The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-09-12

plain to me why AID hos i End my lost
treasure here"
ut is Il very lpiG story" said Captain
Massey. but You shall hear every de-
tail.
ut is more than three years since l
received orders TO 90 to India On an es-
pocial and confidential mission. The day
before starting | went to Euston Square
to inquire about some luggage sent for
me. There was great confusion at the
station. owing to the arrival Of several
trains. | was standing on the platform
watching the scene with some amuse-
ment. when my attention was attracted
by a lady leaving a first-class. carriage.
She wore q cloak and n thick veil; she
seemed uncertain where to go-lost and
bewildered. l saw her 60 to one of the
seats and place herself there. For one
whole hour she rested there, and watch.
ed her. She did not appear to be waiting
for any one, and no one took any heed OF
her. Then she rose, and stood for n few
minutes rs though uncertain what to do.
She seems bewildered with trouble !
said to myself; Il wonder If 1 could help
herr
II went very respectfully up to her, and
raising my hat, asked if l could be of any
service to her. She did not seem to un-
derstand me. When 1 repeated the ques.
ton she threw back her veil, and looked
ut me with wild, woful eyes. Imagine my
horror at recognizing in this grieving, be-
wildered lady no other than the young
Countess of B%ayneham, Lady Hutton's
ward.
LADY B%ayneham,' l said, do you not
know me? 1 i'm Captain Massey, your
husbands friend
"'Yes, l know you,' she replied; then
she laid her hand on my arm. will you
help me, Captain Massey she said, hum
bly,; 4 have left home and my husband
forever. l feel very ILL.,; my brain is on
fire, | believe. Can you take me some
where, where l can lie down to die?'
II looked at her in utter amaze; the
lovely, brilliant Lady of Bayneham, here
in this deplorable state?
docs Lord Bayneham know I be-
gan, but she interrupted me.
IF you cannot take my word on
trust she said, leave me; l can bear no
q~uestlons-l cannot endure the sound of
his name. If you will befriend me, take
me from here
Her face was deadly pale. and her
eyes burned with a wild. strange light;
she trembled violently. My only fear
was lest she should fall; she looked like q
bruised, broken lily.
81 will befriend you. Lady Rayne-
ham, l said; try and walk a few steps
with me. l will take you to my mothers
and leave you in her charge
"AS have told you IN ,ba n,oro;r.
following l was to start for India: time.
therefore, was very precious. We walked
out of the station yard. and then i took
a cab. 1t was a long drive to my moth
er's house here at Kew. Lady Bayne-
ham never once spoke. She sat white
and cold and still as a marble statue.
My dear mother was amazed to see
me return so accompanied. and her
amazement was increased when she
knew it was Lady Bayneham whom l
had brought to find refuge under her
roof.
That night Lady Bayneham told us
part of her story. She laid no blame
upon you. but much upon herself. She
said she had left home because you knew
the story of her parentage and were dis
pleased; she would not wait until YOU
sent her away: and she seemed SO fear
fully agitated at the mention of return
that we agreed it was better to defer it
until she should have regained health and
strength.
Lady Hilda made a compact with us:
we promised entire and perfect secrecy
as to her place of concealment-we prom
ised that under the shlter of our roof
she should be hidden from that outer
world she dreaded SO much. and that no
news Of it should be told TO her. She
was to be as one dead in life. We prom
ised all she asked. My mother dared not
oppose II word, SO critical was her
state. In the event Of her death, YOU.
LORD Bayneham. were to be sent for. She
begged us TO call her by her mothers
name of Hurst, and we did so.
Il never saw her from that night until
a few days ago. | set sail for India. and
the news came to me that the unhappy
lady was lying i'll Of brain fever. and the
doctors despaired of her life.
For many long weeks she lay unCon-
scious Of all around her. Then | heard
that under the shelter of our roof the
heir Of Bayneham was born. i returned
q few days since. and found him Il beau
tiful. noble little fellow. | would not
remain i'll my mothers house. Bayneham:
II has been sacred to your wife. shah
always believe Providence led nae to the
gardens yesterday. But for that. the
mistake would never have been explained.
When reached home and told your wife
your story, l knew how much she loved
you"
God bless you. Massey exclaimed
Lord Bayneham: "you are the truest
friend man ever had. Thank you. and
you, madame" he continued. turning to
Mrs. Massey; thank you for your care
and love of my dear wife"
"She has been like a beloved daughter
to me- said the old lady; having lived
with her, | I'M at Il loss how to live with
out her. l often fancied that the adver-
tisements l read so constantly applied TO
her, but l dared not mention them. /
wished her 10 grow quite strong and