The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-08-16
II.
What o state Is guilt
When everything alarms II.

under the grief that overwhelmed them.
CHAPTER III.
What o state Is guilt
When everything Alarms It.
Grief and dismay at the mysterious
disappearance of Kate Lilhurna were
not confined to her fatflerand lover, for
the servants were almost as much
moved by the loss Of the fair girl, as
We're the members of her own family.
After the first shock, however, it was
strange to observe how people shook
their heads and limited vaguely that
Miss Grace might know more about her
sisters fate than she chose to tell.
Indeed. Grace never knew how close
ly she was watched at this time, nor
how keenly her every word and action
was weighed and speculated upon.
But nothing could in this way be dis
| covered; her remorS and fear found
vent in tears and lamentations which
were attributed to grief, and became so
| excessive that 4 doctor was called in to
Try to calm her.
Remembering the hints which Grace
had thrown out about Frank Fairfield,
Roland began to question her about the
young man. and she answered readily
enough until a sudden thought occur
red to her, when in II moment she be-
came pale and began to tremble.
"What is the matter with you now?"
he asked.
Nothing" she replied-.nothing; it
just came to my mind that Frank could
| year he went to South America"
What is the young mar?:o question
ed Roland.
"a civil engineer"
Your father paid for his education,
I SUPPOSE"
Yes; his mother took care of Kate,
and nuirsed her when her mother died.
and she was always very fond of Mrs.
Fairfield, and of Frank too"
Where does this Mrs. Fairfield liyef'
he next asked.
II don't know: she went AWAY from
here. Perhaps she Ia gone to South
America to her son. | am sorry now L
suggested that Frank had taken Kate
away, because | see it is IMPOSSIBLE
why impossible? He may have re-
tnrned.n
"Oh no; not at all likely. Poor atel
/ wonder if she ever will be found.n
She made matters worse now by her
feverislily anxious endeavors to con-
| vince her companion that the Young
man could not have had anything TO do
with Hates disappearance, but her
arguments. on this point only conlirm.u,
Roland II his determination 20 find the
yonslg engineer.
When, however, he appealed to Mr..
Lliourne forfnrther particulars respect
ing Fairfield he received no encourage
neiit to seek the young man.
III never harmed Kate, y he said
sadly, as he shook his head. eyfe would
have given his lifn 10 spare her a mo-
ment's pain. lie is Il noble young fell
low, and when he gave me his word
that he would never speak of love again
to Kate | believed him. as l should be.
lieve you, Roland, lie has kept his
word, depend upon il. I would as soon
doubt myself as doubt him"
And Vet Kate must have met with
foul play. said Roland gloomily. ANY
mere accident would have been dis
covered before now
But Mr.. Lilhurne shook his head as
he replied: Il don't knew, us q myat,
ery-an awful mystery. My poor cl.ild
my poor child"
a few days after Christmas a tllaw
set IN, and the river was dragged and
the castle and grounds wefo searched
once more. but agai.s Ia vain. and then
Roland AEfa oAde adiga 70 the sorrow
ful old man and rs fearful daughter.
on wa come again soon, Roland,
ara tell lis IL you itiye discovered any
thingl' Grace had pleaded piaintiveIy
as he was going away.
But he replied coialyi
II Shall never enter S~ilverton Castle
again, unless bring Kate with Inc, OF
come 70 meet ltef.
ed:
81 shall take you at your words
Heaven grant YOU may be able to dc
so,,,' was the answer. Then they clasp
ed hands and parted.
Grace questioned her father as tic
what Roland meant. But size received
no satisfactory reply.
Days and weeks rolled OH. The mys.
terry was q mystery still, and Grace be-
gan to talk of putting on mourning fot
The sister Who must be dead.
l., when she spoke of ii to her father
however, he sterniy forbade anything
OF the kind 10 be done.
Why should you suppose Kate to he
dead?H he demanded sntrily. Il don't
believe she is dead. | believe that she
is alive, and that | shall see and cIasr
her. IN my arms before / de-
Grace trelpbleu with fear. Kate alive.
Kate in her dungeon, bruised, bleeding.
atil starving! No, it could not be.
Death must have ended her suiferings
ere now. and the dead girl could not
come back to tell the piteous tale OF
treachery and cruelty OF which she had
been the victim.
Other people looked forward TO the
possibility of Rates return TO her faith
erS house, and many We're tile ~specula-
lions as to what would happen if she
did come back. But Grace quietly
smiled at all snch anticipations.
She knew that they would never be
realised. She knew. past all doubling,
that Kate was dead, and that therefore
there was no "iff,in thematter. and she
secretly but eXultingly declared herself
to be her fathers sole h~eiress.
Hitherto Kate had been first, while
she in ali things had been second. Iiel
fathers property would at his death
have been divided equally between his
two daughters, but the title. as there
were two of them, would naturaliyh have
fallen in allegiance.
She sighed as she remembered she
could not forthwith take possession of
Kate fortune, but one cannot get all
one desires in this world, and she be-
gan to wonder how long it wonldb BE- be-
fore her fathers life would coine to an
end.
And throughout all this she looked SC
innocent. SO petty, and SO child-like
with her golden cu!ris. her sweet blue
eyes. and rosebud OF Il mouth, Chat il
seemed Impossible 10 suspect Ter oil
anything more serious than careless
ness or folly.
So those who judged only by appear.
ances pitied her because OF the sadness
of her lot, and others liked hernono the
less for the fact that she was low a
great heiress.
Roland Ayre, true to his word. never
came near Silverton Castle, and the Lii
burnes received no message from him;
but Victor Gayherd. a cousin OF his,
came frequently, and so also did Alger-
non ColeErook.
But Grace never felt quite at ease in
the presence OF The latter. Algernorl
would sit OR stand, and calmly and
steadfastly look at her as though she
were a curious study: and wnen on one
occasion She was rendered sufficiently
irritable and uncomfortable to make
her ask sharply what made him DO SO.
he replied with a bow; My profound
admiration"
But his admiration did not lead him
to transgress in like manne again, and
soon after this he ceased to cali at Sill