Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-12-23
R L T R | B q ITO N.
BY "THE DUCHESS. .
CHAPTER X.

oucn ~ InlnS 10 happen 10 YOU! Sne
cries, in her little rapid fashion. ''The
miscreant.-the assassin Oh, Millicent,
when Brown Ghe butler) stopped me
in the hall to tell me the dreadful news
l nearly tainted. Only the idea of seeing
you face to face to make sure of your es-
cape sustained me, and gave me strength
TO get here
Indeed, she is as pale as a ghost, and
her eyes are full of tears. Sweet eyes, as
full of love as tears.
well. now you have seen me-" with a
iau.si.. and a gentle shake administered
&c TIC trembling Nadine. ''cheer up bit,
and let the blood iiov into those wan
cheeks Taking about blood flowing,
I'm glad mine was not let loose last
night
ssOh! don't-don't:' says Nadine,
shuddering violently.
well, there, there. | have unnerved
you, and ought to be ashamed of my
self. But the fact is, am unnerved my
self, only my nervousness has the effect
of raising a sense of ridicule within me.
1 cannot keep from jesting IN last
nights adventure, though dare say to-
morrow / shall be Frustrated. 1t is a
strange excitement, better not INDUCED.
Well it is an i'll wind that blows nobody
good You cannot compel me, tyrant
that YOU are! to Stammer over my Ger
man to-day"
An arrangement had been entered into
between them some weeks ago, when
Millicent had been brought out, and was
supposed to have left her childhood and
the schoolroom behind her. Nadine,
for many reasons, would not consent to
be her companion. One was because she
could not well leave her mother; another
because of her engagement to Paul An
nerley; another twas it SO very import
ant?) because she could not give up the
tuition of Mr.. Duran's little daughter.
So A1illicent had squared matters by de-
claring to her auntie that though she
considered she knew as much music as
would carry her on through life, her
knowledge of German was still singularly
deficient, and auntie, delighted at this
trait of intellectual diligence in her
niece, had at once requested Miss Roche
to continue her three visits week to
Park lane as heretofore.
Tell me about it, y says Nadine breath
lessly. her big blue eyes enlarged with
fear and curiosity. She has seated her
self on dainty prize dieu, and is leaning
forward with clasped hands in an attitude
highly suggestive of prayer, and there
fore highly suited to the chair.
Millicent, nothing loath, makes her a
present of the entire scene from begin
ming to end.
s.He might have been a much worse
burglar, all things considered, and there
was quite touch of chivalry-a suSp1c-
ion of Claude Duval-in the fact of his
making me a present of my own locket, !"
she SAYS, still unable to refrain from
turning the whole thing into ridicule.
ITO go to the very root of the matter, it
must be confessed that | am the proud
possessor of his heart. He left me that
at least"
s'The cowardI" says Nadine, clasping
her pretty hands, ''to attack alone one
poor womani But, Millicent, from what
you tell me, II don't think the burglar
could have been quite common man.
Was he tall-handsome?'
'sHandsomel Why, I couldn't see a
feature in his face. You don't suppose
that that sort of person comes around
with an open, ingenious countenance,
ready for all mems inspection? Ii so, you
are mistaken. My burglar came with a
mask that prevented me from seeing the
chiseled features that feel convinced lay
beneath it, Altogether, he was not of the
common, every day lot that one meets.
He was a departure from the regular
lines. He was strange to me! Strange!
And yeti
Suddenly the half hooking, wholly gay
air she has used hitherto drops from her,
and she turns upon Nadine startled
glance She leans toward her, and lay
ing her hand upon her shoulders, subjects
her to an exhaustive scrutiny.
II must speak. / must tell you," she
saws at last. cit has weighed upon me
ever since, and-and-the others would
consider it in the light of nightmare,
or else say the idea arose from feeling
of nervous horror; but it did not"
'sWhat is it, Millicent? You forget
1r
awed by the solemnity of the others
glance
Just this: that that terrible burglar,
from the time he entered my room to the
time he left it, seemed strangely famil
lar. | cannot account for it. His voice
never heard before. He was dressed in
the clothes of q common workman, and
know no workman. His face, indeed,
was hidden
She stops abruptly as though oppressed
by some hidden thought.
Eyes, it was hidden she says at last
'sYet / am pursued by a hideous feal
that if / co I'D have removed that mask
the features would have been familiar t
metz
She sinks back in her chair, looking
pale and exhausted.
sit is mere nervousness" says Nadine
tenderly "A chimera arising from al
overweight sensibility. Do not think
of him again, darling. Rest, and time
will cure you of that foolish phantasy."
Nothing will cure me of the certainty
that face well known to me lay behind
that humble mask returns Millicen
with shudder.
She rallies little after while, and
swift smile curves her lips.
1--WE are doomed family she say
gayly "A prey TO burglars. First m!
aunt Lady Valworth's, diamonds dis
appear. not to be restored by all the de
tective power in England, and now, IN.
sapphires! Poor Uncle Timothy. III
gave much of his life to a contemplation
of those stones, and now a vulgar crimi
nal is the possessor of them. 1t is yer.
cruel of me to laugh, is it not? Especial.
as / am the only One that can see
comical side of the affair. Yes, am sorr,
that l am not more sorry because o
their disappearance
Has Mr. Boyle yet heard of thei
being stolen?''
Not YET. He was to have been her
this morning, butt
HE was here this morning, darling,
SAYS Mrs Brand, who has just entered
the room and heard the drift of the con
versation, ''but you were then so veal
that of course / could not see him. IL
heard nothing, as / told Brown to be 81
lent about our sensation to any caller
so he merely left word that he hopet
your headache would be better soon {
suggested headache to Brown as gen
eral and safe sort of not at home), ant
that he would call again tomorrow
morning.
Wonderfully attentive for him." say
Millicent, smoothing down the laces o
her loose gown.
Dear fellow! He is always all h
ought to be- So like his good father,
says Mrs. Brand effusively.
inspector Dunn has just been here,
goes on Mrs. Brand presently. III
seems clever man, and holds out grea
hopes of being able to capture the rob
Der and restore to you your sapphires
I ran up at once to tell you. He seem
to think it will be difficult to get rid o
the sapphires, even should the rObber g
to Antwerp or some of those foreigl
places. All the shipping ports are beini
closely watched. He really gave m
great hope. Your uncle Timothy ha
been here ON and off all day, but / woul'
not let him see you, he was so excited
OF course he feels the loss of the jewels
He thought great deal of them. Tha
is hardly to be wondered at, my dear Ma