Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-02-16

stupor. She stared, rubbed her eyes, aud
| then gfeaIn 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.
81 have been foolish, very foolish, dear
est said the invalid ssHave / notl / do
not think ever tainted more than once be-
| fore In my life" Then, as if the same I'M
! pleasant thoughts returned, she added:
And you viii help me to get away from
here, viii You noti must go-mt1st"
Hero she attempted to rise from the
couch, tut found, to her surprise, tliat 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 trifle after one
O'Clock What is your maids namel
Blanche, is it notl''
Yes" replied Natalie, looking up at her
friend with some surprise. ''How came you
to know it!''
oh, know everything, my dear.''
Calling out cheerfully. Blanche !
Blanchei'' She soon heard from below,
the answer,
I" 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 '12t 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 a
hasty line to Miss Gulnare. 1t read thus:
Z" 1 have not only been successful in my
efforts, but have found, as was inclined to
suspect, Miss Rochefort an old friend of
mine. I 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 cheeks, and she came to realizing
sense Of the present. But, ever and anon,
Lydia observed that some chance remark
would remind her of the past and that same
weary, piteous look would again return to
her face. For q moment she would forget
herself and mCrmur in an absent-mInded,
lingering manner. This was not the Natalie
of old. Where the staid reservel That
gentle hrmnessl That perfect self-control
and admirable dignityl
Lydia began to think over the matter.
IF Natalie really loves him 1 must bring
about reconciliation. The effect OF
union with him would, know, he conster-
nation in and fat disownment by her own
family; but disappointment to Natalie
would mean gradual decline and death, /
believe. say, then, that if there is to be
suffering, her family can better endure it
than she.
"On the other hand, if her present de-
preston should chance TO be only the result
of pining under confinement, or disappolnt-
ment in misplaced friendship, the sooner
she leaves here the better"
Thus reasoned the practical, yet warm
hearted woman. And she resolved to make at
least one attempt to bring them together
again.
But no one with any degree Of certainty
can lay plans forNthe future.
The Greeks say there IS an avenging
Nemesis on the track Of an uniformly lucky
man. and that when he seems most fortu-
nate the man is overtalSen by his Nemesis,
and from that moment begins his downfall.
The Nemesis had at last caught Fairfax.
Everything as before it had seemed to IA
vor. now seemed to initiate against him
FRO BE Continued