The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-08-27
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 seem
ed TO show 50 little emotion, and to be
50 paSSiOnieSS and 50 stern, her mind
was in truth racked by a thousand
nameleSS fears.
Whatever harm he has done to you;
my darling, he shall pay for and pay for
dearly, and until l give you back to
your father | will guard you as the ap-
pie of nv eve. Though Frank is nv
own son, | will not spare him.
a low moan from the sufferer recall
ed the woman to the necessity of put
ting Kate to bed, and she went about
her difficult task gently and tendeTly.
as though the tail graceful girl now
lowering between life and death were
still the pretty baby whom she had fed
from her own breast and dandled upon
her knee in the years gone by.
Mrs. Fairfield had often reproached
berSelf with loving her fOster-child
Kate LIlburne 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, a 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 clung 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 previous experience of children
had been among the rough ruddy boys
and girls of her own class, and Nurse
Fairfield almost wOTShipped 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.. IIlbUne himself
had been heard more than once to eX-
press the wish that Frank was his own
son.
All this was gratifying no doubt, but
thewOman' heart clung mOsttO heTnurs-
ling, and when, as the years went by,
and Franks mad infatUatiOn for Kate
made Mr.. LilbuTne decide TO pure hase
a partnership for him and pension off
his mother, the latter resented the we'll
meant kindness, and blamed her own
offspring for the wrong which she con-
sidered he had done her.
She was a little angry with Kate also
for parting with her so readily after 50
many years of faithful service and low
ing devotion, and she had in cOnse-
quence declined more than one invita-
ton to the castle since she came TO live
in this out-of-the-way cottage.
But all her resentment vanished al
the sight of the fair girl who looked like
a broken lily, and on whose face were
1 stains of blood which had trickled down
| from the wound on her head.
The situation, was agOnising, and but
for the anxiety she felt at kate'S still
/ unconscious condition, and the dread
/ she had OF making bad matters worse
I she would at once have started for Sill
J vertOn Castle, and would have entreat
ed its owner to come without mo-
ment's delay to his suffering child.
! 1t seemed a long time before Franz
4 u
the still unconscious girl undressed anC
in bed, ana giving no sign Of life be
yOnd an occasional low faint moan.
/ Her white satin dress and everything
/ she had worn that evening had beer
carefully put out of sight, and theT,
was nothing about her to Indicate she
was not Mrs. FaiTfield'S daughter.
The doctor examined her, believing
the story told him that she had beeI
thrown from gig.
There are no bones broken - he saiC
at length; but | am afraid that he
: head has been seriously injured. \ pa
+ of the skull Is pressing upon the brain
and though she may regain her bodil,
health, | very much fear her reason vii
be permanently affected. But l vii
( come again in the morning.
Frank claSped his hands in despair
when Mr.. Kemble repeated this opinion
to him.
that death would be ten thousand time
preferable to madness.
He showed the doctor out of tn
house. repreSSing his emotion as far a
possible but when the front door wa
closed he did not dare 10 go near III
chamber in which were his mother ant
poor Kate.
When his mother at length appeared
she found him SO nearly uncOnsciOu
that she thought for time that sh
was going to have two inyalids upol
her handS instead of one.
Judging that he WAS suffering frOT
exhaustion as much as anything, sh
made him swallow an egg beaten up i
brandy and milk, and when ne ha
slightly recovered she said steTnly:
You must make an effort TO rOus
/ Yourself To meet the trouble you hav
brought upon us. Tell me, in as fey
words as possible, what has happened
for I mean to send for Mr.. Lilburne a
once
Her cold hard words seemed to Civ
him a fictitious strength, and he tOl
her the story of his adventure and {
his nights work. being careful alike [
avoid excuse and exaggeTatiOn.
And what business had YOU Outsid
Silverton Castle at such timer sh
demanded sharply.
Il only went to catch one glimpse
Kate" he replied humbly.
Catch glimpse of Kate" she n
peated with disdain. Who do yC
think will ever believe that you speI
whole hours in the cold aud the dan
with no other motive than that" 81
demanded.
Evidently you do not" he retorte