The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1897-11-05
CHAPTER NIX.

Lulu I/dSHlliti leleSIdpIleu 10 NAE: .S<'S-
torius, who had gone to London immedi-
ately after his interview with Stella, that
the girl was missing. There was no reply
until late the next afternoon, when there
came an answer to the effect that Mr..
Nestorius would be at Lashmar Castle
next morning.
He is not afraid to face u.s." said Lash
mar, relieved by this reply; for in spite
of her ladyship's conviction to the con-
trary, he had been tortured all last night
and all day by a ranking suspicion that
Nestorius had induced Stella to elope with
him. Lady Carminow did not attempt to
hide her disgust at the fuss that was be-
ing made about Stella's flight
81 had no idea that Lady Lashmar's
reading girl was the most important per-
son in the house." she said at luncheon,
when Lashmar, who was utterly unskill-
ed in concealing his feelings, fretted and
fumed at the non-arrival of any reply to
his telegram and the non-result of his
own inquiries in Brumm, where he had
spent the morning tramping about with
detective.
''She is very important to my MOTHER"
answered Lashmar moodily; mo one else
can read as we'll, and to be read to is the
only relief for my mothers nerves."
Lady Carminow's womanly instinct I'M
derstood Lashmar's feelings better than
he did himself. She had not been without
suspicious upon the subject before to-
day. There had been something in his
manner of speaking about Stella that in
dicated hidden fires. And to-day she
knew for certain that he had fallen in love
with the Great ture, was under the very
same unholy influence that had bewilder-
ed Nestorius, the charm of a pale, strange
loveliness and eyes of dark, unfathoma-
BILE depth.
Il cannot help being amused at your
simplicity in supposing that this young
person has gone no further than the near
est town." exclaimed Clarice with open
scorn rs it not much more likely that
she is in London OF Paris?"
IF you will take the trouble to COM
prehcnd that she had absolutely no money
when she left the CASTLE began Lash
mar angrily.
but | cannot comprehend that. She
may have had no money from you or from
her ladyship: but is it so certain that she
could not get money from some one else?
/ am sure Judging by Mr.. Nestorius' air
when those two were walking in the park
together at dusk the other evening, if she
had said. Lend me fifty pounds he would
have rushed to his check book that in
stant.'
II do not think-little as l know of her
that she would ask Mr.. Nestorius for
fifty pounds or five pounds"
Yet the suggestion startled him, remem-
bering that little scene ON the terrace
which implied some very warm feeling,
such as grateful affection, for instance
on Stellas part. Perhaps she had taken
Il gift of money from Mr.. Nestorius in or
der to flee away from hateful bondage
"Whatever evil thing she has done, or
whatever harm may happen to her, it all
must lie at our door, he thought, mean
ing himself and his mother
Lady Lashmar had not appeared that
day She was much troubled by Stella's
flight. and sorely missed her quiet minis
trations; but she was troubled far more
by the way in which Victorian had taken
the event. Why should he be so grieved,
so angry? He, who had affected to de-
spise and dislike his dead brothers pro-
tege.
The phaeton was at the door when he
went down to the hall. He only stopped
to inquire if there were any telegrams,
and finding no tidings from Nestorius, he
drove off at once on his way back to
Brumm.
On arriving at that commercial center,
Lord Lashmar went straight to the police
station. Had there been any news of the
missing girl since the morning? No, there
had been nothing heard Of any young per-
son answering the description. The want
of photograph of the party was men
toned as Il stumbling block. The police
officer seemed to consider it strange and
even scandalous that in q Christian land
any young woman could have grown up
without having been photographed.