The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-04-26

anxious to hear them. win you not sing
them for mc.-
She sang the songs. that proved-one Of
them especially good
Like almost every other action Of his in
connection with his prisoner, this little meet
ing was entirely prearrangcd. He had re-
turned that morning to Glen Gore, and i'm
mcdately written "a note to Blanche
One sentence in this note ran thus:
"When your mistress and Dolores. with
Max, arc all together this morning in tho
mushroom. and likely to remain 50 for d
half hour or more, throw open the blinds of
the windows Of the north chamber. toward
my cottage: then go down stairs and open
the upper half Of the hall door,
His instructions had been followed TO the
letter, and he was again successful.
| II was nearly an impossibility to him to be
natural, and no one better than he himself
knew this frailty. II grieycd him. Spring
| ing originally from a morbid self-conscious-
ness, it became one Of those unfortunate
circumstances connected with his life and
| character over which he seemed to possess
no control. AT last it grew to such an ex-
tent that he was quite at a loss to know his
own natural tendencies and inclinations
He had fitted himself to so many roles that
he could not detect the true from the false
those peculiar to his nature from those for
eign to it.
He had for some time been debating with
himself which was the best course to pur.
sue N seeking to win the Princess affec-
tions.
Should he work upon her pity. Appear
as the unhappy, imbittercd. disappointed
msanthrope. fighting against fate. Or
should he adopt the character Of Il sincere.
ingenious, sunny and light-hearted mans
BETTER the latter" thought he. II
would disarm suspicion. Natalie herself
was naturally bright hopeful. buoyant and
sunny as the clear sky. Beneath it, he
knew, lay a sometimes overpowering and
deep fountain of melancholy and sympathy
that, once set flowing, flowed to no fruitless
end
How he progressed in the first part of
his scheme has been set forth OF
course he had used little Dolores as cats
paw in forming the acquaintance Of Ma
tale. Nor were the lattcr's suspicious at
all aroused. Again, the remarks OF his
aunt with regard TO his troubles did not fail
Of their purpose. Had this light hearted
fellow troubles If so. he concealed them
wonderfully well. His must be strong.
unselfish character.
She fell to musing about him. The poison
began to take effect.
The remaining portion of the morning
hours was devoted to music and CONVERSE
ton. SO all absorbing that Natalie failed to
note the flight of time
Suddenly las had been pre-arranged by
Fairfax with Blanehe the door Of the
diningroom was flung open and the table
was seen set for two guests. Blanche, who
also of1iciated in the capacity Of waitress
appeared surprised when she saw Fairfax,
and cxclaiming:
20! Madamoiselle, I beg PARDON has
tened to close the doors again.
As Fairfax expected. the Princess i'm
mediately said: blanche, place chair for
this gentleman. Mr.. Fox, of course you
will lunch with u.s.
Apologizing for remaining so long. he yet
accepted, and soon happy trio was seated
at the pretty little table-Natalic at the
head, little Dolores demurely at the foot. in
her high chair, and Mr.. Arnold Fox midway
between the twain.