The Red Cloud chief., 1896-11-20

week iOllowiug loia'- Hight. not bC.
cause | lind thcm lacking in iutcr-
est - for indCCJ these v, re the hap.
pirst days J had ever srcut-but be
cause the lengthy description would
unduly lctard the progress of the
history | lave sct myself 80 %narratc.
On the morning OF the 10Th. search
was made for Lola She was not in
the house. \ INTO after midday.
Il of the keepers. sent out toCNplOrC
the Abbey woods and park. reported
that he had seen the fugitive IN the
fir plantation, about half q mile from
the Abbey. At sight OF him she had
''scu,tlCd' away like u young door.
but he, obcdicnt to orders. had not
pursued her.
In tho afternoon we went in u
break to southampton. driving
slowly through the woods. with tho
possibility Of being seen 10y Lola.
who would certainly then have fol.
lowed us, but W" saw nothing of her.
At southampton we bought decent
clothes, and spent some timc in the
hair drcs-cr's. | had my board
shaved oil; and we returned to tho
Abbey. very much altered for the
better in appearance.
Sir Edmund returned in tue even.
ing from london.
"Now, indeed, YOU look Yourself
II gentleman he said, shaking my
hand cordially. He had made in
quirics respecting n lapidary, and
learned that the most expert known
TO the trade was Il man named Car
valho. then occupied at Madrid.
With u sanction he wrote at Oncc
Offering this man his own terms to
come To the Abbey and cut the Great
llcspcr.
At night, the door by which Lola
was supposed To have escaped from
the Abbey was left open, and u nigh,
light was placed in her bedroom.
The next morning the dairymaid
said thai 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 90 through the woods
myself in search of her. Miss Las.
ccllcs wished to accompany me. |
ought to have pointed out to her that
her company lcssoncd the chances OF
Lola suffering mo to approach her.
but ! could not deprive myself the
pleasure of having such u sweet COM
ramon. We saw Lola at the edge of
u clearing on the hillside. She
watched us as we drew near. !
nnllAI To hon Itt cha H1A,l. IL.
head, and, turning her back upon us,
quickly disappeared among the pines.
The forlOru condition of the girl: her
gesture which seemed full of sad
ness; tho silent fall OF leaves;
the tri-tncss of the autumn woods.
ovcrcamc Miss Lasccllcs: and as she
walked silently beside me, with her
head bent, ] saw that she was cry
ing. This episode made II deep inn
preston upon me; yet while my
heart achcd with sympathy for the
poor little savage wandering alone in
those silent, still woods. an indie
scribable happiness stole over my
senses. 8 1t was the awakening Of love.
On the 18th We went again into
the woods, Miss Iasccllcs and l.,
straying thither without purpose
from the garden where We met. We
came TO II stream brIdged by n single
plank supported in the middle.
There had been n hand-rall, but it
had fallen away in decay. ! gave
her my hand. the fear OF falling
made her clasp my fingers tightly.
Sho seemed to enjoy tho little dan.
ger; II animated her face and eyes
with the protticst. most b%owitching
expression imaginable. Her hand
seemed to communicate tho quick.
cncd pulsation of her heart. But il
was not fear-it was intoXication
that agitatcd 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.
| kept her hand in mine, and when
she tried to withdraw it, | forced It
to my lips and pressed a kiss upon it.
The color left her cheek, and i'm a
tone of reproach she exclaimed. "Oh.
Mr.. Thornc'" and / was ashamed.
We walked home 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.
81 love your daughter" / 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.. Thornc, but it would have
been Il poor compliment to my daugh-
ter had you failed to perceive her
charms"
81 should be dull indeed had she
failed to impress me-" ! replied.
We talked for some time, and
finally he said, with emotion:
81 must give up my dear child,
sooner or later. Her happiness is
dearer TO me than anything; and |
can wish her no greater blessing
than TO find a good and worthy hus.
band.
At that moment Edith opened the
door, but, seeing us, she stopped in
the entrance.