The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-10-22

and I grew 30 weary that presume
| I tainted. and then some one found me
lying there"
"How does it happen that You were
hungry and that you were going TO- to,
pawn your dress; had you no money Z!
II had but ten cents, and could not
get work to earn more"
Here the Judge drew open q drawer
in his desk, and held up Lenora's
Jewels.
aHow does it happen that you had
these expensive jewels, and 80 many?
Have you no home, no parents?"
Lenora had given the name OF Min
ME Hall; she could not think OF dis
grazing the name that was so sacred
to her by hearing it in a courtroom,
and now when the Judge held up those
Jewels and asked her if she had no
home, her lips quivered and the
tears came to her eyes. She did not
know what to say now, and the sight OF
the watch made her think of her lost
love. Finally she answered.:
"No; I have no home, no friends, no
parents, and no money; but 1 had a
home once, and then terrible, dark
day came, and now that is all have
left"
"Where was your home in this city ?"
She shook her head, for she could
not speak
The Judge cleared his throat again,
as if he was going to say something,
when fne-looking gentleman with a
kind, honest face stepped up to the
Judges stand and said something very
low; the little prisoner was then re-
leased and led from the courtroom by
this same gentleman. That was GER
tainly day of fate for Lenora, for this
gentleman was Lawyer Hyde, formerly
of Chicago, but who then had a good
practice in New York, and still had in his
possession the papers that would place
her in the position she inherited at
birth.
Gertana had painted small picture
of Lenora, and when she placed the
papers in his hands she gave him that
picture AS soon as Lenora took the
stand he recognized the face, only now
it was little older and very pale; he
always carried that picture in his
pocket, in the hope that he might find
the original some day.
The name, Minnie Hall, somewhat
confused him at first, bat when he saw
the diamond ring that had been Lenora's
mothers, and saw the initials, r. &C.,
in the inside, be knew that the prisoner
was the long-lost heiress!
rs he left the court-ro om he said to
Lcnora:
II want you to come with me, for I
am your friend, and I have something
to tell you; besides, I shall ask you
many questions. I hope you will trust
me and answer them in full; your jewels
will be safe where they arc for the
present.
he then drew from his pocket the
picture and handed it to the astonished,
heightened woman.
"You are we'll acquainted with the
lsdy who painted that; turn it over;
her name is written on the back"
Lenora obeyed, and there was plainly
written. "Gertana Girindani, friend of
the little heiress, Lenora Churchill.
Those great, sad, dreamy eyes rested
on those few lines long while, and
then she looked up at the lawyer with
such strange light in her eyes thai it
brought tears to those of the lawyer.
"Come with me now to my office,
child, and I will tell you all about
this strange affair, and I want you
to tell me all about yourself; I guess
from the sad look OH your pa'e little
face that you have had much trouble"
They then took cab and drove to
Lawyer Hyde's Office. He there told
Lenora how he came in possession of
these papers, and repeated to her sll
that Gertana had told him. There was
no room for the little love-wife to
doubt now that she was no longer
penniless girl, but an heiress of great
wealth. Oh, how she then longed for her
lost husband, that she might show him
the proofs that her past life was un-
SPOTTED, and that she had been cruelty
wronged.
"Now you know who you are; tell
all about yourself, and what you have
been doing since you were taken from
Chicago"
How hard it was for her to 60 over
the dark, miserable past, and tell all;
yet she did. The lawyer was consid-
erably puzzled about the strange man
ner in which Lenora and her husband
were separated, and he did not then
tell her his opinion of the matter. She
had told him plainly and exactly ev.
erything, just as it was. That night
was not quite so dark for Lenora, for
she occupied the guests chamber in
the lawyers beautiful house. She re-
mained there three or four weeks, and
by that time everything was arranged; ;
she had purchased some new and beau
tiful dresses, suitable to her station as
Lady Churchill, of Churchill Castle.
One month from the day she was
prisoner she left New York for En-
gland, in company with the lawyer and
his wife. She insisted so upon their
accompanying her that finally they
agreed, and spent a few delightful
months at the grand old Churchill
Castle.
How beautiful that old home was,
with its long, shaded walks aud drives
and its great airy halls and beautiful
parks, and how happy could its mis-
tress be if she had not loved and lost
that love.
Lenoras companion in her new home
was an old aunt, and in time they be.