“If she is the child I believe her to be, she is my niece,” answered Overton, “and a lady of wealth and distinction is ready to take charge of her. A sound Protestant, moreover. Would you not then yield her up?”
“I would not selfishly prevent the dear girl from doing anything which would advance her interests. But you may be wrong; perhaps she is not the child you seek. However, I will call her, and you can speak to her yourself.”
The Flemish woman, opening a door, called, and in an instant a girl eleven or twelve years old came bounding into the room. She was very fair, with blue eyes, her countenance full of animation, her light-brown hair long and silky.
“Aveline,” she said, “here is a worthy gentleman who wishes to speak with you. He thinks he knew your dear mother. Will you describe her to him, that he may judge whether he is right?”
Aveline ran up to Overton, and taking his hand, exclaimed:
“Oh yes! she was an angel, so sweet and loving and kind, and her figure so tall and graceful.”
“Yes, yes,” said Overton, looking eagerly in the child’s face; “but her name, what was her name?”
“My dear father, before he went away, always called her Barbara.”
“Ah! yes,” said Overton, “that was the name; but the surname; by what name was your father known?”
“My father’s name was Radford—Captain Radford. He went away a long time ago, in a big ship, belonging to some merchant adventurers, and he has never since come back, and poor dear mamma was accused of reading the Bible, and of loving God’s people more than the ways of the world, and some cruel men came and dragged her off to prison. They very nearly took me, but she told me to fly away, and to get clear of them, and that I must throw myself on the mercy of the first Protestant family I could meet. I ran and ran on, wishing to obey my mother, and fearing that the Queen’s guards would be in pursuit of me, till I came upon an encampment of travellers by the roadside. I stopped and listened; they were singing a hymn. I knew that it was a Protestant hymn, and thus I knew that I might trust them. They did not understand much I said, for they had not been long in the country. Yet I made myself understood, and when they heard my tale they undertook to afford me protection. In vain I have since frequently begged that I might go forth and search for my mother, but they always shook their heads, and said it was of no use. Still I am sure that I shall meet her again. Do you not think so, sir?”