Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-10-31

| The thought Of Allan Percival's love being
returned is still in my mind when Mrs.
Courtney comes into the room, and |, catch
ing at an idea, followed it up with all the
alertness Of Piukerton detective. have
been but little else than IL detective ever
since my wary feet touched the threshold
OF Marlborough Hail some weeks ago, so l
put out my feelers' for little enlighten-
ment, If possible, and ! say with seeming
unconcern: II suppose Miriam has been
very restless ever since her Illness" and
the answer comes: ''Ohl yes; you can't
| imaginew
Talking great deal, too, | suppose;
asking for me often, dare sayg5 / want
to know If any one else ever heard her say
ALLAN" but do not ask directly, for the
reason that desire to keep her and his
secret ireli keep it as my own.
"Oh yes" Mrs. Courtney replies, with q
sigh and a plying look toward the uncon-
scions sufferer; Eyes, she called for you
| quite often; and sometimes she imagined
you were here, you know"
Eyes" said,
"And several tunes she seemed as il she
were talking 10 gentleman, and would call
him ALLAN IN such an affeetionate way that
| supposed she saw, in her delirium, her
dead husband. Then ! had no hopes OF her
at all, for they say that if a very sick per-
son thinks they are conversing with those
that are dead, why, It Is a sign that they
will soon follow them"
/ let Mrs. Courtney have her way about il
being the dead husband, and also about the
'sign,n for | have another evidence to
prove my SUSPECT II, and care nothing for
her beliefs. | sit there, however, listening
TO her whispering Of the details Of Miriam's
| illness with seeming great attention. OF
| course had asked her for it, and | must
listen to every word, although my thoughts
were running away like maddened steeds
IN aAother channel was back at Heath
erleigh; saw the hight of unworded love
shining in Allan Per. ival's handsome eyes
as he handed me a letter. heard him say,
with little exultant hope ringing in his
fine voice: "Give this letter to Miriam with
your own hands" remembered his look
OF wistful, glad expectancy when parted
with him at the pier; and then quickly /
connected to those golden links Miriam's
words of the past dark scnnight and In the
future had spread out before me a reunion
of lives, now seemingly so far apart.
But ! wake from my fanciful romance
when Mrs. Courtney stops her rambling
recital and asks me a question point blank
"Had | ever seen Mrs. Fairfax's hus-
bandW No, had not
swell, had ever seen his picture, thenln
Yes, had; but the detective instinct was
again uppermost and did not tell her that
that was his portrait over there on the wall,
just visible from where we sat, through the
folding doors.
At my reply In the affirmative she gets
up and motions me TO follow her. 1 do so,
believing that there is yet another link in
this golden chain | am trying TO put to-
gether for Miriam; one which had missed.
Mrs. Courtney is determined, | see, to
solve something or prove something she
believes, and / close the door of the sick
room softly, leaving Miriam still sleeping,
and tIptoe after my inquisitive neighbor as
inquisitiye as she
She goes to a small secretary at the end Of
the hall, by the window, and takes from the
inner recess of the middle drawer some
thing and fumbles 1t over. WELL" she
calculates, 81 can { open it. The doctor
took it off of her neck,'' she continued,
handing it to me, ''ano told me to put it away
until she recovered; or until you came
home, If she did not" | took the bauble, as
l thought, and walked 10 the window to
more closely examine it, the hallway being
dark. Pushing aside the curtain | sa" that
it was costly locket attached toa very fine
gold chain. One side was Respondent with
diamonds, and on the other tha arms of the
Percivals, sword and shield beneath
Latin inscription ia semi-circle knew the
sword and shield at once belonged to the
Percival house, as had seen it on the seals
at Hearthereigh in the great, lonely library.
Mrs. Courtney comes over 30 the window
a.
open it with eagerness.
81 thought may be her husbands picture
and one of the baby's might be in it," she
said, "and should like to see them just
once"
eyes, | say, after trying in vain to open
1t in the usual way. Il have seen both por-
traits Then, as am about to give it up
and put away the locket unopened l dis
cover secret spring just at the edge Of