The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-01-26
CHAPTER XVII.

bhA11 LIN AANlI.
you DO not know how happy I am,
my dear little Lima, that everything is
clear to Us now, and all so lovely; and
now YOU will surely forgive me for
doubt ng you in the least, won't you 2"
Lenora gently drew her loving friend
to her face and kissed her on the
cheek.
with all my heart ] forgive you,
Mrs. Bristol. All was against me. and
there was no one to take my part. 1t
was all so dark then that it seemed
that God had forsaken me, but You
see He did not. He only made that
short night bitter darkness, that the
sun might shine all the brighter the
next day. 1t IS all over now, my dear,
kind friend, and there never was a hap
pier person in all the world than l.
Love had not entered my heart for any
man until | saw my Ray, and since that
night of the ball my heart was not my
own.
Ray returned from the dining hall
shortly, and with his mother watched
all night by the bedside of her he
loved.
Jeanette Nathan did not recover
for some time from the last shock,
caused by that terrible vision. She had
been under such a severe mental re
straint since Lenora ent red the Bristol
mansion that Immediately after her last
fright she was delirious for weeks and
weeks with the brain fever.
This wicked woman was given every
- ! I. 1
day, while she lay tossing about the
bed in her feverish rawlings. Lenora
would sit by her bed and battle the
hot, throbbing temples in cold water
for hours at a time.
Finally, the patient grew much bet
ter, and was able to set up a few hours
each day; cards had been sent out, and
many guests had been invited to the
wedding.
Lenora was very busy now, prepar-
ing for that wonderful day that every
girl looks forward to with such Joy: as
Jeanette was much better, and did
not need the happy, light-hearted girl,
she never went into the sick-chamber
now.
One beautiful morning, about the
middle of April, Jeannette's maid was
brushing her mistress hair, and
thoughtlessly remarked:
what a fine wedding it will be!
All the city folks are invited, and some
one IS coming over from England. My
but she viii be a beautiful bridel"
What do you mean, Minna, about
wedding? Who is to be married now,
and who is the beautiful bride?"
i look OF anxious curiosity came
into Jeannette's eyes, and her maid no.
ticed it.
cob, my LADY, I forgot But the
madam said / should not say ANYTHING
to you about it until you were better,
for fear you would want to help before
you were able"
For Heavens sake, Minna, what 10
You mean? Tell me, instantlyp
Why, the master and the beautiful
Miss Lima are to be married the first of
May. Therel | was not to tell for
week-but -"
The sentence was never finished:
quick as a flash the feeble, trembling
Jeanette seemed to possess the strength
ot lion, for she sprang from her chair,
Ike a ball from a cannon, and dealt
her maid such blow on the temple
with her clenched fist that she was
knocked senseless to the floor.
"Oh, heavens Why didn't they tell
me? Why didn't they tell me all
about it, and how It all happened? [
viii shoot her-yes, shoot her-and in
front of Rays own eyes.
"She shall not dethrone me thus.
and drag the ancient, honored race
down to the low scums of society to
which she belongsl No! / viii save
the Bristols' honor if [ am lost to
eternal damnation; the heart of that
thieying, contemplate creature shall
stop beating, and by my handl"
Half crazed with anger and excite
ment, she went to her drawer to get
her little pistol. As she stooped to
reach 1t she glanced up at the glass,
and in an instant her hands dropped
10 her sides and her face was ghastly
white, for in the glass she saw, stand
ing on her right, the shrouded form of
the nurse she had murdered. while on
the left stood that OF the simpleton
They were looking at her and pointing
a5 the pistol, while the lev breath
whispered, Don't"
Jeanette uttered a faint moan, and
her lIfeless form fell backward across
that Of her unconscious maid.
CHAPTER XVIII
The first of May dawned clear and
warm, the sun never shone brighter
than on that day, and the birds never
sang more sweetly.
Early spring had dressed the fields.
the forests, the lawns and the park of
the Bristol estates in robes of brightest