The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1898-01-06

7 and mouths full of apologies; but Sir
Frederic cut their excuses short.
Take your patient back to her apart
ments," he said; ''and the next time she
leaves them you lose your places"
The attendants were doing their best
to persuade, or force, the unfortunate
| creature to quit the room wnen Carmen
and Hamilton Shore were added to the
company.
What on earth is this all about?" ex-
claimed the girl in voice of disgust.
When she saw what 1t was about,
Ruthven expected she would look dis
tressed or compassionate; but not at ALL
She colored, it is true, but only with
annoyance, as she attempted to conceal
the presence of the mad woman from
her companion.
Come, let us go into the drawing
ROOM" she said to Hamilton Shore; and
he obeyed her mechanically.
In few minutes the room was
cleared, and the voice of the poor pa
tient, raised in expostulation, was al
ready dying away in the distance.
Il am sorry you should have been
frightened and annoyed, my dear" said
Sir Frederic to Margaret, but there
really was no danger. That unfortunate
lady, though insane, is harmless. She
is Garments mother. All! you may we'll
start; but your guardian shall tell you
the whole story by and by. But | can
not understand how the poor creature
got loose. 1t must have been great care
lessness on the part of the domestics."
"Oh, no, sir! Indeed, it was my own
fault. had no right to enter the room;
but Brown left the key in the lock, and
| was curious to see who lived there"
How did it happen, Margaret" de-
manded Ruthven, as he stroked her
flowing hair.
"Oh, Ruthven, don't ask me!' she
cried, shuddering. Il had hardly en-
tered before figure jumped up from
the sofa and called out Florence" sew
eral times; then she rushed at me, and
l ran away, and she followed me down
stairs-and you know the rest"
She called you 'Florence'?" said Sir
Frederic, musingly, and l can under
stand it. You are very like my Flor
ence. l saw it the first time We met,
and now, with all this golden hair about
your shoulders, you might have sat for
the picture l have of her upstairs"
''Sir Frederic, do not know if l have
any right to tell you the truth" said
Ruthven; but the parentage of Mar
garet O'Reilly is not known to me-
How? What do you mean?" ex-
claimed the baronet hurridly.
Il mean that adopted her years ago.
and that l have no knowledge of her
antecedents, excepting that she was
supposed to be the child of a woman
called Nan O'Reilly."
He means, Sir Frederic, that he took
me from a prison to make me what
am" interrupted Margaret, proudly;
land that l owe him more than life
Itself"
But Ruthven closed her lips before
she had had time to utter more.
You agitate me greatly, Mr.. Ruth
ven. The resemblance is SO remark
able and who can tell whether my poor
child was killed or not. The woman
said she dropped it in wood. Suppose
she was correct, and my infant never
died, but was found by some passer-by,
and"
Margaret, you have been terribly
frightened and are trembling all over.
| think you had better go up 20 your own
room and lie down until you are more
composed, and l will see you by and
by" said Ruthven, as he conducted the
girl to the door and there dismissed her.
II think it best that we should not
discuss this subject before Margaret"
he continued, returning to Sir Fred
cries side, because it may agitate and
upset her without doing her any good
Now we are alone will give you every
particular l know of her history"
And they sat together for hours, COM
pairing notes, dates, and circumstances,
whilst Margaret, tired out, slept the
time peacefully away.
| CHAPTER XVI.