Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-09
tie eround door. Hers Lam. psssed euio,s.


b, only to ind tho chamber empty.
q She must Be well and m her own caav
chamber, !" thought the girl going e onse
up the stairs to the room where she I'D
passed many happy hours with her tair
cousin.
A tiny rap on the door was answered by
4" come in - from beyond, m . low voics.
Scarcely had Lura Joyce creased the
threshold Of the room than she came to .
halt and stood regarding the low couch,
with its wealth Of covering, in amusement.
At the bedside sat the colored maid Lucy,
while among the pillows was q face SO thin,
50 faded, 20 CHASTITY as to quite startle Lura
Joyce.
Could It be possible that this was Grace
Penroy, whom she had left but three weeks
since almost restored to healthi
After . moment Of hesitancy Lura adj
vanced swiftly and stood by the bedside,
the pillow. 1t was Grace, surely, but oh,
how ehangedI To Lura it seemed that .
harsh touch or breath Of air would break
the brittle thread Of life.
'sWhat does this meant" the young Rlrl
found voice to articulate at length.
Lucy did not seem to comprehend.
''Ps SO glad you's come" she said.
''Young missus been wantln' you 50 bad all
de time''
l
family. 81 feared / should never see you
again in this world"
s'You may go for the present" Lura said
to Lucy; then, after the girl had departed.
she locked the door and seated herself be-
side the sick couch.
snow, Grace, have you strength to tell
me what this meansP'
ut means that we were all deceived,
Lura- I am going to die. For myself I
vI<afvv I~,,k l,,,k
She broke down then and began to cry in
q way that showed utter exhaustion
'sDon't trouble yourself about Austin,"
soothed Lura. HE is well, and will try
to get him on here to see you it you promise
to be good and not worry. Now, tell me how
it happens that you are SO i'll. When I LEFT
you the glow of returning health was o.
your cheek"
'sAnd this is why you did not comet"
mo, indeed. I met with an accident thae
laid me up in Stonefield. I've been with
you in thought all these weeks"
"And he told me you were tired Of con
slant waiting on me, and would come ne
more"
ssHea~
'.Mr. Starbright.''
1.-THE miserable scoundreli"
Lura was too indignant to keep back the
hot words. although regretting them the
next moment.
Grace could not command her feelings to
speak for long time, but lay white and ST.
lent, with hot tears raining over her hollow
cheeks.
ssNever mind, Grace, DEAR" soothed Lura
''You shall tell me at another time. You
are not strong enough now"
Then Lura Joyce came to her feet and
turned to adjust the clothing about the sick
one as the door was tried by hand with
out. Going thither Lura turned the key
and admitted Captain Starbright.
CHAPTER xviii
LURAs PLANS.
Captain Starbright started at seeing 1ura
Joyce. The meeting was an unexpected
one on his part
''You hereP' he CALCULATED. 81 thought
you would not return to Lone Hollow again"
''Why did you think so, Captain? Lone
Hollow is all the home I have"
II surmised as much, that is all. Grace
was glad to see you
''After your lies, yes,'' interrupted Lura,
in a kissing whisper ssI'll thwart you yet,
Captain Starbright.''
Then she turned about and resumed her
seat beside the bed, the short red curls on
her foretop quivering IN way that BODIED
no good to the schemlng Captain. His black
eyes took on a look of intense hate as he
gazed that, had Lura seen it, would have
chilled the blood in her veins. His white
hands clinched, and for moment he seemed
the very incarnation Of evil.
He turned swiftly on his heel and passed
from the room. Once beyond the gaze Of
Lura's eyes his face assumed a black and
look. zone day more and all
would have been well, the fortune would
have been mine, aud Grace beyond help.
Now, what may not take place with that girl
in the housed I wish she was dead"
It is easy to understand the Captains
thoughts. He realized that Grace alone was
the one witness who could testify to the,
forging of her grandfather's name to the
will. With her out of the way he was COM
paratively safe, and could bid defiance Il,
the widow and those who might choose Il,
call themselves her friends.
Mrs. Penroy was far from well, and wan
at the present time confined to her room,
with a sudden severe cold.
eff she, too, would only die" thought TIM
Captain, and then wicked resolve en-.
tered his heart as he paced the long hall
alone in the lower part of the old house.
While the man of evil was thus conjuring
dark thoughts, Lura Joyce succeeded in
calming her sick cousin, and learning from
her the story Of how affairs came to change
so greatly in the short space of three
weeks.
81 can hardly account for it myself" fal-
G0TCQ 0TSC6. KNOW i 1Slt 1l0tOSt Weu
when you left me, and should have given
up my medicine altogether but for Mr.. Star
bright"
Eyes, indeed" agreed Lura, in sup
pressed voice, her eyes shining like bits Of
steel
HE thought the medicine was necessary
to strengthen me, and SO continued to take
1t, only to grow weaker gradually, until
had to take to my bed once more. oh, you
can not imagine how discouraging it has
been"
81 understand it ALL" Lura interrupted,
tendcrly. elbow long has it been since DR..
Faxon has been herea''
''Oh, q long time. He came but once after
you went away"
s'But why was this?"
'tHe SAID it was best; that Faxon was old,
and that ought to improve faster, and so
he procured medicine from doctor in
Stonefield, who came to see me but once"
st was Starbright that recommended this
changer"
eyes"
ssAnd your mother?"
ssShe has been i'll herself most Of the
time, and has made no objections, but has
left every thing to the Captain. he has
procured the medicine, and have taken it
regularly, but 1t doesn't seem to do any
good. grow weaker all the time. Isn't 1t