Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1891-01-02
)RT TOBACCO. MARYLAND. JANUARY ,. 1891.

q
tbs wonderful splendor added to her
beauty.
q sbalIb be really ashamed of my
self. am too fine, she said.
Nobody can be that nowadays,
said tue old lady. "Sinplicity is out
of fashion, and the idea that girls
must only wear only white and rose
bud'. shall tell them have given I
yon yo1r birthday present, and made
you wear il. Why should | wait un- |
til am dead to give the things to
you? You would not enjoy them 50
much, and you are one-and-twenty,
Bertha"
Dear grandma" cried Bertha"
how good you are! 1t is more than
deserve unless, indeed, loving you is
some claim. When | argue with you
it is because l know you are being
imposed upon / There, ! will try
to believe as you do about Dolmcr.
Of course you have had more expert
ence, and | am silly about Patrick,
who has been here so long"
only dear, I've cried about Patrick,
1 if you want the TRUTH, said the old
lady. m'ye really been his benefac-
tress; but they tell ME that persons
of this class are always turning out
badly, and have no gratitude. Sys-
tematic plunder, good Dolmer says,
has been going on from first to last.
Wei, now 90 and look your prettiest
and feel your happiest, little Queen"
And, Kissing the lovely girl, the beau
4 tiful old lady swept into her drawing
room, where the guests soon assembled.
1t was an evening to remember, and
/ Queen was in her gayest mood, or
seemed to be. The truth was, she
made an effort unusual to her, for
somehow her heart was heavy. Dol
mer, with his strange, cruel face, dis
figured by its yellow scars, had drilled
the waters thoroughly, and in his
faultess black coat and white tie
seemed 10 her like Satan playing man
servant Many, however, congratu
I lated Mes. Ashford on her possession
of treasure.
"Thcso Europeans, they said, Gun
/ derstand all this sort of thing so mucl
better t:au other people"
/ A grtat tenor from the Italian oper
sung for them that night. Brillon
men talked their best; girls locke
loveler than ever, in The light of th
myria@Aan caAdles, The scent 9
III ny T-ssUrns filcd Tue Ilrgfsos : u 4;
gooG-nights We're said, the protest
tions of having had ga very pleasai
evening were heartfelt; and surely,
admiration from men and fricnd
speech from women could content on,
Queen should have been happy.
Alas! her heart felt as heavy {
lead. She seemed to feel strang
premonition of evil. That night fc
the first time she rem M red that he
grandmother, so handsome yet an
full of life and spirit, was really old
that in all probability she must $40
lose her. Perhaps it was this 81
thought. 1t was enough.
She followed the old lady to Ii,
room, and was loath to leave her; br
all was SO pleasant there, SO guarded
so comfortable, and then the waiting
maid always slept in the small roor
adjoining, that she had no excuse fo
asking TO stay.
With her diamonds still about ht
and her face growing more and MOI
serious, she stole softly up the stair
Doimel was locking 'iTrGcS05,)r's'1taG extir
gushing candles with a painstakin
air. lie bowed 10 her as she passed
His eyes and his dark skin, with il
scars, made her think of a tiger.
She hurried TO her room and locke
the door. She had never done hi
before. She did not know why sh
did it now. The house she had know
ever since she was born felt unsafe I
her.
At last she knelt down and prayee
felt comforted, and arising, began t
undress.
She removed the diamonds, lai
them in their rich old cases, an
placed them in her bureau. She ha
not the courage to go to the safe wit
them-she, who had often boaste
that she did not know what fea
meant. She threw her pretty Dire;
across a chair, attired herself for tn
night and slipped into bed, leaving tn
night lamp burning. 1t was a curiou
little thing, from which a white moo
face, set in sea of blue, looked 6
one with its almond eyes, when til
lamp was lighted. 1t usually had
jolly expression; now it seemed t
give her glances of warning. Yet sh
might have fallen asleep even ther
but for new and horrible thing tha
happened.
We all know that the coughing 0
eveo hard breathing of any individua
is [. very distinctive sound, alike in II
two people. Patrick. the dismissc
servant, had a peculiar way of catch
ing his breath when fatigued.
Suddenly in the silence, this soun,
struck on Queens ear. Was it imagi
....s,9 NJ eLo boorJ - o1.ns, 4