The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-09-06
CHAPTER VIII.
DOUBTS N EARS

0OODlo AMI TEAMS.
Mrs. Fairfield stood calmly by tia
side of the girl whom she loved as if
she had been her w child, and seem
ed 10 show SO little emotion, and to be
so p~aSSlonless nnd SO stern. her mind
was in truth racked by a thousand
nameless fears.
Whataver harm he has done to Won.
my darling, he shall pay for and paw for
dearly, n until [ give you back to
YOU Iauaer l will guard you as the APP
pie OF my eye: Though Frank is my
son., l will not spare him.
a. low moan from the sufferer recall
ed the woman to the necessity of put
ting Kate to bed, and she went about
her difficult task gently and tendefIy.
Ss though the tail graceful girl now
hoVerlng between life and death were
stlll the pretty baby whom she had fed
IRON her own breast and handled upon
ner Knee in the years gone by.
MIS-. Fairfield had often reprpached
herself with loving her foster-child
Kate Lilburne better even than she
loved her son; but that she really
dld 50 there could be no doubt, for Kate
MAJ nlied the place in her heart which
mad been made void by the death of her
Youngest child, a baby-girl, who died
Wnen she was but a few weeks old, and
the little helreSs had been given 70 her
to love and cherish, and had chung to
her as her own infant might have done.
but the high-born little maiden, with
sler beanty and grace and her gentle
way, was like q princess to the woman
whose previous experience of children
nae Deen among the rough ruddy bows
and girls of her w class, and Nurse
FAIRFIELD almost worshipped the child
committed to her care.
Frank was a boy for any mother to be
proud OF, Mrs. Fairfield was told on
every side, and Mr.. Lilburne himself
mad been heard more than once to ex-
press the wish that Frank was his own
son.
All this was gratifying, no doubt, but
ling, and wtan, as he yeara Yent bv
and Franks mad infatuat'on for Kate
made Mr.. Lilburne decide to purchase
2 partnership for him and pension off
MS mother, the latter resented the we'll
meant kindness, and blamed her own
OFFSPRING for the wrong which she con-
sidered he had done her.
She was a little angry with Kate also
many years of faithful service and Low
ing devotion, and she had in conse-
quence declined more than one invita-
ton to the castle since she came to live
in this out-of-the-way cottage.
but all her resentment vanished at
the sight of the fair girl who lookedlike
a broken lily, and on whose face were
stains of blood which had trickled down
from the wound on her head.
The situation, was agonising, and but
1or the anxiety she felt at Hates still
unconscious condition, and the dread
u had Of making bad matters worse,
she would at once hav started for Sill
verton Castle, and W uld have entreat-
ed It's owner to come without! a mo-
ment's delay to his suffering child,
1t seemed q long time before Frank
returned with the surgeon, who found
the still unconscious girl undressed and
In bed, and giving no sign of life be-
yond an occasional low faint moan.
Her white satin dress and everything
she had worn that evening had been
carefully put out of sight. and there
was nothing about her to indicate she
was not Mrs. Fairield's daughter.
The doctor examined her, believing
the story told him that she had been
thrown from q gig.
There are no bones broken he said
at length; but l am afraid that her
head has been seriously injured. "A pari
OF the skull is pressing upon the brain.
and though she may regain her bodily
health, l very much fearher a viii
be permanently affected. But l will
cone again in the morning."
Frank clasped his hands in despair
when Mr.. kemble repeated this opinion
TO him.
Judging by his own feelings Re fo,t
thai death would be ten thousand times
-referable to madness. nv"