Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-06-25

wedding would prove our democracy
beyond dispute. Pam was gracious to
him, too--all on Annie's account, she
| said; and the queen-dowager pretended
to help, so that plainly the Talbot bark
was on sunny seas.
And it was while we were all in this
tangle that Harold was lost.
It was all from the French nurse. as
/ said at once to Pam; and had said
often before that no good could come
| of getting chattering foreigner to
care for the child. and make him learn
her tongue before he found his own. 1t
| was the queen-dowager's idea, l was
sure. and had no patience with it.
But Marie seemed good girl. and she
was certa My picturesque and hand
| some in her peasant costume, and 1t
was pretty to hear the little fellow lisp
his .'est-ce-ques. Rob made rather
more of her than of the other servants.
l noticed; but he was generous to them
all, and it was only natural that he
should have more to say to Pr.nce
| HarUld's handmaiden. But when one
soft September afternoon Prince and
handmaiden disappeared together
why, Lefty remembered it.
1t appeared from the incoherent ac-
count Lefty gave when she came over,
distracted. to tell us, that Marie and
Harold had gone, as usual, little be-
! fore ten that morning. She had given
orders to keep him out in the pretty
| little park until lunch time, and she
had delayed lunch a little when they
did not come, and then she had sent
one of the servants after them, and she
came back with distressing tale that
I L. 4 I. 4 20 fol
the ten o'clock train for Northington.
She had bought her ticket, so the agent
said chattering an indlstinct some
thing to him about Monsieur Graham
and a message. Now Northington was
great junction twelve miles oft, and
one could go east, west, or south from
it. and of course we all 1eaped to one
conclusion. / nearly bit my tongue off
to avoid saying: Il told you sou and
| to keep out of temptation 1 set off for
the little police station, while Annie.
| too distracted to think of the carriage.
rushed down to the mills; for Rob had
| gone to the city that morning on bust
| ness, but we didn't know what or
| where and one can't send a telegram
at random. Frank Truman offered to
send the messages, and proposed also
| to wire the chief of police, and to bring
up the return messages himself, and
Annie was glad to accept. Then, while
| we were all running about distractedlv
sending the servants here and there for
| information, and watching over Lefty,
who threatened Mysteries, who should
drive up but Talbot with his splendid
team. And while we were telling him
and asking advice-for we five women
felt as helpless as babies in the emer-
gency-in walked Frank with the re-
turn telegram from the office where
Rob's business was.
Not here. Left for Northington at
1910"
Lefty read it, and shrleked. ooh, /
knew it! l knew it!' And for one
dreadful instant perhaps we women all
had the same thought; but it was too
outrageous poss lbility for sister 8
heart, and Pam stiffened at once.
ut is probably some business affair"
she said, something we know nothing
of. The trouble is now we don't know
how to reach him.
..Reach him." Lefty burst out. 'Oh,
he is beyond that now. Oh, that
could have been so blind all these
weeks! You We're right, Mira'-this
to me. Il might have known the sly
creature would bring trouble; but
didn't believe-I couldn't-that my
own husband could be guilty.
For shame, Lettym cried Pam.
Don't dare to say another word
gainst my brother. There is
not particle of reason
..And l saw them together last
night" Lefty went on, utterly beside
herself, planning 1t all out and l
never suspected-little fool! He gave
her money yesterday-her month $
wages, he said-but who knows? And
oh, oh! to rob me of my child, tool"
But what more she said can't tell, for
it was too dreadful. The family skel-
eton was paraded before them all. and
ali our efforts to hush her only made it
| worse.
Pam had grown white at her first
| words. but now she just returned to the
| gentleman and said, as quietly as pos
sible: Il beg that you will not think
she meant anything. She is out of her
head over the child
'Of course" Frank Truman said,
but he certainly looked a little dis
gusted. But what we have to do now
is to prove her wrong by finding Mr..
Graham. If you will give me your
horses, Mr.. Talbot cool as you please
to the nabob-'.I can catch the 1:5O
train for Northington; and if he's there.
and of course he is, | can find and
bring him back in three hours. And
meantime Mr.. Talbot can direct the
search here for the child. We have
them both to hunt up now, and my
half is the easier
How good YOU are!' Pam said, put
ting out her hand. '.And''-she flushed
and hesitated-.'y will not tell him
except about the baby. II am so
ashamed and so sorry for poor Lefty.
| may trust you. l am sure. as-as one
of ourselves" And she didn't think,
til Frank had bowed over her hand
and said, fervently. "A thousand
thanks, dear Miss Graham" and then
with one glance at Annie. rushed Off
she didn't think til she saw that CLEAN
of his eye and Annie's answering smile,
what she had said.
We got Lefty to bed with some diff
Guilty. and Mr. Talbot went for the
doctor BY that time the servants had
begun to come back, but all the salts
faction they brought was that a slender,
dark-eved man, supposed to be a for
eigner, had been seen hanging about
Marie for the last few days. They're
confederates. of course / said at
once, land it is all plot to steal the
child for a reward.
Perhaps it is a sweetheart" Annie
suggested.
My dear" said a little sharply,
''of course you think so"
1T is as natural supposition as the
other" said Mr.. Talbot, which was
xubot ypaS to no axnected from him