Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-02-14

who rested a dead weight in the arms of Der cousin.
 There, there, dear, don't cry," uttered Lura Joyce, m her old, cheery way. I've returned to stay, and you need not fear to lose me, so just un wlnd those arms, pretty, and sit down, for I've heap to tell you.''
 And Grace PenFoy suffered her cousin to lead her to an armchair near.
 Like one in dream she sat and regarded the face of Lura. It seemed like pleasant vision, and yet it was all true Her bright, spirited cousin was sitting there before her in the flesh, with all her old self beaming in every feature of her countenance.
 "Ah!" breathed the heires s, show good Heaven is! I am so glad that-that you have returned"
 Again she burst into tears.
 Don't cry," urged Lura. of you are glad to see me you ought to laugh. But then I must not forget the cause you have for grief, know of the dark shadow that rests over Lone Hollow. You have my sympathy, and 1 will help you to fight the demon who hopes to feather his nest through crime, and the gullibility of a girl.'
 Lura rose suddenly, went to the door that stood ajar, and closed it, turning the key in the lock- Then she resumed her seat, and, regarding Grace fixedly, said:
 ''l have much to tell you, Grace, and do not wish to be interrupted"
 'I am very anxious to hear it, you may be sure," said Grace, speaking for the first time in some minutes, controlling her emo tions with great difficulty, and regarding her cousin with q devourlng expression of the honest gray eyes, that showed how her feelings were stirred.
 First tell me of all that has happened during the past manufacturing my absence from Lone Hollow," said Lura.
 "Of course you have heard of grandpa's teathr'
 "Yes, you need not dwell on that, which know is painful to you.''
 After minute given to forcing calm state of feeling Grace Penroy began a histo- ny of the past few weeks, and in her cousin she found a most interested listener.
 When she had finished Lura said:
 So you haven't seen Austin Wentword since the time of your quarrel!'
 "l have not"
 Ut was cruel in him to remain away when he must have known that you were suffering. It's always so, however, in love affairs. Of course Austin dld not get the letter l undertook to convey that awful night on which I came near bidding final adieu to this mundane world. Had he received that letter all would have been well between you. I can tell you for a cer- tainty, however, that you have suffered even less than Austin, who, not receiving a reply to his forgiving note, deemed you unyielding, and that reconciliation was now out of the question:
 ''How could he think so when"
 "Of course it was strangc,' interrupted Lura with a covert smile, ''but it will all come right in the end if you just refuse to countenance that villain, Clinton Starbright 1 shall see Mir. WentWord and tell hlm all about it, and then the crooked paths will all be made straight.'
 You are very kind.''
 "No, I'm not. Ham utterly selfish" as serted Lura; II do all this to gratify my own heart I've set my mind on Outwtting a villain, and mean to do it or die trying l came near it, too, that night. l will tell you about it, for I know you arc anxious to hear the wonderful story.
 '' am deeply anxious,'' assured Grace.
 You all thought me dcad?"
 Il had come to believe so Romeo came homo ridcrless, and search failed to reveal any thing Of course we were puzzled to know what had become of you if Romeo had flung you from his back. Either living or dead you ought to have been found. Mdt was the puzzling part of the whole affair ''
 "Exactly, and Captan Starbright was as deeply puzzled as tho rest"
 Certainly"
 A low laugh fell from the lips of Lura. The red curls danced on her forehead, and a fierce light burned in her eyes. ''The con Bummate hypocrite!'' she cried, in wther- Ing way that thrilled Grace to the quick But won't indulge in invective against that creature now. mean to hunt him to his hole and then see that he meets with a just punishment
 Lura then proceeded to relate how she had taken the path leading along the edge of HangmanS Gulch, past the cabin of the witch, Mother Cabera, whose name she had since learned; how she had become bcwll- dered and turned about to retrace her steps, and then of her meeting the two ruffians in the immediate vicinity of Mother Cabera's cabin; of her being jerl1ed from the saddle and lifted high above the precpice.
 'Dld you ever go up high, way up to the tree-tops in swing, Grace! You know, if you have, what a scary feeling shoots all over you; that was just how I felt when those rufiians lifted me over that abyss. l was too frightened to utter a word-it was the first instance in my life that got so far used up as that. Presently felt myself gong down, down, shooting like a rocket through the air; then bush switched against my face, terrible scratching on hands and limbs, then crash and utter blacxness.'
 Lura paused in her narration.
 Grace Pcnroy was breathing deeply, her face pale, her great, honest gray eyes dllating with the intensity of feeling aroused by tho words of her cousin.
 "Go on, Lura, am llstening,'' aspirated the heiress after d brief moment of silence
 "You wish to hear all about it now-you are not too tired!''
 "No, no, go on; am dying to hear the whole story of your adventures, dear cousin.''
 Ut seems wonderful something like a fairy story to me now" proceeded Lura, "but have evidence of it's utter truthful ness. I might have been dead, but was not. In descending the sixty feet to the hard ground below, I had passed through the bushy top of a tree which, it seems, had the effect to break my fall and land me and bruised, yet alive, on the stones and leaves at the foot of the declivity
 II must have lain there several hours ere q strange creature came by, saw me ap- parently dead on the ground, and in the kindness of his heart lifted and carried me