Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-07-13


all, If you would break my heart and
your own to obey"
81 owe them so much" said Dana,
wistfully. And you, too, Launt! ]
never have realized. never can realize,
that / am only an unknown wait"
Back upon Launt's mind, like an I'M
pleasant wave. came that insinuation of
Harmon Quests. Whose child was she?
Dana" he said, more gravely than
he had spoken vet, Il accepted what
Mr.. Oliphant had to tell me, and asked
no questions; he entered into no details.
Will you relate what you know of your
adoption, how it came, who your own
parents were?"
1.-THE last 1 am afraid shall never
know" said Dana, with a sigh. "And
the story is strange one. 1t was
when papa and mamma were newly
married, in New York, and about to
sail. They had gone on board ship
when a respectable looking German girl
approached them with me in her arms,
and asked. brokenly. of mamma, if she
were the lady who was TO take the ba-
Ivy. On being answered no, the girl,
who seemed in trouble. broke down aud
tegan iU cry. 1t appeared that a
woman, representing herself to be the
nurse hired by lady about to 90
abroad. had repented the engagement
at the last moment, and hired the Ger
man girl to carry the child on board the
ship. This woman was in great hur-
~ to leave the city, and had gone an
hour before the ship sailed The SIM
pie German suspected no trcachery. and
il was only when one lady passenger
after another disclaimed me that she
grew alarmed. Mamma was the last
one to come on board, and to mamma
she poured out the whole OtOry. Papa
questioned her closely, but the girl only
seemed confident of one point: that
neither the pretended nurse, nor the
mythical lady, was the baby's mother
this she maintained with an evidently
honest belief. Who the lady was she
could not tell. Either in her confusion
she had forgotten the name. or onlyDim-
perfectly understanding the language
had mistaken it from the first. Well,
she was for leaving me on the ship
whether or no, and when it appeared
that | would only be taken away to be
sent to an asylum, my more than par
ents made up their minds 20 keep me.
That is all of the story, Launt, rs /
leased it out of papa years ago; and /
believe mammals one regret is that /
was not brought up in entire ignorance
of the fact, and taught to believe myself
t-uly their own"
And did they take no steps TO trace
out your true parentage?' asked Launt,
deeply interested.
They were going abroad. as / told
you, and never returned until we all
came together. Papa did leave word
for some one to make inquiry, but ii
came to nothing. No one ever ap-
peared to search for me ut the ships
office, at least
a little silence fell The bright
ness cf sunset faded into the pearly
after light. The monotonous thud-thud
/ of the horses hOOfs on the sand, the
roll of the carriage and the boom of the
sea, all mingled vaguely in Dana's I'M
/ needing ears.
"Launt!' she turned TO him, sudden
/ ly. Repent of your bargain now il
/ YOU ever mean to repent il. The
| despicable creature who abandoned me
may have been my mother after all.
Don't marry me unless you are willing
To face that consideration. can for
give you if you give me up now; later,
L might not"
"Givo YOU upr' cried Launt mot
for anything you have told me; not for
| UNNECESSARILY worse. But il is strange,
incredible-Charley, sir, what is it?''
lt was only n curl of white foam
breaking on the beach, but Charley,
/ the horse. made n sudden bolt. Dana,
] eel L.
/ from the open seat of the carriage to
the ground. In another moment Launt
was out at her side, pale and anxious.
mo bones broken" she said. mer-
rily. 81 did think for moment that
the stars were shining below"
Not hurt, Dana? Oh, but YOU are
There is a great bruise on your fore
head. You have had terrible blow
/ there"
She put up her hand. The dark hair.
waving low on her brow, had been
/ pushed back, showing livid bar run
ming transversely from the temple.
Look at me, Launt," she cried
| dramatically. Think once more. II
/ is not a bruiSe, but birthmark. A
mark of shame and disgrace, perhaps,
for all know. never felt rs If were
| doing you any wrong before, but do
| feel that | may be now. No wonder
Papa Oliphant hesitates, with such a
mystery hanging over me. Let us say
/ goodbye and part. You don't want =
wife who is marked like Cain"
Launt stopped and touched his lips TO
the spot, then brushed the soft hair
back into place with gentle touch.
No power on earth shall part us, -
he said. my darling. my darling!
how little you know me if you think a
trifle like that could have the slightest
effect on my love"