Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-08-04
"You nave a long story to tell me,

'NenuS. you may retire; but go and
say to Mr.. Dunbar that | would feel
obliged If he would come here" said
Mrs. Greville.
Venus obcyed: and as soon as the
door closed behind her. the lady
turned to Astrea, and. in voice quiv-
ering with emotion. inquired:
"Oh. Heaven, my child! can you re-
assure me?"
Eyes, my dear madam. can! Prov
idence has watched over me! l have
been safe"
THANK Hcavcn"' calculated the
lady.
Lois opened her blue eyes. and
looked from one to the other for an
| explanation of this short explanatory
dialogue; but ut the same moment
the door opened, and Welby Dunbar
entered the room.
Mrs. Grcville arose and met him, say
ing, in a low voice:
"Welby. my dear believe you to be
a man of steady nerves. not easily
surprised from your self-possession. l
am about to put that to the test"
And taking him by the hand, she led
HIM up to the stranger, saying:
"AStrca, my love. this is my son, Mr.
Dunbar; Wclby, my dear. this is Mrs.
Fulke Greville, Of whom you have
been so long in search
However steady Welby's nerves
might have been On ordinary Occa-
SiouS, lie was now certainly startled
from his propricty. Instead of bow
as he was bound to do, he started
back little. trembled flushed and
palcd, fumbled in his pocket for the
miniature the Marquise dc Glacie had
given him. and gaZed alternately upon
that and the face OF the original. At
length. as il satisfied, he exclaimed:
''i1 is, indeed. 1t must be-" And
then, with an ingenious blush, he
said:
Pray, pardon me madam, if the sur
prise, the delight, and the incredulity
l experienced III this unexpected meet
ing have made me forget myself
Il have nothing to pardon in your
caution; and much to be grateful for
i'll the easy recognition that you have
given me-" said Astrea, gently. But
we have met before, you know. You
have not forgotten the little Daney on
the emigrant ship?' she inquired, with
Il sweet smile lighting up the blue
eyes that she fixed upon him.
A whirl of emotion rushed over his
face. He had not forgotten; but he
had never suspected that the poor,
pale baby Of the emigrant ship was
the missing child of Madame de Gla-
Gle.
Because if you have,'' she add
ed, Il have not forgotten the tish-boy
who was my only friend. I do be-
lievc I should have died if you had
not fed ME with oysters every day.
Oh. how 1 cried when they carried me
awayv'
"And how 1 hunted you through
New York" said Welby, gazing still
in stupefaction upon her
"And how 1 scolded you, in the per-
son of Fulkc Grevillc, whom l be-
lieved to be yourself. practicing an
Imposition OH u.s." smiled Astrea.
And now, Welby," said Mrs. Gre
vile, 'talke a chair and draw up to
our circle. 1 sent for you here, not
only to meet Astrea, but also to hear
the explanation she is about to give
u.s.
Then, turning to Astrea, she contin-
ucd:
"And now. my love. If you feel
| equal to the task, we wish you to tell
US your stCry."
Thus invited, Astrea related IL G his
| tory OF her abduction. as far as it was
known to herself. from the night that
| she was surprised in her room by the
blackrobed figure, who clapped the
| sponge of chlorOfGrm over her mouth
| and nose, overpowering her senses, up
| to the hour in which as "Zora," she
was summoned to Mrs. Greville's pres
| ence.
| Her hearers listened with GREATNESS
interest. At the end Of the story Mrs.
Greville was the first to speak.
"What a life of vicissitudes has
yours been! Born an heiress; stolen
in your infancy and subjected to the
worst evils Of poverty; adopted by a
wealthy man; married to distin-
guished military officer: torn ut night
frcn. your bridal chamber carried to
sea by pirates: sold as a slave; driv-
en- by desperation to the Cypress
Swamp; hunted by bloodhounds: re-
captured; subjected to insult; exposed
to death; and rescued only at the last
moment by an unexpected stroke OF
Providence! Oh, Heaven Of Heavens,
what story! You have passed
through a furnace seven times heated,
| AStrea: Dut you nave come from Tie
fire, pure as refined gold strong as
tempered steel!'
"Now, l think she has escaped all
these dangers, as Tam O'Shanter' $
mare did with the witches, with the
loss of her long, flowing hair!''
"Be still, you saucy girl" said Mrs.
said Mrs. Greville, smiling.
Then rising, and eXcusing herself to
Astrea, she requested Welby to attend
her, and left the apartment.
When they had reached the dining
room and seated themselves, Mrs. Gre
vile inquired:
And now, what should be our first
step?"
"In view of what may be even now
be taking place in the criminal courts
OF Maryland, and with which it is not
advisable to trouble the young lady
NO. no-certainly not" put in Mrs
Greville.
I'VE should act with the greatest
promptitude. We should so immedi-
ately to the city, taking Mrs. Fulko
Greville and Miss Burns with us
prove her identity before some mag
istrate, lay the whole affair before the