Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-06-14
81 Ii gave ID -

upon heF guardian but ne gave no mint
When am to see TOinette?" he asked.
at length.
Il viii send for her Immediately.
DuIcie came. Her cheeks we're pain
fully flushed; she looked like one labor
ing under some strong excitement.
Guy could scarcely remove his eyes
from her face. 1t was an astonishing
likeness. He could have sworn it was
TOinette herself, only he had left her III
In New York. Pressing the little hand
extended in greeting he said, softly:
Don't think bear malice Tor the way
you treated me at our last meeting, Tom
cite. I forgive the cruel blow you dealt
me.
Dulcie started. Toinette had not told
her all that transpired at the statiOn-hOuse,
and she was at a loss to understand his
meaning. But the thought that this was
the man who had seen her clad In Daniel
Briggs cast-OH garments made her heart
beat.
Il still bear the marks Of the blow,
Guy added, parting the jetty curls and
revealing a tiny scar upon his temple.
But it is of no consequence if you are
disposed to atone for the past by present
kindness"
Dulcie still took refuge in silence. She
felt a sickening sensation. This was the
man she must marry if she remained at
BOnnyView Hall. What should she do?
And Guy, as he gazed admiTingly into
that girlish face, was saying to himself:
She IS like and unlike TOinette. This
Is a girlish, innocent child; Toinette a self
ish, worldly woman. It would not be SO
difficult to transfer my affections to the
charming impOstCr.
Decidedly it was for his interest to keep
the secret for the present. Suddenly bend
ing over Dulcie he whispered:
ONLY try to love me darling. and such
happiness as you never dreamed of is in
store for you.
There must be some cause for the girls
startling likeness to TOinette. It could
freaks. He would trace the impOstOr's
history and spare no pains to learn the
truth. It might be turned to his advant-
age.
Duloie was only shy and reserved; Toin-
cite had treated him with naughty dis
dain. Even Major Villars noticed the
change.
You are winning her over, the unsus-
pecting man declared. only persevere.
After several days spent In the young
lady's society, Guy paid a flying visit to
New York. From DR.. FIagg he learned
that TOinette was rapidly convalescing,
though unable to leave the room as yet.
Then there was no immediate danger of
losing trace of her, so he returned to Bon
nYview Hall.
That same day Major Villars said to
Duloie:
you are a sensible girl after all;
changed for the better. I believe you are
really growing fond of Guy. He is the
prince of good fellows and so handsome
We will have grand wedding one of these
days, and all live happy together after
ward.
Major YiIIars, why are you so deter
mined 1 shall marry that MANI" she de-
manded, looking at him fxedIy.
She saw his eyes diIate, his face pale to
a dead white.
~Why?" he stammered. Because Guy
Vaudeville is the most suitable husband 1
could select for my ward. This is reason
enough am anxious to see you pleas
antiy settled in life.
For a long time after she gained her
own room, Dulcie sat thinking Of Major
Villars' agitation when he said these
words.
Her question appeared to startIe him
strangely. It was useless trying to con-
lecture why. Some mystery lay in the
background of which she did not hold the
key. But matters we're coming to a crisis.
Soon she must become Guy MandevilIe's
wife, or confess herself a cheat.
4 Will 90 away, she decided, after
hours spent in perpIexed thought. 1T
viii be hard to leave all this wealth and
luxury behind, but it must be DONE"
That night she wrote a brief note of ex-
PLANTATION, left it on her dressing table,
and stole softly down stairs. While her
white, trembling hands were Juggling at
the bolts which secured the door, there
was a sudden fash of light, and Guy Man,
deville appeared before her.
Where are you gOing?" he said.
"Let me pass!" she exclaimed, thrusting
aside his OBTAINING hand.
Not at this hour If you leave this
house shall go with you. Is it from me
that you are flying, TOinette?"
Don't call me by that name. You have
been deceived. I am not TOinette. Now
you know the secret that should have been
/ told long ago. Let me go.
/ She confronted him half defantly, a
strange, desperate CLEAN in her deep blue
/ eyes, He laughed softly.
You say you are not TOinette. Where
! is she?"
"Dead!"
/ DuIcie did not see the strange look that
! flashed over his face and was gone. After
/ a moments silence he said;
/ You may not be Toinette, but you are
/ here in her place. Go back to your room.
The next day an event occurred that
! changed all her thoughts and plans.
At the breakfast table Guy met her pre-
/ ciseIy as though that little episode had
not happened in the night. He was kind,
! courteous. affable. AfterWard Du1cie
went out by herself over the grounds. She
had wandered some distance from the
/ house, when the cracking Of dry twigs in
a thicket startled her, and musical voice
cried eagerly.
@Toinette, darling, there you are at last!
I have been waiting since early dawn,
The tall figure of man appeared sud
/ denly in the narrow pathway. She looked
! up, cry of amazement breaking from her
| lips.
Her startled glance rested upon the
dark, handsome face Of the original Of the
pencil sketchi The fascinating stranger
with whom DuIcie had fallen in love al
I first si0bt stood before har9