The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-12-26
CHAPTER VIII.
DOUBTS AND FEARS.

work.
CHAPTER VIII.
DOUBTS AND FEARS.
Mrs. Fairfield stood calmly by the side
of the girl whom she loved as If she had
been her own child, and seemed to show so
little emotion, and to be so passionless and
so stern, her mind was in truth racked by
thousand namelcss fears.
"Whatever harm he has done to you,
my darling, he shall pay for and pay for
dearly, and until give you back to your
father [ will guard you as the apple Of my
eve. Though Frank is my own son, will
not spare him. :"
A low moan from the sufferer recalled
the woman to the necessity ofputting Kate
to bed, and she went about her difficult
task gently and tenderly, as though the tall
graceful girl now lowering between life and
death were still the pretty baby whom she
had fed from her own breast and handled
upon her knee in the years gone by.
Mrs. Fairfield had often reproached her
self with loving her foster-child Kate Lii
burne better even than she loved her own
son; but that she really did so there could
be no doubt, for Kate had filled the place
in her heart which had been made void by
the death Of her youngest child, baby
girl, who died when she was but few
weeks old, and the little heiress had been
given to her to love and cherish, and had
chung to her as her own infant might have
done.
But the high-born little maiden, with her
beauty and grace and her gentle ways, was
like princess to the woman whose prev
ious experience of children had been among
the rough rudy boys and girls of her own
class, and Nurse Fairfield almost worship
ped the child committed to her care.
Frank was boy for any mother to be
proud of, Mrs. Fairfield was told on every
side, and Mr.. Lilburne himself had been
heard more than once to express the wish
that Frank was his own son.
All this was gratifying, no doubt, but
the woman's heart chung most to her nurs-
ling, and when, as the years went by, and
Franks mad infatuation for Kate made
Mr.. Lilburne decide to purchase partner
ship for him and pension off his mother,
the latter resented the well-meant kindness,
and blamed her own offspring for the wrong
which she considered he had done her.
She was a little angry with Kate also for
parting with her so readily after so many
years of faithful service and loving devo-
ton, and she had in consequence declined
more than one invitation to the castle since
she came to live in this -of-the-way cot
tage.
But all her resentment vanished at the
sight of the fair girl who looked like a
broken lily, and on whose face were stains
of blood which had trickled down from the
wound on her head.
The situation, was agonizing, and but
for the anxiety she felt at Hates still un-
conscious condition, and the dread she had
of making bad matters worse, she would at
once have started for Silverton Castle, and
would have entreated its owner to come
without a moments delay to his suffering
child,
1t seemed long time before Frank re-
turned with the surgeon, who found the
still unconscious girl undressed and in bed,
and giving no sign of life beyond an occa-
sional low faint moan,
Her white satin dress and everything she
had worn that evening had been carefully
put out of sight, and there Was nothing
about her to indicate she was not Mrs. Fair
fields daughter.
The doctor examined her, believing the
story told him that she had been thrown
from gig.
"There are no bones broken" he said at
length; 'but | am afraid that her head has
been seriously injured. A part of the skull
is pressing upon the brain, and though she
may regain her bodily health, l very much
fear her reason will be permanently affect
ed But will come again in the morning"
Frank clasped his hands in despair when
Mr. Kemble repeated this opinion to him.
Judging by his own feelings he felt that
death would be ten thousand times prefer
able to madness.
He showed the doctor out of the house,
REFRESHING his emotion as far as possible;
but when the front door was closed he did
not dare to go near the chamber in which
were his mother and poor Kate.
When his mother at length appeared,
she found him so nearly unconscious that
she thought for time that she was going
to have two invalids upon her hands in
stead of one.
Judging that he was suffering from ex-
haustion as much as anything, she made
him swallow an egg beaten up in brandy
and milk, and when he had slightly recov-
cred she said sternly:
"You must make an effort to rouse your
self to meet the trouble you have brought
upon US, Tell me, in as few words as pos
sible, what has happened, for 1 mean to
send for Mr. Lilburne at once
Her cold hard words seemed to give him
fictitious strength, and he told her the
story of his adventure and of his nights
work, being careful alike to avoid excuse
and exaggeration.
"And what business had you outside
Silverton Castle at such time ?" she de-
manded sharply.
Il only went to catch one glimpse of
Kate, he replied humbly.
"Catch glimpse of Kate p she repeated
with disdain. "Who do you think will
ever believe that you spent whole hours in
the cold and the dark with no mother mo-
tive than that p she demanded.
Evidently you do not" he retorted,
stung by her tone and manner.
mo, | don't" was the emphatic re-
spouse.
'Then it is useless my trying to con-
vince you" he returned.
"Quite useless; and as for any secret
passage or staircase that leads into the
castle, it's very strange that l should have