The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1889-05-09
CHAPTER XVII
CHnE I'm AAfA
MISS JoycE's MISFORTUNE
Ia rreelra ra<aad

Nulct anu no attempt II cxtrtlOu. untll 50
was fully recovered, since reaction nigh
set in.
The probate court granted q stay Of som
weeks regarding the will Of the late HI
Vandible, on account Of the illness Of i'm
portant witnesses. Lura Joyce had sue
ceeded In gaining this concession from TIL
court In spite Of the covert opposition o
Captain Starbnght and his attorney.
1.-THE will Is fraud, and can be proves
so II you will wait until the young Mis-,
Penrcy and her mother are able TO appear,
declared Lura, and so once again was thu
scheming Captain thwarted
He understood TO whom he owed his nor
success, and the bitter feeling IN his hear
for the brave young girl deepened int
absolute hatred.
Miss Joyce often visited Stonefield In
the interest of the young mechanic, whs
lay in the county jail waiting the outcom,
j Of Grace Penroy's injury.
1t was an outrage not TO permit bail, Luri
Joyce declared, and the young man in
\ nocent, too. The Captain and his attorney,
however, managed to have the bail fixed a
such high figure that none OF Austin
Wentword's friends could aid him, and Sc
the mechanic, wholly innocent as the reader
knows, languished in jail. The testimony
| Of Captain Starbright before the justice in
whose court Wentword had his exami
nation was positive against the prisoner,
and as the Captain was prominent citizen
there could be no doubling his OATH
Lura Joyce fretted at this not q little,
but, finding that nothing could be done to
rescue the young man from prison until
freed by due process OF law, she gave up
the case and turned her thoughts and ef-
forts in another channel
Mrs. Penroy was soon able to attend upon
the wants OF her daughter, thus leaving
Lura Joyce more time TO herself.
81 believe Captain Starbright is at the
bottom Of all this iniquity," declared Lura
one day TO Grace. "You, OF course, know
that Austin Wentword is innocent Of an at
tempt on your life"
Certainly" assured Grace. "He and
were standing together when the shot was
fired by some one in ambush
Well, you shall testify to this in good
time. / have surprise in store for Gin
ton Starbright that will take him down a
peg when he comes to chew on it; and, mind
you, Grace, the villain shall begin the mas
tication before he is many days older"
81 am not sure but what you wrong the
Captain" said poor little Grace, with
faint, sad smile. "He has been very kind
to me during my illness"
"Kindl All put on, my dear, every bit Of
it," declared Lura, quickly.
To this the invalid made no reply.
As she sat supported by pillows in a
great armchair she presented a pretty
picture, that even her more boistereus
cousin could not fail TO admire.
. tfV0u will aonn he atr0nnx rxa,,,+ H.. ~
said Lura. SIT seems incredible that such
an accident should come to one SO good as
you are. Grace. Sometimes I think that II
pds an accident You see, am sentimental.
like other girls, once in awhile"
Then Lura gave vent to sharp little
laugh and sprang to her feet, gliding
swiftly from the room.
On her way to Stonefeld that very day
on the stage the horses became frightened
and ran, the stage was overturned, and
several OF the passengers injured, among
them Lura Joyce.
"Confound the luckp exclaimed the girl,
when she found her ankle sprained SO
severely as TO prevent her bearing her
weight on ii. "l'll never ride in that stuffy
Did coach again. This serves me right for
not going on my own Conference.-The back
Of Romeo"
The driver secured farmers wagon, in
which he conveyed his passengers to the |
city. Miss Joyce found shelter ct the
house Of friend, whore, to her chagrin,
the was compelled to remain for several |
lays on account Of her injuries.
While here she was visited by grave
ooking gentleman of thirty, whose sober |
ACE and quiet manners were in direct con-
rast to the bubbling exuberance OF Miss |
Joyce. This gentleman was DR.. Cotton,
'eally the most learned and gifted physician
n the city. That he was a friend Of Lura
Joyce was proved from the cordial nature of
heir meeting.
"How is your patient, DR.. Coltonln
This was about the first words after q
,ood hearty hand-shake. Lura, with one
DOT swathed resting on a hassock, reclin-
ng calmly in huge rocker, was an inter-
sting picture. The grave, dark eyes Of the
oung doctor evinced their admiration by
he earnestness Of their gaze.
''My patient is fast gaming, and will soon
e sound as dollar-my old patient, but as
0 my young one that remains to be seem"
nd Lura actually blushed under the affec-
ionate earnestness Of his gaze.
$50 you heard of my little tumbler she
etorted, quickly. II had no idea that /
hould require the services of physician
" That remains to be seem
He then bent over the swollen limb, and
Nth deft fingers removed the wrappings
lie assumed the physicians liberty, and
,ura Joyce was by no means prude enough
D affect any false modesty under the cir
INSTANCES. She was anxious to be on her
eet again, and had full confidence in the
bility Of DR.. Arthur Cotton, who would
ave been called to visit Grace Penroy had
he the ordering Of aphysician at the out
ct.
After brief examination he regarded
er gravely, and said:
g find a fracture here that will necessi-
lte the utmost quiet for at least fort
ightn
:" But positively can not remain idle
lat length Of time,n declared the girl, in ,
uick agitation. / must return to Lone
ollow by tomorrow, at furthest"
That would be out of the question. You
re under my care now, Lura, and must
oey orders.n
Something like a smile touched his face.
ura realized that he was in earnest, how
yer, and she groaned inwardly at the pros
oSt. W udt uiBuI HOb ihppcn uuflnR Qcr
bsence from Lone Hollowi
There seemed to be no help for it, how
yer, and poor Lura resigned herself to a
'rtnight's imprisonment with the best
race possible. She had no thought of
sputing the wisdom Of DIR. Colton's dag
osis. To Lura his word, of all men in the
ord, was law. She regarded Arthur
olton as the wisest man on the globe, and |
} good as he was wise. She always felt
err inferiority while in his presence, and
lis often embarrassed her so that
he shrank within herself and ceased
shine with the full glow of {
er vivacious womanhood. Possibly
le doctor understood more than his i'm
ovable countenance revealed. He always
eated Lura as child-with grave Sc
BUSINESS that awed without chilling.
1t was late one afternoon OF cold day in
ltumn that Lura Joyce dismounted from
&c stage at Lone Hollow Three weeks had
apsed since she left by the same convey