The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-07-03

ticed very long she had written some
lines which it would have taken a very
clever expert TO have said were not his
work. She then composed the follcw-
ing note; .......
DEAREST ToTrlE: 1 am sorry / shall
not be able to call on you tomorrow
night, as 1 have to pay my respects to
the old gold-bag am going to marry.
She is getting rather disconsolate of
late at my negligence, and so l have to
console the poor old thing. After mar
riage it will be different. 1t is late. /
am extremely tired, and l have to write
to her So good-by, my little fairy.
Your own GEORGE.
As she knew that Mr.. Coningsby
was to sup with them the following
evening, she took the opportunity that
night, when returning from ball, to
post her own production.
Next morning, while the Countess,
who, since their quarrel seldom came
down for breakfast, was still in her
bedroom the forged letter and one from
Mr. Coningsby arrived. Lady Mary
received them with score Of others,
but so we'll had she initiated Mr.
Conngsby's writing that for moment
she was placed in some difficulty. She
could scarcely distinguish her own
billet doux from his. In moment,
however, she remembered that the en-
velope she used had a peculiar water
mark, and holding up the one letter be-
tween her and the light, she noticed
this popularity, and thus settled 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 haudwritings
were so identical. If she herself found
some difficulty in Distinguishing them,
surely her mother would never suspect
forgery.
She had hardly gothic letter secreted
when Lady Scilly's maid returned to
her, pale and frightened. looking
"Oh, my lady, she cried, cher lady
ship has taken i'll. think she's in
Mysteries. Will your ladyship please
see her?'
''Has she sent for me T. asked Lady
Mary, very much scared.
"No, my lady," answered the maid.
''Then ask her if | may come.
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 if she
went just then into her mothers pres
ence her crime would some way or
other come out. She waited uneasily
until the maid returned, which she did
not do for a considerable length of
time, and then, by the Countess direc-
ton, she informed Lady Mary that her
Ladyship was much better, and did not
wish to see her just at present--news
which eased Lady Marys mlnd not a
little.
In about an hour Lady Scilly's maid
again came to tell her that her ladyship
would not be down that day to lunch,
and, in reply to inquiries, said that the
invalid was much better and engaged
in writing. Lady Mary had little diff
Guilty in 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 considerable time driving
about rather aimlessly.
When she returned-it was about
| of,lool, bo nntina1 thot tho bnucnb a.
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 become so
i'll that the butler had felt it his duty to
send for the family physician, DR.
Killen That gentlemen was now with
her, and they were waiting to hear his
report.
Lady Mary was Mortified by this in
telligence. Her mother was, it seemed,
seriously, it might be dangerously, i'll,
and that illness was caused by her act
an act, as she how had to confess to
herself, done not for her mothers but
for her own interests. What would
she do if the Countess died? Would
she not be her murderess The
thought was terrible beyond expression
How she bewailed her stupid anger !
How she wished she had never wltten
that letter Torn with regret and
fear, too conscience stricken to venture
into her mothers presence, she waited
in agony at the bedroom door until
DIR. Killen came out.
"Oh, DOCTOR" she said, when he at
last appeared sis she seriously i'll ?"
"Yes, Lady Mary" replied the doc
tor; ''very seriously, am afraid. She
must have suffered terribly shock of
some kind or another 1t seems as if
she were going to have brain fever
"Brain fever! Is that very danger
ous I"
"Very,' replied the doctor in SOL
emn tone. sand l don't think it right
to conceal from you, Lady Mary, that
| greatly fear her ladyship's case will
prove
"While The doctor was speaking,
Lady Mary gazed at him with dazed
look. Suddenly, before he could reach
her. she fell fainting at his feet
1t seemed likely for time that
Lady Mary would soon be suffering
from brain fever as well as the Count,
ess, She was certainly 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 superhuman effort
or will, thrown off her illness; and she
insisted, against DR., Killens strongest
remonstrances, in nursing her now de-
lrious mother.
Lady Mary had not the reputation OF
being a very dutiful or affectonate
daughter. All her friends had seen
how she again and again had annoyed
or shocked her poor mother by her will
fulness 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, watch
ing and tending the sufferer with an
indefatigable tenderness. People were
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