Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-03-23
yet followed by terror upon terror,
by crime upon crime.
CHAPTER ".


est-for indeed these were the hap
piest days had ever spent-but be-
cause the lengthy description would
unduly retard the progress OF the
history have set myself TO narrate.
On the morning of the 10Th, search
was made for Lola. She was not in
tho house. A little after midday.
one of the keepers sent out to explore
the Abbey woods and park. reported
that he had seen the fugitive In the
fir plantation. about half mile from
the Abbey. AT sight of him shs had
"scuttled" away like u young deer.
but he. obedient TO orders, had not
pursued her.
In the afternoon we went in a
break TO southampton, driving
slowly through the woods, with the
possibility of being seen by Lola,
who would certainly then have fol-
lowed us. but we saw nothing OF her.
At Southampton we bought decent
clothes. and spent some time in the
hair dresser's. had my beard
shaved off; and We returned to the
Abbey, very much altered for the
better in appearance.
Sir Edmund returned in tne even
ing from London.
"Now, indeed, you look yourself
gentleman" he said shaking my
hand cordially. He had made in
quiries respecting lapidary, and
learned that the most expert known
to the trade was man named Car
valho, then occupied at Madrid
With our sanction he wrote at once
Offering this man his own terms to
come to the Abbey and cut the Great
Hesper.
At night. the door by which Lola
was supposed to have escaped from
the Abbey was left open, and night
light was placed in her bedroom.
The next morning the dairymaid
said that someone had been at her
milk pans in the night; there was no
other evidence of Lola having en-
tered the house. After breakfast,
determined to 60 through the woods
myself in search OF her Miss Las
celles wished TO accompany me. l
ought to have pointed out TO her that
her company lessened the chances OF
Lola suffering me to approach her,
but l could not deprive myself the
pleasure of having such q sweet com
panion. We saw Lola at the edge Of
clearing on the hillside. She
watched us as we drew near.
called to her, but she shook her
head. and. turning her back upon us,
quickly disappeared among the pines.
| The forlorn condition of the girl: her
gesture which seemed full of sad
ness; 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 cry
ing. This episode made a deep i'm
preston upon me; yet while my
heart ached with sympathy fer the
| poor little savage wandering alone in
those silent. still woods, an indie
scribable happiness stole over my
senses. TWAS the awakening of love.
On the 18th We went again into
the woods. Miss Lascelles and J.,
straying thither without purpose
from the garden where we met We
came to stream brldged by single
plank supported in the middle
There had been hand-rall, but it
had fallen away in decay. / gave
her my hand. the fear of falling
made her clasp my fingers tightly
She seemed to enjoy the little dan
! ger; it animated her face and eyes
with the prettiest, most bewitching
expression imaginable. Her hand
seemed to communicate the quick
ened pulsation of her heart. But it
was not fear-it was intoxication
that agitated me; and when she put
! her loot in safety on the bank, and
looked up into my face with bright
laughter, | lost my head completely.
1 kept her hand in mine. and when
she tried TO withdraw it, / forced it
to my lips and pressed kiss upon it.
The color left her cheek. and in a
tone of reproach she exclaimed: ooh.
Mr.. Thorne" and | was ashamed.
| We walked homo and were very silent
on the way. / sought Sir Edmund
at once. and finding him alone, told
him that / wished to make his
daughter my wife. He was thunder
struck by this sudden and unexpect-
/ ed announcement
al love your daughter. I said,
"and cannot stay in this house
keeping my passion a secret"
WELL" said he. with rather rue
/ full pleasantly. ''you have lost no
time, Mr.. Thorne, but il would have
been poor compliment to my daugh-
ter had you failed to perceive her
charms"
II should be dull indeed had she
failed to impress me-" replied.
We talked for some time, and
finally he said, with emotion:
IL must give up my dear child.
sooner or later. Her happiness il
I dearer TO me than anything; and
can wish her no greater blessing
than to find good and worthy hus-
band. f"
At that moment Edith opened the
door, but. seeing us, she stopped in
the entrance.
4 ..roroa haro T1;.b eo;J ca. ia