The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-08-13

saw a mans form in the doorway, for
the passages, as | have said, were all
dimly lighted, though small out-Of-the-
way rooms, like those in which the tur-
ret chambers were, were left in dark
ness.
oh, am glad you have found me-"
she said, coming forward; i seem to
have been here such a long time, and
am so cold"
1T was very foolish to hide in such
part of the castle as this, said Roland
severely. Where is KateI"
4 don't know where Kate is, was
the petulant TetOrt; Il suppose she was
wiser than I and hid herself where she
could be more easily found; but l shall
90 back to the others. l dare say Kate
has already been found"
Probably she has, - returned the anx-
iOus lover.
Then he walked back to the great
hall by the side of Grace, but as they
passed under a light he exclaimed in
surprise, as he looked at his companion:
what have you done to your dress2
The front of it is almost black"
Grace uttered a little cry of alarm,
then recovering herself, she said:
How careless of me! | forgot the
walls would be thick with dust, and l
pulled myself up to the window to see
If it was still showing. Excuse me a
few minutes, l dare say my maid can
wipe it Off"
So saying, she hurriedly left him, but
no maid could wipe off the mark from
her white satin dress any more than the
stain of the crime she had committed
could be wiped from her false heart.
She covered over the spots on her
dress with some flowers and lace, which
she hastily pinned in their places; then
she washed her hands, and went back
to join her fathers guests.
Many of these were gone, others were
departing, and Roland AyTe's Often-re-
peated question: Has Kate been
fOundr" though answered with a vague
Il don't know" did not excite the in
terest or anxiety that 1t would have
done at any other moment.
When all the visitors who were not
going foreman for the night had driven
away, Mr. LilbuTne's annoyance at the
disappearance Of his eldest daughter
gave place to alarm, and he summoned
the servants and organized a search
throughout the castle.
But though they ransacked the man
sion from garret to basement, and eX-
amined every nook and corner, Kate
LilbuTne was not TO be found.
Grace was questioned again and
again, but she stuck to the story she
had at first volunteered and declared
that Kate had parted with her before
she assembled the staircase which led to
the tuTTet-ChamberS. in one of which
she was herself found by Roland Ayre.
Can she have hidden away in some
old oak chest?o suggested one romantic
spinsteT dOubtfully.
fully:
1--WE have no such old oak chests. nor
any secret rooms in this house. madam;
all that kind of thing was destroyed
when the castle was rebuilt by my
father"
1t was not altogether rebuilt" sug-
gested the OLD lady timidly.
NO, but there was nothing mysteT-
iOuS about what was left, was the i'm
patient reply. The old baroulaI hall,
and that part Of the original building
nearest the river, We're spared, and
there is nOthingm mysterious about them.
1 used when boy to wish that there
was"
Still Kate must be somewhere. p" ex-
claimed Roland anXiOUsly; ''she would
never have gone out Of the house on
such night as this. for the snow is fall
ing heavily, and. wherever she IS, ! BIZ
convinced that she has met with foul
play at the hands of some one
w hat can You meau?" demanded
Mr.. LjlhUTue WHO is there who could
wish TO Injur- my child? She never had
an enemy in tn" world
Roland Avre SHOOK rs head. and his
eyes unconsciousIy rested upon Grace.
DO you think Kate has elOpedE' she
asked nervously.
"Eloped! With whom should she
elope?' demanded Roland hotly; 'Only
this evening she promised to be my
wife"
II didn't know" faltered Grace;
''there was Frank Fairfield, whom papa
had to send away from the neIghbOr-
hood; | thought he might have come
back again, and
And what?1 demanded her father
steTnly.
And persuaded Kate to 90 away
with him, was the seemingly reluctant
answer.
Then never make such a suggestion
again, Numbered Mr.. Lilburne: Kate
had more consideration for herself and
for me than To nave taken such a step.
Go to your own room. If you had not
persisted in PLAYING that ridiculous
game, this misfortune could never have
happened: 90 10 your room. | say.
The girl Obeyed, and the other ladies'
of the party quickly followed her ex-
ample.
- Now what is to be dOue?" asked RO-
land blankly, when he and Mr.. Lilburne
with two gentlemen and three or four
servants were lett together.
I" ] don't know was the deSpalring
reply; we Will go through the house
once more if you like, but have very
little hope OF ilndIng her before day
light. If something very serious had
not happened to her she would have an
swered when we called her | don t
know what to do. | feel perfectly stun
ned and bewildered.n -
And he pressed his hand to his thrOb-
blng brow; the anxiety of the last hour
seemed to have aged him many wears.
on stay here and rest said RO-
land; "Or go to bed if you think YOU can
sleep, while l with some of the servants
will search through the castle again"
And they did SO.
But this second search was as fruit
/ less as the first had been, and all
! through that night the snow fell with a
soft rUstling sound, and when the pale
/ grey morning dawned the cold misty
/ light fell upon faces haggard and worn
with anxiety, while outside the castle
/ the ground WAS covered with snow to
/ the depth OF several inches.
/ When daylight came the father and
| lover searched every crevice in the
/ great building once again; and they
( called Kate by name. and entreated heI
/ to answer, but the only response was
the echo of their own voices. and al
length the two men utterly broke down
i under the grief that overwhelmed them
CHAPTER III.
What Il state is guilt
When everything a'arms IL.
Grief and dismav at the mvsteriOu.
disappearance Of Kate Lilburne wert