The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-07-06

- l.as
to have it written out and bring it down
to sign by the end Of the week, Mr..
Oliphant. says, but there's a little trip
to Cuba, my dear sir, to come between.
As If l couldn't see it was manufactured
business to draw me away from that
purpose! 1t bo:hers me to know how
much he is victim, how much PdritGeps
criminis.
A little earlier, when the bright
hues of sunset were painted on sea and
sky, our two lovers were driving upon
long strip of beach road, as level as
floor. They were reunited after a
separation of four days, and Launt was
ready to declare they had seemed four
months.
Your father need never think to
send me away without you" he was
saying. ..My interests in the South
may suffer-let them. 1t matters very
little since am 10 close everything out
there when we go on our wedding-tour.
1t must be in September, not later, my
darling, and this is only June"
"Only .Junem echoed Dana, with a
laugh. And it was only May when
we were both very miserable. You
pretend to be happy, and time drags
with you like that"
81 am so happy that l am afraid il
will not last. l am taking it for grant
ed that have you safe, and yet l am
denied the promise indefinitely. Won
der, Dana, if your hard-hearted parents
should demand YOU to give me up after
all, if you would break my heart and
your own to obey"
Il owe them so much," said Dana.
wistfully. "And you, too, Launt! l
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 or
Harmon Quests. Whose child was she?
DANA" he said, more gravely than
he had spoken yet, 81 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 l am afraid 1 shall never
know" said Dana, with a sigh. land
the story is 4 strange one. 1t was
when papa and mamma were newly
married, in New York, and about 10
sail. They had gone on board ship
when 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-
by. On being answered no, the girl,
who seemed in trouble, broke down and
began to cry. 1t appeared that a
woman, representing herself to. be the
nurse hired by lady about to 60
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 a great hur-
~ TO leave the city, and had gone an
hour before the ship sailed. The SIM
pie German suspected no treachery. and
it 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 story. 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 only i'm
I 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 to keep me.
That is all of the story, Launt, as |
teased 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 1 told
you, and never returned until we all
came together. Papa did leave word
for some one to make inquiry, but it
came to nothing. No one ever APP
peared to search for me at the ship )
office, at least"
A little silence fell The bright
ness of 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.
"Lanntr' she turned to him, sudden
ly. Repent of your bargain now if
you ever mean to repent it. 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 mil ht NOT
"Give you upr' cried Launt. "Not
for anything you have told ME: not for
UNNECESSARILY worse. But it is strange,
incredible-Charley, sir, what is it9'
1t was only a curl of white foam
breaking on the beach, but Charley,
the horse, made a sudden bolt. Dana,
taken unwares by the lIrch, was thrown
from the open seat of the carriage to
the ground. In another moment Launt
was out at her side, pale and anxious.
"No bones broken" she said, mer-
rily. II did think for moment that
the stars were shining below"
"Not hurt, Dana? Oh, but you are.
There is 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 rum
ming transyersely from the temple.
Look at me, Launt," she cried.
dramatically. "Think once more. 1t
is not bruise, but birthmark. A
mark of shame and disgrace, perhaps,
for all I Ennw I newer falt a. IL wara