Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-07-12

I looked into her sweet face, she would
not long survive the trial that awaited
her.
'sWhy didn't you tell me Of your fears?"
Because it was mere superstition on
my part, and knew you would laugh at
me.
s'Well, well, go on"
''The sick lady seemed very unhappy
she did nothing but sob and moan IN q
pitiful way that vent straight to my
heart. When she knew she had given
birth to twins, she became half mad with
excitement.
g Lock the door, she said, in faint,
soft whisper, and admit no one until
give you permission
81 obeyed. We were alone in the room.
She beckoned me TO approach, and added,
in a scarcely audible tone, looking down
tsnderly on her innocent babes:
g i am dying. / want you to save one
Of these dear little ones from the clutches
of q villain. ] cannot hope to save both,
but you can hide one of them, take her
away, and he Will never know. Oh,
promise mel
Mrs. Griffin paused in embarrassment,
and Major Villars sternly demanded:
''WeN, what else did the dementsd
woman say? About me, I mean.
She told me that her husband had died
suddenly two months before, after making
a viii that gave you almost absolute CON
troll over her large fortune; that she was
satisfied you were a hypocrite and a
villain; that you were scheming to make
the immense wealth Bertrand LyntOn had
left entirely your own, and no life was
safe that stood between you and the full
fllment Of your purpose.
"A pretty character, upon my word, to
give a man, sneered the Major. But
please bear in mind that my acouser was
an insane woman.
She BEGGED me to take one of the in
fants away with me secretly when left
the house., Mrs Griffin went on, "and let
her grow up in Obscurity, ignorant of her
very name, until she should arrive at
years of maturity, when she would be
better fitted to cope with the Yillainy Of a
cunning, INSCRIPTIONS wretch.
The other poor darling must be aban-
dOned to the mercy of my dead husbands
false friend, said the dying mother.
God keep and guard her. It is better to
sacrifice one than leave both to perish
Il could not refuse the suffering moth
er's prayer. I drugged one of the poor
little babes to still its cries, hid it in the
folds of my shawl, and took it with me on
leaving the house Mrs. Lynton, as you
know very we'll, sir, died before the dawn
of day"
Major Yillars turned abruptly. and
walked up and down the room in stern
silence for several minutes. At length he
said:
Mrs. Lynton's suspicious were cruelty
unjust to me. TOinette has been carefully
watched and guarded, grown to woman
hood under the same roof where she was
born. She has been pampered and
petted like the favored child of fortune.
Now ask you what has been the fate of
the little one cast so ruthlessly upon the
wOrId?"
Mrs. Lynton's instructions were carried
out to the letter. I took the infant to a
poor cousin of mine living in another
town, and cOnfded her to her care.
What was your cousins name?"
Hannah Dane
Though the Major was prepared for
this, he could not repress start.
How much of this silly story did you
tell her?"
Not word. I simply charged her to
rear the child carefully, for she was we'll
born, and would one day be a great heir
ess.
Major Villars frowned, and began
viciously gnawing his under lip again.
What has become of this WOman?"
he inquired, after thoughtful silence.
"She removed to New York City, and I
lost trace of her. I cannot say whether
she is living or dead"
And the child?"
"I am utterly ignorant of the little ones
fate"
"She would be young lady now if she
lived to grow up. Strange" sneered
! Major VillaFs, that you should suffer
/ yourself to lose sight of one who, if your
| improbable tale be true, can claim an
/ equal share with TOinette in the large
fortune left by their dead father and
mother"
@As time went on lost my interest in
/ the matter. Indeed, I had half forgotten
! it until your ward was brought TO my
house few nights since, and her likeness
to poor Mrs. Lynton brought it all wildly
! back to my mind. And-and-there was
| another reason, sir, why I felt little incli-
nation to bestir myself" added the trem-
! bling woman.
WHAT"
IL had a deep dread and fear of your
| self, sir. That is why tried to keep out
of your sight.
if in an ague fit. Major Villars at once
/ resolved to play upon her terrors. Ad-
! Vancing threateningly toward her he Missed
/ between his teeth:
You do we'll to stand in awe of me-
/ Ever lisp one word of this ridiculous story
! to a living soul, and I swear I'll murder
] you'll"
The woman again flung herself before
/ him with abjectly uplifted hands.
Spare me, for Heavens sake! The
/ torture of the rack could not wiring a syl-
/ liable from my lips"
You are safe while you keep a discreet
tongue in your head-not a moment long
er, ," the bad man answered. turning on his
| heel.
The next day Toinette returned to Bon
| nyview Hall, and before the end Of the
week she had nearly recovered from her
sudden illness.
Half crazed with rage and disappoint-
ment, she would have followed the bride
and groom at once, but no one knew where
they we're spending the honeymoon.
The day following her return home
/ Guy Vaudeville made his appearance at
BOnnyvieW Hall. The handsome villain
carried one arm in a sling and wore a
bandage round his forehead He had