The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-10-15
A Tale Of Two Continents.
N MRS. NINA LAWSON.
CHAPTER XYXV-CoETINUED.

L
left the depot in search of some rea-
sonably quiet boarding house; this lit.
tie woman was Lenora, and her heart
was rs sad as ever.
She had coaxed Mrs. Bassett to
promise never to say anything to any
one about her being at her house so
long, and before she went away she
paid Mrs. Bassett for all her trouble
out Of the hundred and fifty dollars
she had when she lett the Bristol man.
sion.
The beautiful little woman in black
had no difficulty in securing o good
boarding-place, and the next day she
started for the Noll cottage. 1t took
every particle of strength she had to
go there, but she thought perhaps Ger
tana might be there, and would treat
her kindly.
She hoped to get all the information
from her that she wanted concerning
Noll, and Lenora believed that her old
friend would tell her everything-just
where Noll was, and whether it was
he that had caused her all the trouble
of the past two months.
It was no small effort for the lone,
heart-broken wife to go to the very
house where all her trouble began and
ring for admittanco there.
The door was opened by male
servant, but not Henry, who was there
when she was o prisoner. How she
trembled as the door opened; her face
was closely yelled, or the servant would
have been startled at its ghastly white
ness and at the misery in those great,
dark, dreamy eyes.
as your mistress at home?" she
asked, timidly, but the voice was SO
low and sweet that the servant an
swered kindly.
"Yes; please come in, and she will
Zee you"
Lenora walked into the hall she knew
10 we'll. The servant took her to the
drawing-room, and everything there
was much as it was two years ago.
How her poor little heart futtered
as she sat there waiting. By and by
she heard the rustic of silk, and a
faint flush dyed her cheek at the
thought of seeing her old friend once
more. AS the lady in the rustling silk
entered the room Lenora raised her
veil that Gertana might know her, but
-ah! How quickly the cheek paled
and how her heart leaped around as sire
saw in the door tall, queenly looking
middle-aged woman, with few silver
threads among the black heavy waves.
II thought Madam Girindani still
lived here, but you are not her." said
Lenora, in strange, frightened voice.
"No, that is not M name, fortunate
y. Are you a stranger here:"
yes" gaspsd the little visitor, now
took weak and frightened to raise her
voice much above a whisper, for the
voice that answered her was not kind,
and there Was rather cold, unfriendly
look in the woman's eye; bit the pale,
frightened face of the little visitor, all
in deep mourning, somehow brought
. more kindly look to those large,
strange eyes.
"You seem weak, and look as if you
were not feeling we'll. Is there any
thing can do for you? The people
that lived in this house have been gone
for q year"
"Can you tell me where?"
II know but little about them, but ]
think that the man that owned it then
is dead"
"Dead?"
eyes. He was shot, I think, over .
year ago.
"Oh!" gasped Lenora.
@Why? Was he relative of yours" ."
"No; he was nothing to me, but
Madame Girindani was my very dear
friend; where is she?"
81 do not know"
Lenora sat few moments, gazing
in the face of the lady who had told
her s1ch bad news.
"You look as ii you scarcely credited
just what I have said"
"Oh, I have no reason to doubt you.
must go now."
Che rise to go, but before she
reached the hall door she found that
she -:s zoo weak to walk farther, AMI
sanlS wearily down in a large plush
chair.
"Ah! see you are too weak to walk.
Let me send for some wine for yQu."
"If you please. I thought I was
stronger, but it all has been so sad, and
Ihave been very sick lately"
The present mistress Of the cottage
rang for q servant and ordered the
wine; it was soon brought, and Lenora
drank it.
1t stimulated her a little, and she
soon felt able to walk, and then left
the house, not knowing what TO do.
She had intended to find out from Ger
tana, if possible, whether it was Noll
that had killed her husband, yet she
knew that Gertana would not know
anything about it, but perhaps she
knew where lie had been and what he
was doing.
If she had not been so disappointed,
and hal found Noll there, she was go
ing to put the whole affair :: the
hands of lawyer, and see that Noll
was punished for his crime: but, al
all her plans were OF no use: she was
consequently baffled, and all was now
q greater mystery to her than ever.
In some way she succeeded in reach
ing her clearinghouse, where she
remained for a month. seldom leav-
ing tEs house, and doing all that she
conld to regain her strength. Her
little roll of bills was growing smaller
every week, and she soon would be
compelled to seek employment of some
kind, but where and what she did NOT
1norp