The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-02-12
CHAPTER III.

ano THE DEAD AND THE LOST COME BACK?"
Edgar Arden had gone down in the
seething depths at the foot OF grim Sieat-
na.Vrecken; when he next looked up the
scene had nightly changed.
He Law in q noble apartment, simply
and delicately furnished with peariy
hues sparingly Hecked with dead gold;
lofty walls with dark polished panels
finely carved; tall narrow windows heav-
ily draped with gray yelvets threaded
with furnished gold; an ancient room as
any in Hollywood.
The bed he lay on was canopied ana
draped in antique fashion, its curtains
had been swept apart at the foot, to al
low the clear soft light of waxen taper
to fall upon his face. This taper was
held in the hand Of lady who was
watching him with rapt attention; Tor
few moments he gazed full in her face
before she seemed to believe him awake
and in his right mind.
The pleasant crackle OF fire in DIS
tant part of the room was al the sound
he heard.
What o strange, sad, brooding face
hers wasl So wan, so transparent, that
he felt a shock almost as if he had seen
a spirit 1t was very evident that She
had a history; storms had passed over
that face, her eyes burned with the con-
summing fire OF an ever living pain
She had been very beautiful, OF q
graceful spirituelle type, with the re.
| fined sentiment and elegant graces OF
gentle birth; but the glory OF her day
was past; her noble form was wasted, a
deep melancholy darKened her express
| sion.
Her dress was severely simple, nc
/ faintest attempt at decoration relieved
it. and vet she wore it with such grace,
| the lines of her form were so flowing,
! that she lent a majesty to the dress
which no splendor could have given.
| As his fainting faculties returned tt
him. Edgar contemplated this woman a:
| If she had been vision; but the spell
was broken when she moved to benc
over him with anxious solicitude.
Full recollection returned to Edgar
and with it the darting consciousness
that here stood Lady Inchcape, his kins
mans lost wife.
Lovely as he had heard her called, sor
rowful, pining as under crushing AM
ever present affection. Surely this wa
Engeionde Inchcape, for whose sax
, Lord Inchcape had renounced the Wor,o
and buried his noble powers ana ampl
tions in brooding solitude in the meridia
, of his days.
In sudden overpowering excitemen
Edgar sprang up, stretched out his hand
to the lady and made a gasping attemI
: to utter her name, but he fell back IL
stantly, pressed down by the heavy han
, of weakness and pain and could only II
white and painting, with yearning 100
= fastened upon her. =,
: Startled by his abrupt movement. I'd
7 lady few to his side and took his nan
! in her own small, burning ones.
aAre you in Tain? am SO sorry,
said she sweetly. "What can / do Il
your"
/, He lifted her hand to his lips al
q kissed it fervently, and still he could N
q command his voice to speak
vi aYou are very weak, and must not g
. ert yourse fl said she. soothingly. Aft
. have been dreadfully hurt, though n
10 motally, ard no bones are broken
4 glad to have such good news to u
vou.n She smiled gently, and seatll
\. herself by his pillow, began to ran d
n with a soft plumy scented ian, ta'kil
still in low, friendly tones that ste
10 about the heart of her unknown kinsm
or with a strange power. "You want
.. hear the fate of your crew; be at pea;
sn they wee all saved, every one. A u
fractures and Commissions, that is |
AZ worst; but they are sill made comiorl
3 BE and are asleep IN the cots Of