The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-06-06
CHAPTER III.
what a state is guilt,


what a state is guilt,
When everything alarms it,
Grief and dismay at the mysterious
disappearance of Kate Lllburne were
not confined 10 her father and lover,
for the servants and tenantly were
almost as much moved by the loss of
the fair girl as the members of her
own family.
After the first shock, however, it
was strange to observe now people
shook their heads and limited vaguely
that Miss Grace might know more
about her sisters fate than she chose
to tell.
Indeed. Grace never knew how
closely she was watched at this time,
nor how keenly every word and action
was weighed and speculated upon.
But nothing coula in this way be
discovered; her remorse and fear
found vent in tears and lamentations
which were attributed to grief, and
became so excessive that a doctor was
called in to try and calm her.
Grace needed no physician, however,
but she made the most of her we'll
simulated sorrow, and resisted all the
attempts made 10 soothe her until
Lord Roland told her somewhat
Stelnly that her want of Self-command
was only increasing her fathers Suf
fCringS-then she Housed herself and
chung to her victims lover for SYM
pathy.
But Lord Roland's heart was as cold
as a stone toward her.
nf
knowing what had lecome of her sis
ter. but AT the same time he diStrusted
her sincerity and he believed that her
grief was far less real than assumed.
What had become of Kate was a
problem that puzzled him more and
more the longer he thought of il.
He was quite convinced that she
had never left the castle of her own
free will; Yet it seemed proved be-
yond all doubt that, living or dead,
she was not within the building.
Remembering the hints which Grace
had thrown out about Frank Fairfield
Lord Roland began to question her
about the young man, and she an
Swered readily enough until a sudden
thought occurred TO her, when in a
moment she became pale and began to
tremble.
What is the matter with you now"
he asked
Nothing" she replied-"nothing: il
just occurred to my mind that Frank
could not have taken Kate away, be-
cause last year he went to South
America"
What is the young MANI QUes-
toned his lordship
"A civil engineer"
"Your father paid for his education,
I SUPPOSE
Yes, his mother took care of Kate,
and nu~sed her when her mother
died, and she was always fond Of
Mrs. Fairfield and of Frank, too"
Where does this Mrs. Fairfield
live?" he next asked.
II don't know: she went away from
here. Perhaps she is gone to South
America to her son ! am sorry now
l suggested that Frank had taken
Kate away, because | see it is impos
sible"
"Why impossible? He may have re-
turned TO England
"Oh, no; not at all likely. Poor
L NoIutI IL NHS '" SNtI bt
found"
She buried her face in her handker-
chief as she said this, the better TO
hide the terror that had suddenly
come over her.
For the thought that had flashed
upon her mind was that Frank Fair
field might he the only living creature
beside herself who II CIV of the hidden
vault in the turret-chG mber, and if he
were to hear of Kate's mysterious dis
appearance, ii was more than prob
able he would search the place in
question and discover the CHASTITY
secret which ii could unfold.
Why did she not think of this be-
fore? Why had she kept on trying to
associate Franks name with that of
her missing sister?
She made matters worse now by
her feverishly anxious endeavors to
convince her companion that the
young man could not have had any
thing to do with Hates disappearance
but her arguments on this point only
confirmed Lord Roland in his deter
mination to find the young engineer.
When, however, lie appealed to Lord
ilhurpa for further particulars re-