Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1888-08-16
CHAPTER XXI.
JACK GRAHAM'S LAST WORDS.

Poor Ada sat in the cab. as it was being
driven from Beresford Grove, half believ-
ing that her connection with Graham was
dream from which Will had Just awakened
her, and vainly endeavoring to discover
where the dream had begun and where it
had ended.
Will said little during the journey to
Walworth-for there he was taking her.
He answered the strange questions which
she put to him as briefly as possible, and
each question asked was more wild and
senseless than the preceding one.
Arriving at his lodgings at last he dis
missed the cab.
In an almost perplexed state of mind no
led Ada into his sitting room. Closing the
door he sat down in front of her, and took
her cold little hands in his.
II she was still amenable to the old infiu-
ence, he knew that he could calm her and
postpone all explanation until he had con.
suited with Miss Bentley.
He took her cold hands in his then, and
said, kindly:
Il am Mr.. Tryfoil, your drawing master.
want you to remember what l tell you
Miss Wentworth, and nothing else. You
have had serious illness-you have been
delirious, and now that you are nearly well
again, your foolish little head mistakes your
past delirium for reality. There! That set
ties all you are wondering at, does it not?"
Il thought l was married to Mr.. Ora
ham, " she replied. simply.
Will smiled sadly.
"Very likely" he answered. forcing a
laugh. "Once upon time you thought
you saw some ridiculous face in the libra
~. I'm not surprised. The one fancy is
rs foolish as the other. Would you like to
know where you are now?"
"Please!"
In my sitting room"
In London? But why"
He stopped her.
You must positively ask no questions, :"
he said; "if you do I shall not take YOU to
Hardwood to- morrow"
She closed her eyes when he said Hazel
wood"
But must not go to Lakewood, she
murmured. i must stop away to make you
both happy. Oh, to see her for moment
Ito kiss her, to sleep in her arms"
Will felt most keenly the difficulty of
managing Ada, ignorant as he was of the
means by which she had been decoyed from
her home, and of the circumstances of her
life since then.
My dear little pupil" he said, IF you
are calm and quiet you shall go to Hazel
wood Tomorrow. Happiness to your aunt
means having you with her. Believe moth
ing but this: Tomorrow you shall be in
your aunt's arms-shall return to Hazel
wood-never to leave i'll"
She clasped her hands and smiled
ooh, pray heaven, / may find it all O
dream" she murmured.
Will placed some writing materials before
her.
Il want you to write telegram for me-. :"
he said, with smile.
TO my aunt?"
ITO your aunt"
The dim, dreamlike past was already
growing more dim and dreamlike 20 her
under Tryfoil's influence. us auntjs love
for him part of the dream as well?" she
thought. Am really not standirg in the
light of their happiness? Where did my
delusion commence? Where did 1t end?"
She took the pen in her hand, and he die
tated the following words:
From Ada, London, to Mss Bentley,
Perthard: Ny own dear aunty, I am quite
we'll. To- morrow shall be quite happy.
Mr.. Tryfoil is going to you then by the first
train.
Will dispatched his lsndlady with the
telegram to the nearest telegraph Office. On
her return he explained to her, as far as was
necessary, Ada's position.
At about eleven O'Clock the girl retired to
rest under the landlady's care. still wonder
ing and doubling and trying to sift the real
for the unreal, Lut doing so TRANQUILITY, for
one fact stooi out clearly, about which
there could be Lo doubt; and it she'd