The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-11-17

that was where he wanted TO stop
He arrived just in time to get his
charge to the place he wished it to go
before the day dawned. He went HIM
self with the express-man and knew
that it was properly delivered.
| CHAPTER XVI.
It was late the second morning after
| the party, but the shutters were all
| closed at the Noll cottage, and no
sound could be heard within; already
the place looked rs if it had been de-
| serted.
! Lenora's nurse was the first to re-
cover from the effects of the chloro-
form, and then she felt drowsy and as
if she had slept but little all night.
Suddenly she thought of the patient
| left in her care, and springing from
her couch she ran to Lenora's bed, but
it was empty.
| ooh, Heavens!" she screamed.
"The child is gone, blankets, pillow
and all. What shall | do, what can |
| do?' and she ran through the house
wringing her hands and screaming at
| the top of her voice for help.
| She rushed into Gertana's room, her
hair flying in every direction, making
| her look like some insane person. She
| rushed to the bed and shook Gertana
violently.
Wake up, wake up! Don't you
| know that the girl has been stolen?"
All the noise and shaking did not
affect Gertana at first; but finally she
| slowly opened her eyes looked at the
| -. Il
what is the matter, nurse, and
what are you doing here? Is Lenora
worse?'
mercy, mercy! Don't you know
anything about it, madam? Ny, the
girl is gone, isn't in the house; she has
been stolen away in the night. Don't
YOU know we have all been chloro-
formed and something awful has hap
pened?"
As soon as Gtrtana could realize
| what the nurse had been saving, she
! sprang from her bed and ran to Lee
nora's room, not daring to believe what
had been told her.
The bed was empty and all was as
| the nurse had said.
This strange disappearance meant
more to Gertana than the nurse knew
| of, and, as Lenora's faithful friend saw
| her plans so shattered she sank sense
| less to the floor. 1t was about noon
| before order was again restored to the
| excited inmates of the beautiful cot
tage. Gertana soon recovered from
her FAINT, and, after eating some toast
and drinking some wine, she felt
| stronger and had her maid dress her.
T.,
| looked the letter that Hutchinson had
left, but now, as Nilsson was arranging
her mistress hair she saw the strange
| ly addressed letter.
This seems to be an unopened letter
for you, madam Have you read it?'
Let me see it, quick, Nissou."
She quickly tore open the envelope,
and her eyes rested ON an unknown
name, also a strange hand.
Her hands trembled as she read what
was before her, in plain black and
white, vet she could scarcely believe
her own eyes. The letter was this:
IN THE GARRET OF THE NoLL COTTAGE.
Nov. So 1875.
To Madam Girindani:
This is but an explanation to you, to re-
| licye you of some anxiety on the part of
| the girl who was kept in this house against
! her will.
| know who you are. and do not wish to
| do you or this poor girl any harm; no, | am
a true friend to an honest, helpless woman.
and would not stoop SO low as to trample on
| your rights.
| No doubt by the time you are able to read
this letter this girl know not her real
name-will be far from Chicago. and in the
| hands of those who will care for and love
her.
am aware of your kindly feeling toward
her, and hesitated somewhat in taking her
away in this manners: but have done so in
order that no one would supcct you.
| have been in this house night and day
for nearly two weeks. and have been able to
learn much about it. There was large
bundle of papers, TIghtluliy belonging to
the girl, but she knew nothing of them. Noll
had stolen them and carried them to his IL
brary. OF course, he intended TO make i'm
proper use of them: he intended to stoOp 50
low as to get the girls fortune, and then God
only knows what he would have done. But,
thanks to mighty good streak OF luck, he
has been caught at this game, and | think il
will be his last. | took those papers from
a small drawer of a desk that stands in the
library, and Will give them To the girl. Do
not know what is in them, for | consider il
too base an act for man To impose upon
an innocent, injured woman. 1t does not
make so much difference about my own sex.
You are not aware of Nolls present where
abouts. but | am. Before day-dawu to-mor-
row morning he will be securely fastened in
the Jail at Springfield Illinois, where he in
tends to rob the First National Bank, but
VIII not succeed. He has no one to blame
for all this disgrace but himself. And now
about your own interests. As l said, |
know who you are and where your former
home was. You have your own choice to
make. Either go to that home or some
where else; but | insist upon your immed-
lately leaving this city. Your father is dead.
but your mother lives, and is still looking
for you to return to her. l am known as
CAPTAIN HUTCHINSON.
AS Gertana finished reading this
strange letter, her hands dropped TO
her lap and she sat for some time en-
tirely lost to what was going on around
her
She was thinking how to accept
that letter, and if all was true that il
stated, what should she do? If this
party had taken those blank papers
from the drawer, Lenora would be
no better off than she had been before,
This was the hardest for Gertana
to bear. To think that she had the
original papers and did not know
where to find Lenora to give them to her.
And another painful thought was,
that the poor, wronged girl, if she
had not been taken to her home,
would probably never know that the
letter she supposed was from her uncle,
, was forged.
How could this italian, that had
taken such an interest in Lenora, en-
: dure these maddening truths? 1t was
almost more than she could bear
Just how to test the truthfulness of
that letter she hardly knew; yet, il
those blank papers we're gone, and
if there We're any signs in the attic of
its having been recently occupied, there
must be some truth in it. And, too,
the author of the letter spoke of her
home and mother, and said that that
home was still hers. Her feelings were
then of the deepest sorrow, yet tinged
!, with little JOY.
Does the letter explain anything
: about my lady, madam"
This seemed to arouse Gertana from
the deep train of thought into which
she had fallen and r.9iSiucr her evaS n