Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-02-13
CHATTER xxi.

In the morning that tiresome head lche is
worse than ever. Norah manages TO get
down TO breakfast, but only TO plry with
her toast and 10 refuse with glance of dis
tate anything offered her.
How i'll you lock, darling" says
madam, some hours later, meeting her in
ono Of the ante rooms, equipped for walk
ing. Like little pretty ghost. / am
so distressed about it, and your father COM
ing TO morrow, tool 1t is dreadful; he
will say l have not taken any care OF you. +"
"Who could have taken mores" says the
Duchess sweetiy, slipping an arm around
her neck. "You have made mo Feel al
ways that you love me-"
"Have ~ very pleased. ''That Is as II
should be, then, and only the barest truth
Every mother should lore her owu little
daughter" She smiles and kisses the girl
with a lingering fonlness and Rnooths
back the soft rufied locks from her hot
brow
"You are quite feverish, darling. Do
you know / am growing really uneasy
about you
lit is this headache"
''But what q persistent one. WIN you
see DR.. Morgan?''
''No, no, indeed" laughing. "What
nonsense, auntie I'll tell you, though,
what think Of doing or going out and
saying out for quite ever so long. Make
an excuse for me at luncheon, AM don't
expect me again until you SEQ ne. feel
as il good dose of the strong will wind
outside is the one thing that can bloy these
cobwebs out of my brain"
''1bep go, by oil means, dearest. Try
your own medicine first, mine after yard, /"
Lnf lafo /.
cult and glass of Madeira. Come. now,
insist, and for reward I'll ton any pretty lib
you like about you at luncheon. -
The dull end cheerless sun that all day
has heen making so poor pretensc at jol-
lily has at last sunk behind tho hills.
Already daylight wanes, and the heavy
gusts OF wind that, rushing through the fr
tops, stirred the wide air since early dawn,
have now gained in strength and rsar sui
lenly with a subdued force that spea ks of a
violent outl urst later on. Ono Or two
heavy drops Of rain fall with qui k, soft
-ound at Norah's feet.
They rouse her from the reverie 1 which
she has almost lost herself; rouse b Il, too,
10 knowledge Of the fact that day is
nearly dead. and that the dir is full If signs
of the coming storm.
So busy have been her thoughts in her
long swift rsnble through the woods and
over hills, snd thence into unknown woods
again thac 10 her il seems but a little While
since she walked from the broad store steps
that lead 10 the entrance door 40 Castle
Ventry, and yet, In reality, how long has il
beenf
che pauses to look around hei. for the
flrst time how swiftly the darkness Is be-
ginning to fall; to see, too, with , vague
yet sharp touch of fear that o place
wherein she stands is strange, unknown tc
her. Whittier have her restless feet car.
ried her? All the landmarks by which she
bad been used to guide herself are now be-
hind her, lost to her unless she can retrace
her steps 10 some spot familiar.
A huge black cloud hovers overhead and
Is covering all the heavens A little fine,
white mist begins TO fall, a shadowy sort OF
shower, that presently declares itself more
openly and becomes an honest downpour.
Larger and larger grow the drops, darker
and darker the atmosphere, and now that
first mild sense OF fear gathers in force and
becomes uncomfortably definite.
Turning, she begins TO walk brHslxly In
the way she believes she has cor1e, hui
which In reality is only taking her the more
decidedly from Ventry. When she has
walked in this direction for about twenty
minutes she pauses and looks around her,
only to find herself hopelessy astray.
Blackev grows tho leaden sky afove. ~