Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-06-13
the ground floor. Here Lura passed quick

chamber" thought the girl, gong at once
| up the stairs to the room, where she had
passed many happy hours with her fair
| cousin.
| A tiny rap on the door was answered by
| come in from beyond, IN a low voice.
| Scarcely had Lura Joyce crossed the
| threshold of the room than she came to a
| halt and stood regarding the low couch,
| with its wealth Of covering, in anazement.
At the bedside sat the coiored maid Lucy.
| while among the pillows was face so thin,
| so faded, so 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 nealthe
After q moment Of hcsitancy Lura ad-
| vanced swiftly and stood by the bedside,
7 gazing into the corpse-like countenance on
| the pillow. 1t was Grace, surely, but on,
how changed! To Lura it seemed that a
! harsh touch or breath of air would break
| the brittle thread of life.
''What does this meant" the young girl
| found voice to articulate at length.
| Lucy did not seem to comprehend.
'.Is so glad you's come" she said.
''Young missus been wantln' you SO bad all
de time"
Eyes, indeed" articulated the sick girl,
| family. 81 feared l should never see you
| again in this world
"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.
''Now, Grace, have you strength to tell
me what this meanSl'
1T means that we were all deceived.
Lura. l am going to die. For myself l
would not mind, but-but poor Austin"
She broke down then and began to cry in
i way that showed utter exhaustion.
''Don't trouble yourself about Austin,"
soothed Lura HE is well, and / will try
to get him on here to see you if you promise
to be good and not worry. Now, tell me how
it happens that you are so ill. When left
you the glow of returning health was on
your cheek"
'.And this is why you did not comes''
No, indeed. met with an accident that
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 como no
more"
s.He?"
''Mr. Starbright."
The miserable scoundrelr'
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
checks.
..Never mind, Grace, dear" soothed Lura
'You shall tell me at another time. You
arc 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 IA hand with
out. Going thither Lura turned the key
and admitted Captain Starbright.
CHAPTER XXvIII.
LURA's PLANS
Captain Starbright started at seeing Lura
Joyce. The meeting was an unexpected
one on his part.
''You hcre:" he calculated. II thought
you would not return to Lone Hollow again"
s'Why did you think so, Captains. Lone
Hollow is all the home l have"
Il surmised as much, that is all. Grace
was glad to see you"
after your lies, yes" interrupted Lura,
in a Kissing whisper. 'I'u thwart you yet,
Captain Starbrght.'
Then she turned about and resumed her
seat beside the bed, the short red curls on
her fOretOp quivering IN n way that BODIED
no good to tho schemlng Captain. His black
eyes took on Il look of intense hate as he
gazcd that, had Lura seen it, would have
chilled the blood in her veins. His white
hands clnched, and for 4 moment he seemed
the very incarnation of evil.
He turned swiftly on his heel and passed
from the room. Once beyond the gaze OF
Luras eyes his face assumed black and
threatening look. Zone day more and all
would have been well, the fortune would
have been mine, and Grace beyond help.
Now, what may not take place with that girl
III the house! wish she was dead"
1t is easy to understand the Captains
thout rbfC a ,.palizo1 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 to
the widow and those who might choose to
call themselves her friends.
Mrs. Penroy was far from well, and was
at the present time confined to her room
with a sudden severe cold.
''If she, too, would only die thought the
Captain, and then a 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.
Il can hardly account for it myself" fall
tered Grace. Il know l felt almost well
WITCH you ielL lile, anu SHOulu nave gwen
up my medicine altogether but for Mr.. Star
bright"
Yes, indeed" agreed Lura, in a sup
pressed voice, her eyes shining like bits of
steel.
'.Hc thought the medicine was necessary
to strengthen me, and so l continued to take
1t, only to grow weaker gradually, until l
had to take to my bed once more Oh, YOU
can not imagine how discouraglng it has
been"
Il understand it all,'' Lura interrupted,
tenderly. GLOW long has it been since DR..
Fayon has been here''
''Oh, Il long time. He came but once after
you went away"
But why was ths!'
SHE SAID it was best; that Faxon was old,
and that l ought to improve faster, and SO
he procured medicine from a doctor in
Stonefeld, who came to see me but once"
1T was Starbright that recommended this
changed"
Yes"
''And your mother?"
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
strange!"
Yes, it is stranger" uttered Lura, in a
smothered voice. "And this has been going
OH for three weeks. What is your medi-
cine!'
''There is some in liquid form followed
by POWDER
Lura came to her feet and made a swift
examination of the bottles and glasses on