Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-12-05

who since their quarrel seldom came
down for breakfast, was still IN her
bedroom the forged letter and one
from Mr.. Coninsby arrived. Lady
Mary received them with a score OF
others, but so we'll had she initiated
Mr.. Coningsby's writing that for a
moment she was in some difficulty.
She could scarcely distinguish her
own billet doux from his. In mo-
ment, however, she remembered that
the envelope she used had peculiar
water mark, and, holding up the one
letter between her and the light, she
noted this popularity, and thus set
tied any doubt she had. Retaining,
therefore, the other letter. she gave
the forged one to Lady Scilly's maid.
Lady Mary then hurriedly locked up
the purloined note. She was glad the
hand writings were SO identical. Ii
she herself found some difficulty IN
Distinguishing them, surely her moth
er would never expect forgery.
She had hardly got the letter secret
ed when Lady Scilly's maid returned
to her, pale and frightened looking.
80, my lady," she cried, cher lady
ship has taken i'll. | think she's in
Mysteries. Will your ladyship please
see her2"
HAS she sent for ne9' asked Lady
Mary, very much scared.
mo, my lady" answered the maid.
Then ask her if | may come. l
don't like to intrude on her without
her permission"
The fact was, Lady Mary was not
at all anxious to see her mother. Her
guilty conscience had already begun
to trouble her, and she was afraid
that if she went just then into !er
mothers presence, her crime would in
some way or other come out. She
waited uneasily until the maid return
ed, which she did not do for a con-
siderable time and then, by the
countess direction she uniformed Lady
Mary that her ladyship was much
better, and did not wish to see her
Just at present-news which eased
Lady Mary's mind not little.
In about an hour Lady Scilly's
maid again came to her to tell her that
her ladyship would not be down That
day to lunch; and, in reply to in
ouiries, said that the invalid Vas
much better and engaged in writing.
Lady Mary had little difficulty IL
guessing what she was writing about.
She felt so uncomfortable that she
could no longer remain in the house.
So, after lunch, on the plea of having
some purchases to make, she spent a
considerable time driving abou. rather
aimlessly.
When she returned-it was about 4
o'clock-she noticed that the house
hold was in an excited state, and she
soon learned the cause. The countess,
after writing and sending to the post
two letters Zone for Mr.. Coningsby
and the other for Mrs. Blunt, had be-
come so i'll that the butler had felt it
his duty to send for the family physi-
clan, DIR. Killen. That gentleman
was now with her, and they were
waiting to hear his report.
Lady Mary was mortified by this in
telligence. Her mother was, it seem
ed, seriously, it might be dangerously,
i'll, and that illness was caused by her
act-an act, as she had now to confess
to herself, doYa not for her mothers
but her own interests. What would
she do if the countess died9 Would
she not be her murderess2 The thought
was terrible beyond expression. How
she bewailed her stupid anger How
she wished she had never written that
letter Torn with regret and fear,
too conscieHce-stricke to venture into
her mothers presexce, she waited in
agony at the bedroom door until DR..
killen came out.
ooh, DOCTOR" said she, when he at
last appeared, lis she seriously ill.,
Eyes, Lady Mary" replied the doc
tor; very seriously, l am afraid. She
must have suffered terrible shock of
some kind or another. 1t seems as if
she were going to have brain fever"
BRAIN fever! Is that very danger
ous2"
Very" replied the doctor in a
solemn tone. "And | don't
think it right to conceal from you,
Lady Mary, that l greatly fear her
ladyship's case will prove"
While the doctor was speaking,
Lady Mary stood gazing at him with
dazed look. Suddenly, before he
could catch her, she fell fainting al
his feet,
1t seemed likely enough for time
that Lady Mary would soon be suffer
ing from brain fever as well as the
countess. She was scarcely in her
right mind for several days; but for
tunately as her mother grew worse
she grew better. Before week was
over she had, as If by sIperhuman
effort of will, thrown off her illness
and she insisted, against the will of
DR.. Killen, in nursing her delirious
mother.
Lady Mary had not the reputation
of being very dutlful or atfectienate
daughter. All her frienGs had heard
how she again and again had an
noyed, or shocked her poor mother by
her willfulness or her bitter tongue.
But now she exerted herself in her
care in a way almost beyond belief.
Day and night saw her by the sick
bed. watching and tending the suffer
err with an interchangeable tenderness.
People were surprised to find her cap
able of such devotion.
AS long as it was uncertain whether
the countess would live through the
illness or not, Lady Mary thought
little of anything else; but when the
crisis was over, and the patient was
once more conscious, she began to
wonder how it was that Mr.. Coningsby
had not called or written since that
eventful morning. 1t was strange
that he should bear So calmly false
charge, which dealt such blow to his
prospects. She had resolved that
when her mother was sufficiently re
covered, she would confess to her
everything, and absolve the young
actor from the charge. But now as
she pondered over his conduct, she
felt inclined to change her resolution.
1t was plain that he was either glad
of an excuse for breaking off the en-
gagement, or was actually carrying
on an illicit correspondence, in which
he imagined he had been discovered.
In either case, it would be a small
kindness to her mother to bring hin
and her again together.
One day DR.. Killen, after having
examined his patient and pronounced
her to be progressing in the most
satisfactory manner, on leaving the
room, motloned to Lady Mary to fol-
low him. When she went out he said