Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-08-24

IL YOU nave nhu any WOIu lTolll-
He made little pause before utter
ing the name. IL was the first time that
he had mentioned IL except incidental
". He had listened in evident sympaA
thy while Lex bemoaned her cousin $
strange action-for Lex was loyal
through all.
"Nonc," she answered. with a sigh.
"What has become of Quest?"
THAT Is more than j know-more
than care To know" and Lexis eyes
snapped with indignant fire. HE
tried to levy blackmail Of me, and when
he failed spread the whole, miserable
story which would never have gone into
the papers but for that. II was too
bad don't pity aunt Rose so much,
but IL was different with Dana. She
hadn't done anything wrong. and I'd
give anything to find her. They took
me in when / was poor and friendless,
and IL is absolutely unklnd of Dana to
hide away. as il wouldn't be rs gener-
Gus, now that it has come my turn. 1
am growing out of all patience with her.
You know that advertised. and what
makes me angry is that l haveR't-a
doubt but she has seen the advertise
ment dozen times, and is too stiff
necked and proud to answer it"
" II was n terrible blow to her" said
Gordon, gravcly. "Mr. Oliphant' S
death and her mothers flight alone
were enough To crush her, and when
YOU add the humiliation caused by
Quests revelations and Farrington's
conduct, what wonder that she should
feel like hiding her head from all the
world Ne has not been heard from, /
suppose?'
The bitterness with which he asked il
was like n revelation TO Lex. She an
severed the question with n negative
shake of the head; for ono moment,
perhaps. she would not have liked 10
trust her voice in words. Then
81 dare say we could find Dana readily
enough IL we were To- put detective on
her track" she said. "but | have been
afraid to do it-afraid. lest she might be
with her mother. What would they do
with her IL they should find her?"
A sudden gloom Overshadowed his
countenance.
i don't think that consideration need
trouble YOU. Miss BraXton. | know |
can trust you. II Dana were with her
mother would not be here. IL is be-
cause | know where Mrs. Oliphant is
and that fear she has not much longer
To live that am most anxious to find
her daughter. 1 have an idea that
Quest would know by this time. but it
would never do to let Quest into the
secret have just told YOU. nor any de-
tective for the same reason. could
find him by going to Rivcrton. to those
trustees, perhaps, hut il take that step,
Miss BraXtOn. must rely upon your
misleading him * To my object. He
must think that you are the one urging
me To- search for Dana"
ale shall think IL. said Lex, brave
" enough. Il commission YOU to find
her and bring her to me. Mr.. Mar
quis. with an involuntary lowering Of
her voice, eli there is money needed,
as i suppose there must be, / insist up
ON supplying Il. For Aunt Rose, /
mean. Sick? Has she n doctor?
''Shc has every necessary care"
''Mr. Marquis, Lexis voice dropped
still lower; twas il true? Did she COM
NIT a murder and let hel. husband bear
the blame? i never could have be-
lievcd Aunt Rose wicked enough for
that. Has she told YOU about it?''
''She has told me nothing. doubt
IL there Is much To- tell. nOtwithstand-
ing the reports which have gone abroad.
Whatever her faults may have been, |
am far from believing that she was ever
willfully wicked. ...
Tie went away soon after that, and
Lex walked over to apostrophize her
full-length reflection in one of the
massive mirrors.
"lf ever / saw fool I'm nv life I see
one now. Don't YOU feel little
ashamed Of yourself, ydearP Thought
he was in love with VoU, did YOU? Ii don't
appear 20 me you're very good sub
icct to inspire the tender passion. Even
Quest couldn't get up the scmblance
of IL, much as he wanted your money.
Dana is more To- him'-not meaning
Quest now-'.than you ever will be to
any man, and you may as well make up
your mind to it. Lex Braxton. if YOU
are baby enough to cry about it, I'll
never forgive YOU"
She winked away the crystal drops
which were more of modification than
Atal mart pain.
Mr.. Marquis returned to New York
that evening. The next day he went To
Rverton to pursue his inquiries, and
found, rs he had supposed, that the
trustees Of Rodney Frances unclaimed
money could supply him with Quest s
address. u
BROOKLYN he repeated with little
start. Mrs. Oliphant was there in lodg-
ings Of his choosing. Could it be that
the lawyer was on his track. He dis
missed the apprehension after n mo-
ment's thought. Ii was only one of
those condolences which are always
happening.
He had an hour to spare while he
waited for his train, and walking along
the winding road which led beyond the
village. he paused ut the gate of the
little rural cemetery, all grown up with
somber frs and weeping elms, through
whose dropping branches came the
CLEAN Of occasional tombstones. though
one-half of all there seemed to be neg
lected and oyergrown graves.
"His would be of that lot" unused
Gordon. 81 wonder II could find ito
The gate was unlocked. He went in
and wandered about the deserted paths.
The place was small. less than an acre
in extent. He passed the well-kept
plots with the merest glance, to push
aside the briars from gray. sunken
headstones. where the inscriptions were
half obliterated by moss aud age, but
he did not find the name for which he
sought. He was on the point of turning
away NJ last. of in one corner lay a
solitary grave which he had passed
without approaching. A broken shaft
of purest white marble marked il, and
a narrow path broken through the light
snow which covered the ground showed
that, though lost. the one who lay there
was not forgotten. AS Gordon paused
for one last glance around, n girlish
figure fitted across his sight. directing
her course toward that isolated mound.
His heart gave a sudden leap. He
had not seen her face. but the Inquire and
walk seemed too familiar to be mistak-
en-. He followed her. and his eyes fell
upon the tablet of the shaft. II had