The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-08-27
CHAPTER XIV

FALSEl
Thcre, there, dear! don't be alarmed
you've just woke up from a nice, Ion
Sleep" -o
@SIeepl Then the bridge. the storm
Raymond! No, no! it was all true. OF
where am 1? Who are YOU? How cam
here, In this strange placer"
You are among kind, true friends
dearie-kind, true friends, and you mus
not get excited, the doctor says.
Kind hearted, motherly old Mrs
Blake. the farmers wife, strokcd Edn
Deane's brow as she spoke, and he
startled charge sank back among tn
pillows. moaning with weakness, mysti
flcation, and anxiety.
A long sleep, indeed, had it been; TO
Two weeks had passed away since hon
est Farmer John had dragged her from
the snowdrift at his cottage door, raj
for the doctor, and, with his solicitoul
wife, had worked all night long to re-
viye her well-nigh exhausted vitality.
Since then, In dose and delirium. thu
poor child had lain, and this was the
nrst awakening to consciousness.
She listened with q shudder to the
story that her motherly nurse told her
OF their finding her that weird snowy
night. She cried softly as she told her,
too, how they came to love her bonny
Innocent face-how, If she was home
less, friendless, they would gladly make
room Tor her in their home and their
hearts, bereft only short year since by
the death OF their own darling child.
They asked her no questions as she
grew stronger daily, and Edna did L OF
enlighten them. 1t seemed as If pail.
never to be lifted, hung over her young
life. She remembered all that the mes
senger her father had sent for her had
Impaired to her-that he alone had
placed her at the seminary years agone,
and with him had persisted the mystery
of her young life, all hopes of establish
Ing her identity, of finding her father.
She had been cast upon the world alone,
with no claim upon her past life, and
the mystery Of her true identity was
mystery still.
No claim, save one-Raymondl Her
heart beat anxiously as she thought OF
him. How he would worry over her
sudden departure, her strange silence.
She must write to him, to her dear friend
Beatrice Mercer, at once. No, she re-
membered all her guide had told her.
She must never communicate with any
OF her old friends until she saw her
father 1t might mean peril-trouble
Tor him. Obi how the perplexities OF
her situation fretted her
week passed by. She was strong
once more. All one day Edna reflected
seriously. That night, glancing lovingly
at the faces of her kind friends, she told
them Of her resolve.
You have been like an own father
and mother to me-" she murmured.
gratefully. Il can never forget you
never cease to love you. butt am 60
ing away"
Going awayl" sighed the kindly Mrs.
Blake.
Yes; must see some friends. Then
| will return, then ! may be glad of your
happy, happy home. Please do hot
question me. but / must go.
Reluctantly they babe her good-by
the next morning. The farmer drove
her over to tho railroad station. In the
new garments with which her old torn
and bedraggled attire had been re-
placed, no one recognized her as the
supposed victim OF the bridge disaster,
an event strangely that Mr.. Blake had
not heard OF. Edna had a few dollars
in her pocket. She bought tic ket TAX
ing her half way to Hopedale, kissed |
the fatherly farmer good-by, promised |
.,
and the train whirled her away.
At the terminus she sold her watch |
This gave her ample means to continue |
her journey. All the way she was think |
Ing OF what she should do. Something |
in tho memory of her guides strange |
warning about the mystery that clouded |
her fathers life impelled her to secrecy
In oil her movements, and when she |
reached Hopedale at noon she trusted |
to her attire and heavy veil to conceal |
her identity.
She haunted the vicinity OF the semi-
nary. She would try 10 get word to
Beatrice. Finally, she addressed a
strange student The reply to her
questions chilled and Disconnected her.
Miss Mercer had left the seminary two
weeks previous.
Then Raymond-she must find him
now. She could tell him everything.
While he endeavored to get some trace
o. her father, she would return to the
Blakes and make her home with them.
1t was just dusk when she finally rang
at tho door, bell OF the Marshall resi-
dence.
A servant informed her that Mr.. Mar
shall was not at home. He had gone to
the hotel with his father. the colonel.
what shall lido? OH am SO fear
full of making a mistake, but must see
Raymond. Who else can / appeal to
In my uncertainty"
obviously, undoubtedly, Edna walked d
towards the village hostelry. 1t was
quite dusk, and she was very tire1
when she reached the place. /,
Mechanically, almost, she assembled
he stairs leading to the ladies' parlor,
and sank to cushioned chair, thinking,
hoping she was doing what 1
was eminently proper. land for the best. I
Footsteps on the stairs brought her to !
her feet. II 1t was servant, she would {
lsk her to try and find Mr.. Raymond
and his father, and send them /
o her-bu. 1t was no servant. The ia l
niliar form of Doctor Simms passed the {
'oor, and following him was clerical I
cooking man, and the former was say c
ng: &
Mr.. Marshall is waiting for us. This
way. sir. Ii
Mr.. acknowledgement He was in !
The hotel, then? What meant the words | t
If the Doctcrs Why was the ministe- h
inl looking man here? For few mo-
nents the perplexed girl fingered. Then, Il
she stole from the room ]
Ind down q corridor. g