The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-03-08
II am only a visitor there, friend Of tn,
family

4
lady, and I'll tell your fortunen Then
wrinkled hand vas held up to the gaze q
the fair equestrienne.
told for long time. Here. Now tell m
the truth and nothing but the truth, on you
honor, or I'll haunt you"
Lura dropped a gold coin into the palm @
the old wood witch. The recipients eye
sparkled, and the bony fingers closed quicl
ly over the precious metal Trusting tn
money from sight in the folds of her dirt
gown, Mother CABRERA grasped the sma
brown hand held down for her inspection
and glanced at the various lines crossing il
There was no revelation of her thought
in the parchment face of Mother CABRERA
She examined the hand in hers for som
moments in silence.
81 see clouds ahead, trouble, life sacri
feed to the greed of one man." uttered tn
fortune-teller, at length, in a solemn voice
The smile that had rested until this mo
ment on the face of Lura Joyce vanished
and cooling sensation crept over her ga,
spirits.
81 will not tell you more, the picture il
| too black. Poor child! poor childi" anS
Mother CABRERA dropped the girls hand and
turned away her head, as if to shut GU
| some terrible vision.
"Tell me ALL" demanded Lura, hall
angrily.
but it is too bad
"Then refund the money"
Once more Mother CABRERA looked into the
piquant face of the girl on horseback. There
was look akin to pity on the parchment
face, then she once more grasped Lura's
hand and proceeded:
1.-THE black cloud that saw has been dis
PEELED, pushed aside to make room for the
last scene; it is one of blood. A man, darl
and handsome, treads on a human heart.
hear woman's wall of woe, see his hand
appraised against her, and then she falls
Oh it is wicked. She lies in a darksome
place dead, and he goes out to win the grea,
heiress, smiling as ever, with no one to
know that he has murdered the girl who
foolishly thought to thwart his will"
Again the witch paused.
Her words, spoken in a solemn tone, were
NOT without their effect, and brave Lura
could not repress the shudder that crep,
swiftly over her frame.
"That is ALL"
Mother CABRERA at once moved away to.
ward the cabin.
sumed her journey. She was not supersti.
tious, but, nevertheless, the words of the
old wood witch had a deep effect and
brought unpleasant thoughts to the mind
of the orphan girl.
"Of course there's nothing in such
things" argued Lura. 81 thought had
more sense than to allow the sayings of
such toothless bag to trouble me in the
least"
Then she urged her horse to greater
speed. The path soon became ill-defined,
and she began to fear that she might lose
it altogether. She now realized that it was
q mistake, her turning aside to seek a short
CT. 10 Stonci;cld.
81 do believe shall have to turn back az
it is" sighed the bewildered girl. Then
she glanced up at the sky to note the fact
that it was almost night, and that clouds
were gathering adown the western horizon.
might and storm coming"
There was a solemn ring in the words
and at that moment Lura would have given
goodly sum to have been safely housed al
Lone Hollow. She found herself in an open
woods, the ground level and grass-grown
The place was pleasant enough, but the
solitude was depressing. Remembering
her letter she thrust her hand into her
bosom to draw it forth
"A low cry escaped her lips.
The letter was gonei
Quickly Lura wheeled her horse and
glanced eagerly down the path she had fol
lowed. No white object met her vision.
Then she made a thorough examination OF
her person, satisfying herself that the let
ter,on account of which she had undertaken
the journey, was lost
She must needs return now, since there
could be no object in continuing on to Stone.
field withou Grace Penroy's letter.
'How could have lost itp
This was the burden of the young girls
thoughts as she rode slowly on the return.
Eagerly securing the ground until darkness
fell Lura rode, and then she drew rein with
a low exclamation of impatience and cha
grin.
81 don't suppose the letter amounts tc
much after ALL Grace can write another
and there are other days to come in which
it can be delivered, but it is provoking after
all. wonder if old Mother CABRERA had
hand in the mischief I'll interview the
lady when again strike her mansion"
Then, uttering a seemingly merry laugh,
which had in it ring of defiance for the
fates, the maiden touched Romeo with her
whip and was once more borne on her way.
1nnumerable stars came out and dotted
heavens blue orb. The threatened storm
did not come, aud when Lura found herself
once more in the vicinity of the fortune
teller's cabin she began to breathe easier.
The trail she was following ran along near
the edge of deep gulch, which assured the
girl that she could not be far from Mother
Cabera's cabin.
Suddenly Romeo came to q stand. In vain
did Lura urge, he refused to move another
step, and soon began to snort with fear.
something is wrong, surely. / never
knew Romeo to act so strangely before"
Peering forward Lura gave utterance tc
a sudden, startled cry. A human hand had
grasped her bride rein. and a pair of gilt |
tering eyes peered up into her face.
For the moment the girl was paralyzed |
with dreadful fear.
"Miss, you'll have to get of the boss"
Quickly Lura raised her riding-whip and |
1ealt the speaker a blow in the face with |
Ill her strength, at the same time speaking |
10 her horse.
With mad cry the man reeled back He |
,lung to the rein, however, and as the horse
forged ahead dragging him forward,
another hand grasped the arm of Lura and
matched her from the saddle.
"Never mind the boss, Bill, I've got the
,al."
And then Lura heard Romeo tearing
'wiftly down the bridle-path while she was
eft struggling in the arms of man.
"Release me. villain!''
Then Lura was not permitted to speak
urther. A broad palm was pressed over
Ter lips, and strong arms lifted her from
Ter feet. Struggle as she would. escape
vas impossible.
"Jest keep quietr' Kissed a voice in her
ar. ''Mebbe you'll fare better if you quit
-our fantrums''