The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1892-04-23
The GREAT AESPER.
TALE OF A BIG DIAMOND.
How an Immense Gem Was Lost,
Recovered, and Lost Again.,
CHAPTER ".

&i&%#
CHAPTER ".
must summarize as briefly as
possible the events that took place
the week following Lola's flight, not
because l find them lacking in inter-
est,-for indeed these were the hap.
piest days had wei spent-but be-.
cause the lengthy description would
unduly retard the progress of the
history i have Set myself to mar
rate.
On the morning OF the 18th, search
was made for Lola. She was not in
the house. A little after midday, one
OF the keepers sent out to explore the
Abbey woods and park, reported that
he had seer the fugitive in the fir plan
tation, about a mile from the Abbey.
At sight of him she had "scuttled"
away like a young deer, but he, obedi-
ent to orders had not pursued her.
cts the smell OF the pines as draw
ed her there" said the Judge; 'tshe
was born amongst 'em, end she
loves 'em more than laces and
satins and picters, and sich like; and
it's more nat'ral for the little cuss to
sleep OF the brown needles than in
feathers. Theirs no tamin' her. It's
/. instinc', end like foul weeds in a. fair
pasture, durn her, there's no gettin'
it out Of her. Leave her alone, sir
and she'll come in when she's hungry,
and then / will larn her the inquiry OF
ongratitude!",
In the aftarnoop uo vont =, q bro Ia
to Southampton, driving slowly
through tkeswoods, with the posi-
bility OF being seen by Lola, who
would certainly then have followed
us; but we saw nothing of her. At
Southampton we bought decent
clothes, and spent some time in the
hairdresser's. Ihadmy beard shaved
of; and.wereturned to the Abbey, very
much altered for the better in appear
ance.
Miss Lascelles was much distressed
about Lola, who was still absent.
Braces explanation of her leaving the
Abbey seemed q reasonable one; but
her antipathy to Miss Lascelles, which
led her to destroy the things she had
given her, was to me q mystery,-to
Miss Lascelles also, I believe, and a
very painful one. She seemed to feel
herself in some inscrutable way re-
sponsible for the girls action.
Sir Edmund returned in the evening
from London.
"Now, indeed; you look yourself
a gentleman" he said, shaking my
hand cordially. He had made in
quiries respecting a lapidary, and
learned that the most expert known
to the trade, was a man
named Carvalho, then occupied at
Madrid. With our sanction he wrote
at onc Offering this man his own
terms to come to the Abbey and cut
the Great Hesper.
At night, the door by which Lola
was upposedto have escapedfrom the
Abbey was left open, and a night light
was placed in her bedroom.
The next morning the dairymaid
said that some one had been at her
milk pans in the night; there was no
other evidence of Lola having entered
the house. After breakfast, I deter
mined to 60 through the woods my
self III search of her. Miss Lascelles
wished'to accompany me. I ought to
have pointed out to her that her COM
pany lessened the chances of Lola
suffering me to approach her, but
could not deprive myself the pleasure
of having such q sweet companion.
We saw Lola at the edge of a clearing
on the hillside. She watched us as we
drew near. I called to her; but she
shook her head, and, turning her back
upon u.s., quickly disappeared amongst
the piaes. The forlorn condition OF
the girl; her gesture, which seemed full
OF sadness; the silent fall of leaves;
the tristness of the autumn woods
overcame Miss Lascelles; and, as she
walked silently beside me, with her
head bent, saw that she was crying.
This episode made a deep impression
upon me; yet. while my heart ached
with sympathy for the poor little saw
age wandering alone in those silent,
still woods, an indescribable happi-
ness stole over my senses. 1t vas the
awakening Of love.
Sir Edmund had q basket of food
placed in the dairy, and the doors
again lett open. -
On the 18th we learned that some
bread and fruit had been taken from
the dairy in the night. Sir Edmund
and I walked through the woods: we
saw nothing Of Lola. Our CONVERSE
ton turned upon his daughter, and he
told me how she had consoled him for
the loss of his wife. He spoke with
natural pride Of her sweet and loyal
disposition Later on, falling upon
the s1bieeLx \the great diamond, he
asked how .ame to be q miner. |
told him Of my loss by the failure OF
the imperial. Of the impossibility OF