The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-02-23
Grace Lilburne's Secret.
A STORY OF
TWO CHRISTMAS DAYS.

one OF the surgeons with smiling face
beckons them into the room.
I'VE have succeeded. Her reason is
already coming back TO her, said Sir
Felix Ferris In low tone.
And just then Kate lifted her head,
and extending her hands in terror ex-
claimed:
Grace. won't hide here; I tell you
She looked about her." but the room
was strange, so were the faces until her
eyes lighted upon that of her lover.
Then the first smile that had wreath
ed her face since that fearful night
came over 1t, and she held out her
hands TO him as she asked:
Roland, have been dreaming? l
thought 1t was Christmas night, and we
were all playing at hide-and-seek, and
Grace was persuading me to hide in the
turret-chamber in the old tower. and
suddenly thought l was falling down
some awful chasm, and then I woke
with the fright But where am IL
don't know this place, and who are
these peoplepn
She asked this In low tone, not wish
ing to seem rude, but Mrs. Fairfield
came forward and asked:
Don't you know me, dearieY'
"Of course do-Nurse Fairfield, my
foster.mother; but that isn't Frankly"
1T is Frank" was the reply.
But now the doctors interposed and
suggested quiet and an absence of all
excitement. The operation had been
completely successful, but it was well
not TO put too great a strain upon the
newly awakened intellect.
so Kate was persuaded to try to sleep
for while, having previously been as
sured that everything should be ex-
planned to her in good time, and Roland
and Frank went away with the doctors,
while Mrs. Fairfield alone remained to
guard her nursing.
1.-THE young lady should be taken to
some quiet place by the sea, and excite
ment of every kind should be carefully
avoided for some time to come" said
the great surgeon who had conducted
the operation.
For several monthsl' repeated Ro-
land In dismay; do you mean that sew
eral months must elapse before 1t will
be safe for her to marryy"
"Most decidedly was the reply; sun
der very favorable conditions, and pro-
vided she is kept free from all trouble
and anxiety in the interval, it may be
safe for her to marry In December, but
certainly not before, and it is now the
end of july
So the matter was decided, though
Mrs. Fairfield shook her head over the
arrangement, but she did not refuse to
take her foster-child down to the quiet
fishing village, and remain there with
her while Roland very reluctantly went
for a short tour on the Continent, and
on his return to England he embraced
girl who was strangely like the lost
Kate Lilburne.
Strangely like her indeed. The bloom
of health had returned to her cheek; the
fearless queenly dignity that had de-
serted her with the loss of reason, but
before that terrible fall, had come back
to her now, while she was as winning
and loving as she had ever been.
No trace now remained of the terri
BILE ordeal which she had recently pass
ed through.
Next to her delight ut meeting her
lover, and the near prospect of being
united to him. was the desire to be en-
braced by her father, and to dissipate
the grief which she knew he must feel
at her loss.
II hope we have not been selfish in
not sending to papa she said anxious
ly, as she talked to Roland about her
father. II shall never forgive myself
if our silence has injured his health"
You need have no fear upon that
account, dearest, he replied somewhat
bitterly; ''your absence from Silverton
will be celebrated this year with rejoic-
ing rather than be mourned over with
tears. A wedding party is to be as
sembled, the castle is to be filled with
guests, and | am among the number of
those invited to the Christmas and we'd
ding festivities"
"Youl" exclaimed Kate in surprise.
Eyes; and | have written to your
father to say L will come on Christmas
night and bring my bride with me. |
thought my letter would prepare him."
do you think he will suspect who
your bride will be?n she asked with
blushing cheeks and downcast eyes.
II should think 50, was the answer;
"for told him when we parted that |
would never enter Silverton Castle
again unless | came to meet you or
brought you with me-"
She said no more; his devotion touch
ed her deeply, and all her past suffer-
ings seemed as nothing in presence of
the life of perfect love that lay before
her.
1t was soon after this and about the
middle of December that quiet wed.
ding took place in the parish church OF
the village where Kate Lilburne had
for some months found q home.
He was u young man though his hair
was white, who gave the bride away
and no one but himself knew how by
this act he crushed out the last linger
ing hope that he had uuconsciously
cherished in his heart.
But Frank Fairfield gave no outward
sign of his self-conquest, and he wrote
his name in the register as witness
without tremble IN the signature.
The marriage had been conducted
with all possible secrecy, but the names
of the contracting parties could not b,
kept from the officiating clergyman o.
the clerk, and it was from the former
that Miriam lIindman received him
to the effect that Mr.. Lilburne's eldes
daughter, whose unaccountable disap
pearance had caused so much consterna
ton year ago, was still alive.
More she could not learn, but sh,
shrewdly suspected that Christina
would not pass by without witnessing
Knte's return to her fathers house.
This expectation went great wa
towards inducing her to accept the in
vitation to be Grace Lilburne's brides
maid, though ut that time she had n
intention of bringing the bridegroom a
truant lover to ner own feet.
The siren 9TH of their old love, how
ever, proved too strong for Miriam an
Victor TO withstand, and they wer
both resolving that his marriage wit
Grace must be prevented, when, as a
ready narrated, the doors. were throw
open and Mr.. and Mss. Roland Ayr
appeared on the threshold.
CHAPTER XI.