girl, Beryl did not disdain these simple pleasures. She was perfectly satisfied with the life she led, and no thought of change, or trouble ever crossed her mind. But whilst she was thus fearless of the future, the coming days were bringing her change and trouble of a kind that would be very hard to bear.

Mr. Hollys came home again at the beginning of September, and, as usual at this season, he had many visitors. Engaged though he was, he managed to find time for many a visit to the schoolroom, and showed much interest in the doings of the children and their governess.

It happened one day, at this time, that Miss Burton and the children, returning through the village from a walk, noticed a strange gentleman standing at the door of the "Blue Anchor Inn." There was nothing remarkable in his appearance; he was merely a tall, dark man, with a long brownish beard, and they would not have given a second thought to him, had he not attracted their attention by starting forward as he caught sight of the children, and regarding them, as they passed, with an earnestness which they found rather embarrassing.

"How that man stared at us!" exclaimed Beryl loftily. "I think it was very rude of him."

"I fancy he thought he had seen you before," remarked Miss Burton.

"He looked at Coral most," said Beryl. "I wonder who he is."

"Some one who is staying at the inn, I suppose," replied Miss Burton; "an artist, perhaps, like your friend Mr. Gilbank."

"Oh, I dare say he knew us by the picture in the Academy!" said Coral, hitting the truth in her childish simplicity.

The others laughed at this suggestion, and then, beginning to talk of Mr. Gilbank, soon forgot the stranger they had seen.

But the next day they saw him again. This time he was on the beach, standing with Joe Pollard on the rocks below Sheldon Point, and listening earnestly to the fisherman, who appeared to be telling him a long story.

"What a strange man that is!" said Beryl. "What can Joe be telling him?"

As she gazed at the two, she saw the stranger grasp Joe's hand, and shake it heartily; then turning, he hastily made his way across the beach in the direction of Egloshayle.

"I shall go and ask Joe who he is," said Beryl; and bounding over the shingles, she was soon at Joe's side.

Joe was startled by the child's sudden appearance and eager questions. He drew the sleeve of his jersey across his eyes, and cleared his throat twice ere he answered her.

"It's the strangest thing, Miss Beryl," he said. "That gentleman has come down from London to find out about the vessel that was wrecked here last March twelvemonth. It seems he has just come back from Canada, where he has been in search of a sister whom he had lost sight of. He learned there that his sister had come to England in this ship—the one as was wrecked here, I mean. So he came, asking me to tell him about the wreck."

"Yes," said Beryl eagerly; "and what did you tell him?"

"Oh, all there was to tell, miss—about the poor lady who died up at the house and little Miss Coral. He'd heard something of it before from the shipowners, I reckon. He's gone off in a grand hurry now—to find Mr. Hollys, I suppose."

"Oh, Joe, what a wonderful thing!" cried Beryl. "He must be Coral's uncle. How surprised she will be to hear it! I must run and tell her."

And Beryl scrambled over the rocks with perilous haste in her eagerness to join Coral. Her mind was thrown into such a state of wonder and excitement by the news she had heard that she could not pause to think how it might affect her own personal history.

Miss Burton and Coral were astonished to hear what she had to tell them. Little Coral looked frightened. Her uncle had become a sort of mythical personage to her, and she had never thought that he would really appear.

"We had better go home at once, Beryl, and tell your father what you have heard," said Miss Burton.

So they hurried to the house as quickly as possible, and surprised Mr. Hollys with their intelligence. Beryl had hardly finished repeating to her father what Joe had told her, when there came a loud ring at the house-bell.

"There he is!" cried Beryl excitedly. "I knew he would soon come for Coral."

"But he won't take me away, will he?" asked Coral, looking dreadfully distressed.

"Not to-day, certainly, my child; don't look so alarmed," said Mr. Hollys kindly, as he took up the card a servant now brought him, and read on it the name of Robert Harvey. "You ought to be glad your uncle has come."

But Coral felt anything but glad as Miss Burton hurried her upstairs to be made presentable by Lucy. A little later a servant was sent to bring Coral to the drawing-room. Coral's face grew white.

"You will come with me, Beryl?" she said, turning with an appealing look to her adopted sister.

Beryl was quite ready to accompany her; but the servant interposed. "Mr. Hollys said that only Miss Coral was to go down," she said.

Beryl dropped Coral's hand with a look of disappointment, and poor little frightened Coral had to go alone to meet her formidable uncle.

"Oh, Miss Burton!" exclaimed Beryl, when they were alone. "Do you think Coral's uncle will want to take her away from us?"

"I cannot tell," said her governess gravely.

And Beryl felt that if her dear little sister were taken from her, she could never be happy again.