My precious sister," and Nina
Bernard fell back fainting just as Arthur appeared in the room,
and just as from the yard without there went up from the
congregated blacks, who together with their master and Victor, had
listened to Marie's story, a deafening shout, a loud huzza for
"Miggie Bernard," come back to Sunnybank, and back to those who
generously admitted her claim, and would ere long acknowledge her
as their mistress.
The few particulars which Edith had omitted in her story to Nina
may, perhaps, be better told now than at any other time. Mr.
Bernard, while in Paris, had been implicated in some disgraceful
affair which rendered him liable to arrest, and taking the name of
Temple, by way of avoiding suspicion, he fled to Germany, where he
met and married the beautiful Swedish Petrea, who, being young and
weary of a governess's life, was the more easily charmed with his
wealth and rather gentlemanly address. Because it suited his
peculiar nature to do so, he kept his real name from her until
they reached New York, when, fearful of meeting with some of his
acquaintances there, he confessed the fraud, laughing at it as a
good joke, and pronounced Petrea over nice for saying he had done
wrong.
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