Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-08-23
CHAPTER Xxx.
4 CRISIS.

Dulcie stared at the speaker in growing
beWilderment. She knew there was some
mistake-the woman was assuredly
stranger. Then all at once the truth
flashed upon her mind. It was TOinette
Mrs. Griffin meant, and for whom she
had taken her. Before she could set her
right, the woman went on in hOarse
whisper, shaking with excitement:
Il haven't known peaceful moment
since you left my roof. Conscience has
pricked me like a deadly knife. have
been almost mad at times, with such
burden as my wretched secret to carry.
1 can bear 1t no longer. Major Villars
may kill me-he has threatened my life.
No matter. I'd rather be in my grave
than the hell an awkward conscience has
made for me"
Dulcie had made a gesture to stop this
| torrent of wild words, but at the men
| ton of Major Villars name she sank
! down on a chair and listened mutely, the
! pallOr deepening on her lovely face.
''I'm going to tell you the truth, and
meet the consequences" Mrs. Griffin re-
! sumed, g1ancing half fearfully around
| the room. 81 assumed this disguise and
| came here for no other purpose. All,
| miss, you do not know how remCrse can
! eat, like canker sore, into ones breast.
''The thought of that poor child out
/ in the cold, pitiless world, fighting hun
| ger and want like a wolf from the door
y
| ed, surrounded with every luxury, has
/ sickened my heart, overcome my fear of
| an INSCRIPTIONS villain, Wrung tardy
| confession from my lips
"What do you mean?'
The woman drew near and spoke in a
! kissing whisper:
| Listen, Miss TCinette. I was in this
| house when you were born-aIOne with
| your unhappy mother Did Major Vii
/ lars ever tell you you had a twin sister
| somewhere in the world? No, of course
/ he has not. Only q few weeks have
/ elapsed since he first heard of it him
! self, and he meant to guard the secret
| well.
''He thought me too selfish and cow
/ ardlY to divuIge it. But he reckoned
| without his host. It is better to brave
/ his vengeance than the wrath Of God"
/ Du1cie fell back tremb bling with name
! less sensation.
"a twin sisteri II" she family repeat
! ed, wild suspicion suddenly taking pos
| session of her.
eyes. Your poor mother trembled for
/ the safety Of her unhappy offspring, and
! implOred me to take one of the helpless
/ babes away with me, and keep its very ex-
/ istence dead secret from Major ViIlars.
I could not turn deaf ear to that pitifUI
prayer.
But the poor child, if now living, has
/ grown to womanhoOd. It is your duty
! to seek her out, restore her to her rights.
Take a firm stand together, and L believe
you may safely set your guardian at de-
fiance, cunning and INSCRIPTIONS as he
has shown himself"
Mrs. Griffin spoke in rapid, disjOinted
sentences. ROsine might return at any
moment and interrupt them.
The moments were precious. Even in
the midst of her excited utteranCes she
had taken the precautiOn to tie on her
bonnet and readjust the Disgusting blue
spectacles.
She was no gossip, and had hitherto
kept aloof from BCnnyYieW Hall. There
fore she was wholly ignorant Of the
strange events that had been transpiring.
It never entered her thoughts that this
/ lovely girl listening to her narration with
I wide, startled blue eyes, was the very
/ child, grown to Womanhood, she had
/ borne from that same house seventeen
/ years before
But DUicie was beginning, in vague
/ way, to comprehend this fact.
/ She had always been puzzled to ae-
/ count for her startling resembl ance to
! Toinette.
OF course she had ever kept her own
/ strange hlstOEy-so much as she knew OF
/ it-in miBd.
! The instant she learned that Toinette
/ had twin sister adrift somewhere in the