The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-08-23
For the rest of the journey the tive
men were silent, one was too sad, and
other WAS fnn ~narvnaislu anxinias tn

For the rest of the journey the tive
men were silent, n was too sad, and
the other was too nervously anxious to
talk.
1t was a large handsome cottage at
D gate of which they drew up, and az
they walked towards the door ii, was
opened by Mrs. Fairfield herself.
She was a tail i%ine-looking woman.
comparatively young-looking still, and
very like her son, though her dark
brown hair as yet showed nc sign OF
approaching nge.
There was Difference rather than hui
mliityl IN her manner as she gravely in
vitad Mr.. .Ayre To enter, while she
herself led the way into a comfortably
furnished sitting-room.
The young nan eagerly glanced
round the apartment az though he hop
ed to see someone, but if so he was dis
appointed there was not q single sign
OF anybody having been in the room
save the woman t0 whom it belonged.
= have told Mr.. Ayre that ytu could
probably help him iii tracing Miss
Kate said Fairfield when they were
al seatnd; but perhaps it will be as
we'll ii he tells you first how Kate dis,
appeared and what steps have been
taken to find herr you will then be bet
ter able to connect his part of the story
With the little You know"
Roland fumed with impatience;
lie did not want to go over the old
ground again, he wanted to know with
out delay what they could tell him.
But Mrs. Fairfield, though very polite,
was likewise very firm.
Moreover, she Was suspicious.
Yes, she was suspicious eve of her
W son, and as Roland, finding no
escape, began to tell the story of that
Christmas night over again, she more
than nee interrupted him with ques-
tons,
And when the search was being
made you heard nothing about anyfalSe
floor in the west turret, did you?H' asked
Mrs. Fairfield with a searching glance.
Certainly not, is there such a thing?"
he asked eagerly.
There vas formerly-at least, SO /
hear from my so%n-though | never
heard of it in all the years lived at the
castle, and | don't think Mr.. Lilburne
himself knew of it,; but Frank asserts
that Miss Grace did,
"Grace!' exclaimed his lordship in
sudden dismay; 'are you sure she knew
81 am quite sure,o here interposed
the young engineer, "for l once showed
it to her, and threatened to throw her
into the shaft below. OF course / only
meant to brighten her, but she was al
ways getting me into scrapes with her
deceitlnl tongue, and thought l would
Roland pressed his hands over his
burning brows.
He remembered now how Grace had
induced her sister to hide, and how she
had afterwards denied all knowledge of
her whereabouts.
Yes, it all came back to his memory
now, even to the dust and dirt which he
had noticed on her white satin dress.
and to which he had called her atten-
ton.
At length he started to his feet, ex-
claiming:
Let us goto Silverton Castle at once;
there is not a moment to be lost. That
infamous girl may be starving her sis
ter TO death; quick-Guick, or we may
be too late"
But Mrs. Fairfield said calmly as she
also rose to her feet:
I'VE will go in good time, Mr.. Ayre,
but if | help you, you must help me,
and | have IL matter here that troubles
me as much as Kate 1ilburne's disap-
pearal.ce troubles you. VIII you come
this way, and tell me what it is best for
me tc do?:'
And she was leading the way to a
door that opened into another room
when Roland exclaimed:
Il will do anything you require when
Kate is once found, but must go to
Siiverton Castle without delay"
And he was turning towards the OPP
posite door, the one by which he had
entered, when he was arrested by Mrs,
Falriield's calm sad voice saying:
1T is useless your going to Silvertoh
Castle without me, and you must give
me your advice at once. Come"
Then she led the way into the further
room. and he. after a momentary hest
ton, followed her.