The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-08-16
GRACE LILBURNE'S SECRET.
a STORY OF
TWO CHRISTMAS DAYS.

- ltNNyS ILiiDiiiAC HaS lipG SuIpllStu,
though she had only been there once,
many Years ago. In her childhood she
had been shown the cnasm at her feet,
aud had been threatened by Frank Fair
field. the son Of Kate's f~oster-lnother,
that IL she listened at doors and told
tales about him again, he would throw
her down here. and she would never be
heard of again.
This threat had been ~efiicaeious, and
the horror of it fingered long in her
memory, and she remembered as though
1t had happened yesterday how terrified
she had been at seeing what looked like
the solid floor glide noiselessly away
when he touched a spring, leaving uil-
covered adark and terrible chasm that
seemed to have no bottom.
While Roland had been telling Kate
he loved her, and after she had made
up her mindto kill her sister, Grace had
taken alamp, and with 20 Slight diff
Guilty had pressed the long disused
spring with sufficient force to make the
false 1oor slide out of its place, reveal
ing. the tonl dark chasm below, which
had once been such a source Of terror
TO her childish imagination.
She had left the floor Of the turret-
chamber open, though she had carefully
closed tho door-but now, when the
mnrderons work was done, she dared
ncs brlng q light, neither dared she
leave the place uncovered, and she felt
cautiously ahoi,t for the spring, and at
some peril 10 herself, since She was
working in the dark. she managed to
ma 1t, and the floor slowly moved back
into Its Place with a grating noise, clos
tngs. with a sharp snap.
Terrified lest she SHOULD be detected
End confident that the search had al
ready begun, Grace almost flew to the
room above, and there stood pale and
well-nigh spell-bound with horror at
the foul deed which she had SO deliber-
ately planned aud SO completely accom-
plisiled.
But she knew she must not give way
TO her fears in the presence OF other
people, or she would oon betray her.
SELF, Tor an lH5ul time of anxiety and
dread was still before her.
Ii was with an intense feeling of re-
lief that she heard the door open and
SAW = mans form in tho doorway, for
The Passages. as [ have said, We're all
u,mly lighted, though small out-of-the-
way rooms, iiko those ill which the tur-
ret chambers We're, We're lett in dark
ness.
s0h, l am glad you have fouKd me-"
she said, coming forward" 81 seem to
have been here sGch a long time, and /
In so cold"
lit was very foolish to hide in such a
part OF the castle az ibis said Roland
severely. Where is Kateit'
4 don't know where Kate tsp was
the petulant retort; / suppose she was
Wiser than / and hid %lsserselt where she
could be more easily foGnd; but | shall
is9 blesl to the others. I dare say Kate
ii3s already been fouuJ.n
sHIpSaAly she has reiurnedthe anx-
aou:' i,oves.
Then lie walked back to the great
isailshY the Side of Grace, but as they
passed under Il light he exclaimed in
-7sNsssn1se, as he loolsedat his companion:
What have yea done to your dress!
The front OF it is almost black"
Grace uttereda little cry of alarm,
then recovering herself, she saids
How careless of mel j forgot the
walls would be thick with dust, and |
pulled myself up to The window to see
tit WAS still showing. Excuse me q
few minutes, dare say my maid can
wipe it cit
So SAYING. she hurriedly left him, but
no maid eo'Ild wipe off the mark iron.
fier white satin dress any more than the
Z stain OF the crime she had committed
could be w3pea from her false heart.
she covered over the spots on her
dress With some flowers and lace. which
she aastiiy pinned in their l,!aces: then
she washed her hands. and went back
ololh her fathers quests.
Many OF these were gone, others were
departing, ssid Roland Ayre's o~ften-re.
peatea question: Has Kate been,
u don't know did NOT excite the in.
terest or anxiety that it would have
done at any other moment.
Nhen all the visitors who we're moi
gong foreman forthe nighthad driver
away, Mi. Iilburne,a annoyance at The
disappearance Of his eldest daughter
gave place to alarm, and lie Summoned
the servants and Organized a search
throughout the castle.
.bt5 though they ranSaeked the man
sion rom gtrret TO basement, and ex-
ahmed every nook and corner, Kate
was not to be found.
trace was questioned again ant
again, but SHE stuck to the story she
had at first volunteered. and declared
that Kate had parted with her before
she assembled the staircase which led tc
the inflet-chambGrs, in one OF which
she was herself found by Roland Avre
Can She have hidden away in som,
old oak chest?' suggested oue romantic
splnSter doubtfully.
But Mr.. lilhurne retorted disdain.
fully:
We have ne such old oak chests. no.
any BeerSt rooms in this house. madam.
:iIi that kind OF thing was DESTROYED
when the castle was rebuilt by NV
father 10y
IT vas not altogether REBUILT sug>
s ssNn INT have ,,,, ...l -
ions about what Was left.'' was the i'm.
patient reply. THE old baroniai hall
Il that part of the original building
nearest the river, Were spared. and
llete is tiothing mysterious about them
Was.a
!Still, kate must be SOMEWHERE eS
Claimed Roland anxioasly;; s.stle woult
never have gone ont of the house or
such a night as this, for the snow is fall
llg heavily. and, wherever she is. [ an
convinced that she has met with fou
ri;iy agthe hands of some one"
Ssheta ean You mean?:H demanded
MI. isilburIle. WHO is there who coult
VISA toinjuse my childs She never hat
an enemy N the world
1soiafa 3STle shook bis head. and hi
eyes nnconsciouslv rested upon Grace.
"iia5yon think Kate has eioped?" she
asked n%eryouslF.
aioped! With whom should she
elope9s' demanded Roland hotiy: sonly
this evening she promised to be ms
I'll didn't know, faltered Grace;
There was Frank Fairfield, whom papa
had to send away from the neighbor-
hood; thought he might have come
back again, and--''
And what?2 demanded her father
sternly.
And persuaded Kate to go AVA
with him." was the seemingly reluctant
answer.
Then never make such a suggestion
again Numbered Mr.. Lilburne; Kate
bad more consideration for herself and
for me than to have taken such a step.
10 to your own room. If you had not
persisted in playing that ridiculous
game, this misfortune could never have
happened; 80 to Your room, | say
The girl obeyed. and the other ladies
OF the party quickly followed her ex-
ample.
NNow what is-to be done?.n asked Ro.
land blarkly. when he md Mr.. Lilburne
With two gentlemen and three or fou1
servants were left together.
Nan ty - ~. Eh