The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-08-20

me, but II send 1Or II. D1d you never /
hear of the secret, GTace?"
No" was the curt reply
But Grace Lilburne's face became 4
deadly white, her head swan. and it 4
was only by the most supreme effort /
that she could keep herself from faint {
ing.
AS soon as she could do so without I
being observed, the guilty woman es-
capped To her own room. Here she !
threw off all restraint, and gave way I
to the terrible agony of fear and re- /
morse that consumed her.
The secret OF the turret floor is /
known she muttered deSpairingly,
''and that creature viii discover where ,
it is. 1 saw the threat in her eyes when
she looked at me.
Il viii open the floor tonight" and
her eyes looked cold and cruel as the
words hissed between her teeth. Il will
lower lamp INTO the shaft and see
what lies there. / have been afraid
hitherto, but l would rather meet Kate's /
sightleSS eyes and look upon her dead
face than endure the grin of that mock
ing witch whom l was mad enough to
invite here"
Having made this resolution, she
managed before nightfall to procure a
covered lantern and a long cord, and to
hide them in the room the floor of which
hid such a CHASTITY secret.
This had been easy enough, because
the building, and several times during
the day she had considered it necessary
to go and personally inspect and super
intend the decorations of holly, mistle-
toe, and hot-house flowers.
She made a pTetence of criticising the
arrangement Of the tables, and the or
der in which the guests were to be
placed, and she stood over the servants
while everything was altered and re-
arranged according to her orders.
do you expect many guests tonight
besides those staying IN the house ~
Miriam asked Mr.. Lilburne as the COM
pany was about to dIsperse and dress
for dinner.
Yes, a great number . was the reply.
"By the way, Grace" he added, turn
ing TO his daughter, did l tell you that
Roland Ayre wrote TO me to say he was
coming tO-nightI"
''RolandN' repeated Grace in dismay
! \ es, wrote to invite him to dinner;
I he says he cannot come till later IN the
. evening, but he viii come"
Did he say nothing else?" asked the
daughter hoarsely.
/ es; he did say something else, but
/ it's of no cOnSequence-at least, no con-
! sequence to you" and Mr.. Lilburne
/ turned away.
/ Grace asked no more; she was Begin
I hing TO feel like a creature at bay,
hunted on every side with no avenue of
escape open 10 her.
Why did her father invite Roland
I Ayre, and why, above all things, had
/ the invitation been accepted?
/ After q time, CONSERVATION gave place
/ to mir+h, and she laughed bitterly aI
she remarked to Victor:
" our cousin gives a striking proof
/ of masculine cOnSuanCy. Last vedrI
when he went away he said he would
I never enter SuvertOn Castle again uu-
less he brought Kate with him, OF came
j to meet her.
"And how do you know that he won't
bring Kate with himE' asked Miriam
| Hindman boldly.
Grace looked at her for one moment
with a scOrnfUl scowl then turned away
[ without deignIng to utter one word OF
/ reply.
She noticed, however. that her father
was eager and nervous. and pleaSuTably
. excited, and that he looked younger
and stronger than he had done for some
months past.
surely papa does not think of mar
rying that hOTrId girl, Grace eXclaim-
ed as she watched her father and MirI-
am talking together in confidential
and af1ectOuate manner.
L shouldn't think he'd have the
chance returned Victor; "she's an
uncommOuly nice girl. >
''Oh YES. | know YOU think there is
nobody like her. sneered Grace.
E''At any rate, l didn't invite hel
here, retOrted the young man an
. grllY.
Well, no, you couldn't very well, a:
1t is lny fathers house" she replied
''but wonder since you admire her so
much you don't marry her.
Il am like your father in that re
spect: l haven't the chance" he said
cOldly.
Then he crossed the room and Joined
r,rr H. toI
ing.
Grace was very angry. but she did
not follow him. and soon after this the
first gong sOunded-a hint that Ii was
time To dress for dinner.
Miriam HIndman. instead Of going
upstairs like the other girls, sauntersd
I into a little study she knew OF, where
a bright fire burned in the polished
CRATE, and the lamp was turned low.
Despite her assumption of cheerful
ness and high spirits, her heart was
sad and heavy.
Victor Gayherd had been the one
love of her life, and though they haC
parted in pique and anger more than {
year ago, and Just before her father
had lost the greater part Of his fortune
she had always expected her uuan
, lover to return to her.
But this hope had died out now, 10
he was pledged to become the husband
of another before twenty-four hour
| had passed.
She had seated herself on a hassocl
+ before the fire. her hands clasping he
head, and her elbows resting on he
knees. and she was thinking sOTrOWful
" of the man she still loved SO well.
: "He will have very miserable life.
} she mused particularly so II Grac
] does not get the large fortune she an
ticipates; and he Will, no doubt, otte
= wish he had not taken me at my Wor
2 when l told him to go and find rlche
D wife. All me! people think me bTlgh
: and witty, the men admire me, and Tn
/ girls envy me and vet ! am the mos
miserable woman in tins house tC
4 night!-yes, quite the most miserable,
- Her Inpditations were here interrupt
Y ed bV an arm being clasped round he
r waist and by some member OF the OF
e posite sex very energeucally klsSln
= her.
\ She looked up, struggled to her fee
and recognizing her companion sh
y exclaimed passlOnately:
o Victor, how dare you insult me lik
n this?'
Il only kissed you under the mistlt
o toe, - he pleaded with mock humiiit
holding up a spray of the white-berfIe
[ plant.
g ed with increasing anger Il Wond'
YOU are not ashamed 10 look me IN u
= face. | wonder YOU dare TO come an
= a room where / am alone. y
4 We'll it IS a risky thing TO do.
=. replied recklessly; but | wanted
a speak to you, and l may not have a
t. other chance"
IS "That is highly probable. What ha'
If you TO say?'
n Il want TO know why yOu can
here?n
It 4 came because l was invited W
the naughty reply.
e You had some other reason
=. I