CHAPTER VIII.
THE VERNES GO TO EUROPE.
"I declare nothing need astonish one nowadays," exclaimed Mrs. Montgomery, throwing aside the Daily Telegraph announcing that Mrs. and Miss Verne had sailed for Europe the day before.
"There's something that will explain matters," said Mr. Montgomery coming in with a letter with Marguerite's initials on the corner of the envelope.
Jennie tore open the missive and hastily scanned the contents.
"They went quite unexpectedly, mother," said the girl, with a slight quiver on the healthful lips, "else Madge would have come to bid good-bye."
Jennie Montgomery loved her sweet-faced cousin as she loved no other companion.
Madge was to her all that was good and lovely, and the thought of separation sent a strange thrill of emotion through her frame—a sense of loneliness that she had never known before.
Mrs. Montgomery felt for her child, and adroitly referred to the fine opportunity of having a correspondent from the mother country, and the pleasure it would give Marguerite to see the sights and curiosities and grandeur which she would hourly meet in her intercourse with the world.
But this shrewd, penetrative woman took another view of the matter when alone in the presence of her husband some hours afterwards.