Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-02-13
CHAPTER XXI.

In the morning that tircsome heac iche il
worse than ever. Norah manages to get
down TO breakfast, but only TO plpy with
her toast nnd 10 refuse with glance of dis
tate anything offered her.
How Ill you lock, darling" says
MADAM, some hours later, meeting: her in
one Of the ante-rooms, equipped for walk.
ing. Like little pretty ghost. / am
so distressed about it, and your faith : COM
ing 10 morrow, too, 1t is drea al; he
will say l have not taken any care o. you. :"
"Who could have taken more?" says the
Duchess sweety, slipping an arm around
her neck. You have made me feel al.
ways that you love me.
''Eave IF' very pleased. "That Is as il
should be, then, and only the barest truth
Every mother should love her owl little
daughter" She smiles and kisses the & ri
with n lingering fon lness and pnooths
hack the soft ruiiied locks from her hot
brow
"Nou are quite feverish, darling. Do
you know / am growing really uneasy
about yen "
At is this headache
''But what persistent one VIII YOU
see Dr. Morgan
''No, no, indeed" laughing. "What
nonsense, auntie. III tell you, though,
what / think of doing. OF going out and
saying out for quite ever so long. Make
an excuse for me at luncheon, an don't
expect me again until you see me- feel
as if goCl dose of the strong vii wind
outside is the one thing that can blow these
cobwebs out OF my brain"
Then so, by all means, dearest. Try
your own medicine first, mine after ward, a"
says madam. 'But lefore you goa bis.
cult and glass of Madeira. Come. now,
insist, and for reward I'll tell any pretty fib
you like about you at luncheon. -
The dull end cherries sun that all day
has teen making 50 poor pretense at jol-
lily has at last sunk behind the hills
Already daylight wanes, and the heavy
gusts OF wind that, rushing through the fir
tops, stirred the wide air since early dawn,
have now gained in strength and r. ar sui
lenly with a subduel force that spe ks of q
violent outl urst later on. One Or two
heavy drops OF rain fall with qu k, soft
sound at Norahs feet.
They rouse her from TIE reverie I which
she has almost lost herself rouse h r, too.
to q knowledge of the fact that day is
nearly dead, and that the air is full IF 81 gns
Of the coming storm.
So busy have been her thoughtr in her
long swift rainble through the woods and
over hills and thence into unknown woods
again that 10 her il seems but little while
since she walked from the broad store steps
that lead 10 the entrance door al Castle
Nentry, and yet, in reality, how loi. has IL
been?
she pauses TO look around he- for the
first time how swiftly the darkness is be-
ginning to fall; to see, too, with vague
yet sharp touch of fear that place
wherein she stands is strange, unki! own to
her. Whittier have her restless feet car.
ried herr 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
IL covering all the heavens A little fine,
white mist begins TO fall, shadowy sort OF
shower, that presently declares itself more
openly and becomes an hottest 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 upcomfortsbly definite.
Turning, she begins to walk b,fskly in
the way she believes she has co,ie, but
which In reality is only taking her tne more
decidedly from Ventry. When abe ha,
walked in this direction for about twonty
minutes she pauses ard looks around her.
only 70 find herself hopelessly astray.
Blacke- grows the leaden sky atove. y