Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-01-19
.sWhat is your name, you dear little

"What is your name, you dear httIi
girla''
Dolores looked up but did not show the
| least sign of alarm, or even surprise She
| gazed at Lydia, as if studying her face
She at last concluded to make friends with
| the stranger. Max too had been viewing the
newcomer with doubtful eye, but also de
| cided upon peace. He rose, shook himself,
| and walking up to Lydia, raised one ire
| mendous paw in token of anity.
| "My name is Dolores my little mamma is
up stairs. Who are you, pretty ladya"
| ''You may call me aunt Lydia. I love
your little mamma too, and want you to
take me upstairs to see her,
| ssBut she is ill and mustn't be disturbed -
"Yes, but have come to make her well.
Come little Dolores, take me up, or shall
| 60 by myself"
''Will you make her wen2 Come, then,
aunt Lydia, want my little mamma to get
| well.n Pausing suddenly she looked in
quiringly up into Lydias face, and said:
''Do you know my Mr.. Arnold Fox?"
eyes, my little one, do. Why?"
because, if you can make her well,
wish you would bring him back too. don't
want him to go and my little mamma cried
because he was going"
'sWell, dearie, will see what I can do"
Lydie began to suspect that matters be-
tween Natalie and Fairfax had gone even
further than she had supposed.
Hand-in-hand the pair went upstairs, fol-
lowed by Max, who seemed to think it his
bounden duty to attend Dolores wherever
she went. Nataie's door was shut.
Lydia knocked No answer came. She
knocked again and more loudly. Still no
answer. Pushing open the door, she looked
in.
The room was darkened. A figure, with
loosened hair streaming down over her
back, with clasped hands and head bent
down to the coverlid, was kneeling at the
bedside. 1t was Natalie.
Lydia stopped down and whispered to
Dolores to go and speak to her. The child,
placing her hand on Natlie's shoulder, said
''Little mamma wake up. Aunt Lydia
wants to see you.''
Dolores, my dearest, we must go. Do
loreS, we shall see him never again neverls
she added, emphatically, and, unconsciously
began to repeat the refrain of an old ballad :
- For love that from the heart hath fed
Returns again no more.
No more again, no more"
'Nat Aliel'' said a clear soft voice, care
you not going to speak to me?"
Even this did not seem to awake her from
her reverie. She slowly and YEARLY raised
her head and looked mechanically and I'M
intelligently at Lydia, not appearing to
realize who it was.
''Natalier' again said the same voice, a
little sharply, and with tone of alarm in it,
Natalie, arouse yourself 1t is I, Lydia,
come to take you away"
'Little mammal" broke in Dolores, ''it is
Aunt Lydia come to make you well.''
Natalie appeared to be waking from a
stupor. She stared, rubbed her eyes, and
then CLEAN of intelligence shot over her
face. She cried out:
Lydia and attempted to arise and rush
toward her friend. But she tottered,
turned deathly pale, and fell forward into
Lydia's arms. The latter laid her gently
upon the couch, and, by dint of mild restor
atives, had the pleasure of seeing the poor
girl return to consciousness. The eyelids
opened again, and the dark, lustrous eye,
recognizing the good Samaritan, beamed
with affection.
II have been foolish, very foolish, dear
est; said the invalid. "Have I not! do
not think l ever tainted more than once be-
fore in my life" Then, as if the same I'M
pleasant thoughts returned she added:
'And you will help me to get away from
here, will you not9 1 must go-must."
Here she attempted to rise from the
couch, but found, to her surprise, that she
felt extremely weak.
'Young woman" said Lydia, very play
fully, "my command is that you lie
perfectly still until your lunch is brought
upstairs. 1t is now trif1e after one
o'clock. What is your maids name?
Blanche, is it not?n
Yes" replied Natalie, looking up at her
friend with some surprise. 'How came you
to know its''
"Oh, I know everything, my dear.''
Calling out cheerfully Blanche!
Blanche!' She soon heard from below,
the answer,
Coming, Madamoiselle."
Never mind about coming upstairs,
now. Only hurry and bring up the lunch.''
Blanche, wondering who was the owner
of this strong but commanding voice, went
into the kitchen to prepare lunch. A note
soon came to her from Fairfax, bidding her
be in readiness to depart Sat moments
notice" 1t informed her that the Lady
Lydia Broadacres, hereafter, would assume
the management of affairs.
g 1t must have been the Lady Lydia who
spoke to me-" said Blanche to herself, Won
deringly.
Lydia, meanwhile, sat down and penned
hasty line to Miss Gulnare. 1t read thus:
have not only been successful in my
efforts, but have found, as l was inclined to
suspect, Miss Rochefort an old friend of
mine. will lunch with her and be with
you later in the afternoon"
Lydia said nothing with regard to Fair
fax or the abduction and, of course, Natalie
did not refer to either.
Gradually the color returned to the Prin-
cess checks, and she came to a realizing
sense of the present. But, ever and anon,
T,v1ia observed that some chanca rarOarIy