Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-03-04

conspicuous In the black gown wh'c'
she still wore; Neil was aoat'- .>ro-
the stage. her draperies weaving fan
tastic figures around her. when SUI
1eniy her steps grew uncertain. h,
arms droI - Imply to her size an.
she fell like Il log upon the stage.
4 cry ran through the little boo;.i
Mrs. seymour pushed quietly for
ward
..She has faintedr' she crie;l IN
alarm. "A doctor. Is there no one whc
will fetch doctor?"
Il am at your service. madam" said
a young man. ma..ins his way rapidly
to the stage.
The next moment he had raised the
fainting girl in his arms and was carry
ing her to some quiet spot. Everyone
was lost in pity for the poor widow.
who was beside herself with grief and
alarm.
In a very short time, however. mel
incholy little procession left the bazaar
by a side entrance. The men carried
the still unconscious girl on a species
| Of imprOvised hammock, and Mrs. Sey.
mour and the doctor walked sadly by
her side. They all entered the hotel;
the servants placed her on the bed, and
then the doctor declared that they
! could do nothing more for their patient
They were, In fact, few hands to be
spared, and the busy hotel-keeper was
delighted when Mrs. Seymour declined
al offers of help, and declared that she
would nurse her daughter herself.
1t was fully o'clock in the morning
when the strange doctor left the hotel,
The night porter who let him out asked
for news Of mademOiselle. Her med.
ical attendant shook his head:
Don't let anybody go bothering there
In the morning to inquire after her; ev.
erything depends on keeping her quiet
At midday, however, Mrs. WildOveI
would take no further denial, and in.
sisted on going to inquire for her
friends. Several time she knocked in
effectually; at last, growing alarmed.
she tried the door. 1t was locked.
After considerable delay the door had
to be forced open, and, white as death.
Mrs. Wildover rushed in before anyone
else. 1t was, indeed, her cry which
made the others follow her with a rush.
expecting they hardly knew what trag.
ic spectacle. As matter Of fact, moth.
Ing met their eyes but a couple Of
mourning costumes, neatly folded on
chair and the diaphanous dancing
dress lying in heap on the floor. Fol-
the rest-nOthing-nobody.
The astonishment was so great that
1t was fully a minute before anyone
grasped the situation.
"Gott in himmel! My bill! They
are swindlers!" gasped the hotel-keep.
er, finding his wits first.
'Swindlers!' calculated Mrs. Wild.
over. "Ah, my diamonds"'
Everyone gazed at her speechless; In
4 moment the whole thing was as clear
as MONDAY, and, In the confusion OF
the fair. their mourning garb doffed,
they had escaped. and won a good
twelve hours start.
Mrs. Wildover startled everyone by
q peal Of hearty laughter.
"She's madw screamed one In horror.
1.-The loss Of her diamonds has turned
her head"
'The diamonds" she gasped, after q
second. That's just it! l left them at
my bankers in London. Those the girl
had were paste"
No one ever quite knew what the
exact figure Of the receipts Of the fancy
fair amounted to. Mrs. Seymour might
have told. but she omitted to .e..ve her
account book and cash box behind.
And one thing ia tolerably certain
that never again will Mrs. Wildover in.
t-rest herself in widows or orphans at
a continental hotel.-London World.