The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-09-03
GRACE LILBURNE'S SECRET.
a STORY OF
TWO CHRISTMAS D.4YS


CHAPTER TX
The anxiety and grief that succeeded
FRANKS rescue of Kate from the vault
70 winch her sister had consigned her.
mad olanched the young mans hair and /
aged him as by the lapse of many years.
l., Preylous to this event he had not |
IIved IN ms mothers cottage, though /
when In England he frequently went to |
see her, but now, though it was torture |
LOT MN 10 go there often, he could not |
Keep away for more than few days at |
q time.
There was no improvement in Kate's |
mental condition; at any day he might /
be obliged to leave England on thebusi- /
ness OF the firm in which he was part
ner, and in view of such a contingency
10 ne was trying to make up his mind to
praYe all consequences, go TO Mr.. Lii
Durne, and make a full confession of
ms share in Kate's abduction when,
fortunately for him, Roland Ayre
visited him at his Office as already de-
scribed
But Frank was convinced that he
must be more than usually cautious.
Kate was to be considered and he re-
solved that until he had thought the
matter over and taken counsel with his
mother, 1t would be best to learn all he
could and say as little as possible.
The consequence of this course of
conduct we know.
And now We must return to Mrs.
EalTheld's cottage, where, it will be re-
membered Roland Ayre was very un-
willingly following Kate's former nurse
y into. an inner room, his anxiety to
hasten to SilveTton Castle and. make
Grace confess what she had done with
her sister, making him impatient of
moments delay. ....
This back sitting-room was larger
[ than the one in which he had been re-
( ceived, it was better furnished too, and
uyT0 Cd ont 1ov-
( garden thickly planted with fruit-trees.
! A work-basket with pretty bright
pieces of silk and wool and feminine
. fancy-work lay temptingly upon a small
table, but its contents were untouched,
bright fire with guard over it burn
/ ed in the CRATE, and near it in a low
/ easy-chaiT. with her hands clasped list
/ lessly upon heTknee. sat Kate Lilburne.
J Roland recognised her in an instant,
! though he was dimly conscious of some
great change having taken place in the
woman he loved, and he sprang forward
exclaiming:
E Kate, my darling, 1 have found you
at last!"
But she never rose to meet his en-
brace, she barely glanced at him, but
sat mOtOnlesS with her eyes fixed va
cantly upon the fire.
A cold chill seemed to strike Roland
to the heart, aud he turned in question
ing dismay to Mrs. Fairfield, who stood
sadly looking ON.
Wont you speak to Mr.. Ayre, Katie
I darlingIH she asked in a tone she might
have used to wIlful child; speak to
him, deaTie, and tell him you Will let
him take you back to your father and
to Grace"
The words made no impression upon
her, though Roland held her hand ten
derly while her nurse was speaking.
If there was change in her face 1t
was at the name of Grace, but the frOwn
was so slight as scarcely to be percepti-
BILE, and beyond this she might have
been Law figure for all the heed she
paid to the man who had once the pow
er above all others to move her to re-
spond to his devotion.
what is the matter with herr What
has caused this change?o he asked fear
fully, all his eager delight turned to
grief and dismay.
Her head has been injured; my son
/ declares that she was thrown down the
secret vault of which he speaks was
the reply; but come into the next room,
7 and Frank will give you his own ac-
( count about it. You shall see her again
if YOU desire it before YOU go, but she
/ is best left alone. | hoped your pres
ence might rouse her, but you see she
takes no more notice of you than she
: does of me-"
[ Roland tried once again to win Z
: glance of recognition from the woman
he loved, but all in vaini the body wa;
alive, the reasoning soul was dormant
OF dead.
5 More depressed if possible than h,
. had been when he thought he had los
Q her for ever, he followed Mrs FAIRFIELD
into the room where Frank was await
ing them; -. IA 4tfug,
he asked dejectedly.
, "Her mind has been gone since tn
hour you last saw her, was the reply
but she is stronger in health than sh
has been since that dreadful night, ant
believe her reason may be restored I
her. Modern science has worked evel
greater Miracles"
, |Tt NAV bet may be, assented RO
& land drearily; "but you have not toll
me how she came here.
'sNo. When I told my mother, sh
: would not believe me-" replied Fran
with ilI-concealed- bitterness, but YOU
y who know what happened before Kat
was lost, may not be so Scepucai. !
Won doubt me, however, / can take yO
,e to the very spot where she tell at m
e feet"
n ssThere is no reason why l shOul
5. doubt YOU" replied Roland sadly. M
m IiIburne, who knew you vel, could No
20 have spoken more highly OF you ma
YOU been his own son, and 1t is evlder
E his daughter has not wanted for klnC
E. ness at your hands or at those OF yOJ
=
o. mother" es
A. ssNo. We would give our lives to d
ID Miss Kate a service; but whether
s acted wisely OF not in bringing her hel
- leave YOU and her father to judge.
2 did what | believed to behthe best"
ic II am sure you did; and now tell II
n what happened
= Fairfeld complied. He made no a
- tempt to shield himself, or in any VIZ
- - toshide the hopeless love that on Chris
S mas night seemed to gain the master
7. over him. -
ee Mics Kate. y he said humbIy. Il shou
1t. have t1rned away in silence If l hs
e, met her face to=face. but i wanted
If look at her. and after l had been wa
ut derinp round the castle in the cold f
Mt hours an impulse that | could not co
ouer or control drove me TO gOstO the o
be tower and get into the binding by {
nd secret entrance I had used when
boy"
Roland did not interrupt him as
listened with breathless attention VIII
FAIRFIELD described how he wrapp
y Kate in his ulster, carried her to [
- river. placed her in a boat, and brOug
- her through the darkness and the thIc
at lv-faliing snow all those weary miles
his mother house.
OF Vividly as though he had been WI
me him. Roland seemed to see the sceI
and he said frankly when FalThC
"a pausad in his narrative:
,nI ,II sIf had been You l believe | shOU
have acted as You did, and l think NJ
., that il was the wisest course TO tai
''is ny If GraeeFeally tried to kill her sjst
20" ca She wonld have found some means
- | accomulish her end eventually. and