The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-10-25
TEL E
LITTLE " AIF.
A Story Of Absorbing Interest.
By BERNARD HERBERT.
ICHAPTER XX.-CoNTINuED.I

ICHAPTER XX.-CoNTINuED.I
How could j comfort her? and
left her weeping In the street / looked
back and saw her standing at the win
dow of her apartment, waving mo n
fearful farewell. L shall probably
never again sec that sweet, heavenly
\ face in this world, but I have her pic.
@.is.1aa aaae- -lAI lnnsalf f--t1a ralaaas-
Yes, her photograph in the charac.
ter of Fidcs, the fa thful mother"
oh, let me sec it! Oh, my geo |
friend, God bless you for this comfort !"
She flung her arms about his neck
and kissed him as though he had been
her father.
Come into the house and you shall
see il, he said
After they had gone in little Stella
stopped to play in the soft radiance of
the sunset with her white kitten upon
the door step, and my lady Cora's car,
rage returning, passed at the mona mt.
Her wandering eyes took in the pretty
picture, and strange light lcapcd into
their dark depths, while an unaccus-
toned iluttcr possessed her bosom.
Upon the spur of the moment she called
halt and hls.encd to tho child wh,.
attracted by the rattle of silver chains
and the roll of the wheels, had turned
to look at the passing cqu;pagc.
tascinat sd by the brilliant display.
Little Stella trot.cd bravely out of the
garden gate and paused upon tiptoc
on the grassy bank. gazing up in won
der at the beautif Il ra &c bent above
her.
"What n pretty little girl you arc!"
SAID the enchantress, in q swift, low
tone
The child looked puzzled for an in
slant; then replied in French:
"Je ne cOmprcndS pas, mGddme."
My lady Cora turned palid to the
very lips.
"You are Frcnch~ she exclaimed, in
the same language. "Whero do You
come from?'
"Paris, madame answered the
child.
What is your namc?'
STELLA"
"Stclla what?"
"Stclla Leonard"
"Lconard?"
II was her own name before her ,r.
riage, and, as the guilty woman cchcal
1T, she sunk back upon the cushions of
her carriage stupcfied Simultanc-
ously voice within the housa called
uron the child TO come, and in
GREATNESS way she gave orders to the
coachmnn to drive on at full speed.
The Unexpected interview with LAWYER
Edgar, which has been narrated in the
preceding chapter, for tho time being
drove all thought of the mysterious
child from Cora Boydcn's mini; but
when she was alone in the scclusion of
her own chamb II with her door securely
lockel, the mask fell from her features,
and, thrusting The heavy masses of
black hair from her palIid brow, she
cri,d:
"My God! what am | to do? That
child is my own child But how came
she here, to haunt balk and ruin me?
II i; some ficndish invention of nv
enemies, but | will circumvcnt them,
or die in tho attempt"
She swept to the window, threw i.
open, and looked out upon tho peace
ful evening with desperate, unscciDg
eyes.
"My days, even my hours, rs hcircs3
of this place arc mum; crcd," she NUT
tered; Il know it, feel it in every bone.
The odds are against me- and my time
o. action is almost up. Sooner or later
they will discover the will which will
turn me out pcnnilcss upon the world :
again. OF course, | cln return to tho |
old life, but | sluddcr to think of il. !
Having tasted of tho life of n great |
lady, | mean to continue to enjoy il, or
lose my soul. The time for action has |
come; | can delay no longer
with this half-crazcd artist OF my |
hands, | am free to s,cure some alliance |
with man of wealth and stnndin9, |
which will settle my future for mo, |
whatever happens. If plly my cards !
r'pcrly can represent myself az tho
niece and hcircss of tho rich Orrin
CLIFFORD. No one need know that | am
The widow of man who committed |
suicide in the Tombs to escape tho
scailold.