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

red to her, when in moment she be-
came pale and began to tremble
W hat IS the matter with you now?D
he asked.
Nothing" " she replied-'nothinc il
Just came TO my mind that Frank could
not have taken Kate away, because last
year he went to South America -
ed Roland.
"A civil engineer"
Your father paid for his education,
1 suppose?"
Yes; his mother took care of Kate.
and nuTSed her when her mother died,
and she was always very fond Of Mrs.
Fairfield. and of Frank too
Where does this Mrs. Fairfield liye?D
he next asked.
Il don't know; she went away from
here. Perhaps she is gone to South
America to her son. l am sorry now I
suggested that Frank had taken Kate
away, because l see it is impossible"
Why impOsSible2 He may have re-
turned"
"Oh no; not at all likely. Poor Kate
l wonder if she ever will be found -
She made matters worse now by her
feverishly anxious endeavOrs to con
vince her companion that the young
man could not have had ANYTHING to do
arguments on this point only confirmed
Roland in his determination to find the
young engineer.
When, however. he appealed to Mr..
LllbUrne fOrfuTther particulars respect
ing Fairfield he received no encourage
ment to seek the young man.
He never harmed Kate" he said
sadly, as he shook his head. "He would
have given his life to spare her a mo-
ment'S pain. He Is a noble young tel-
low, and when he gave me his word
that he would never speak of love again
to Kate l believed him, as l should be-
heve you, Roland. He has kept his
word, depend upon it. ! would as soon
doubt myself as doubt him"
And yet Kate must have met with
foul play" said Roland gloomily. ANY
mere accident would have been dis
covered before now"
But Mr.. Lilburne shook his head as
he replied: 4 don't know. It's a mvst-
ery-an awful mystery. Ny poor child
my poor childin
A few days after Christmas a thaw
set in, and the river was dragged. and
the castle and grounds were searched
once more, but again in vain, and then
Roland AyTe bade adleu to the SOrrOw-
ful old man and his fearful daughter.
Y on viii come again soon. Roland.
and tell us if you have discovered any
thing?' Grace had pleaded plaintively
as he was going away.
But he replied cOldly:
Il shall never enter Silverton Castle
again, unless l bring Kate with me, or
come to meet her"
And turning to Mr.. LilbuTne, he add
Il shall take you at your word"
Heaven grant you may be able to do
SO, was the answer. Then they clasp
ed hands and parted.
Grace questioned her father as to
what Roland meant. But she received
no satisfactory reply.
DAYS and weeks rolled on. The mys-
tery was a mystery still. and Grace be-
gan TO talk of putting on mourning for
the sister who must be dead.
When she spoke Of it to her father,
however, he steTnly forbade anything
of the kind to be done.
why should you suppose Kate to be
dead?' he demanded angrily. Il don't
believe she is dead. | believe that she
is alive, and chat ! shall see and clasp
her in my arms before | die
Grace tTembled with fear. Kate alive!
Kate in her dungeon, bruised. bleeding,
and starving! No, 1t could not be.
Death must have ended her sUffeTings
ere now, and the dead girl could not
come back to tell the pIteOus tale of
treacheTy and cruelty Of which she had
been the victim.
Other people looked forward to the
possibility of Kate's return TO her faith
er's house, and many were the Specula-
tiOns as to what would happen if she
did come back. But Grace quietly
smiled at all such antICipatIOus.
She knew that they would never be
realised. She knew. past all doubling,
that Kate was dead, and that therefore
there was no if in the matter, and she
secretly but eXultingly declared herself
to be her fathers sole heireSS.
Hitherto Kate had been first, while
she in all things had been second. Her
fathers property would at his death
have been divided equally between his
two daughters, but the title. as there
were two Of them, would naturally have
fallen in abeyance.
She sighed as she remembered she
could not forthwith take possessions of
hate's fortune, but one cannot get all
one desires in this world. and She be-
gan to wonder how long it would be be-
fore her fathers life would come to an
end.
And throughout all this she looked so
innocent. so pretty. and so child-like
with her golden CuTls. her sweet blue
eyes, and rosebud Of mouth, that 1t
seemed impossible TO suspect her of
anything more serious than careless
ness OF folly
So those who judged only by appear
ances pitied her because OF the sadness
of her lot. and Others liked hernone the
less for the fact that she was now a
great helress.
Roland Ayre, true 70 his word, never
came near SilVertOn Castle, and the Ill
burnes received no message from him;
but Victor Gayherd, a cousin OF his
came frequently. and 50 also dlu Alger-
non COlebrOOk.
But Grace never felt quite at ease in
the presence of the latter. AlTeFnOn
would sit or stand. and calmly and
steadfastly look at her as though she
were a curious study; and when on one
occasion she was rendered sufficiently
irritable and uncomfortable TO make
her ask sharply what made him 90 SO
he replied with bow, My prOfOunC
admiration"
But his admiration did not lead hin
to tranSgreSs in like manner again. ant
soon after this he ceased to call at Sll
veTtOn Castle.
Victor came pretty frequently, now
ever. He was handsome. llEnl-heaTJeu
and uncomfortablv poor, and 1t Wa
above all things necessary that h'
should find a rich wife.
He made no secret Of his position
/ but treated all the accidents that beIel
/ him in life in a happy go lucky fashion
/ taking nothing very seriously OF yer
mu..h 10 heart.
Personally he was very like his cous
in. Roland. and in other respects va
/ far too good for treachcrous Grace Ill
/ burne.
For a time Grace kept him from Pre-
! posing, hoping that Roland would TIT
of his fruiIless search, and would r'
/ turn to her. for she felt that he kue'
/ that she loved him.
But Roland never came nor Shove
the least sign Of coming, no news {
him reached the castle, and Grace pm
( osOphically came to the conclusion thf