The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-14


Iat1on of their own, thinking IL would be a
good thing for him, and she had no one to
advise her, as they had kept her aloof from
those who might have been her friends. So
that she fell into the trap set for her to her
misery and shame
All this she told bravely, though her lips
trembled and her eyes were full all the while,
but what she had suffered for twenty-one
years in guarding her miserable secret, she
left to Dorothy's imagination, for no words
could adequately have described it. When
she had quite finished the girl said, with
puzzled air:
You did not really think that helped to
steal the Rothbury diamonds, mamma"
Il am afraid did. Markham was ready
to swear he had seen you hand the casket to
the Duke and then had later what 1 con-
sidered the evidence of my own eyes,.
Then why didn't you accuse me and give
ms a chance Of defending myself?" she asked
coldly.
Lady Lesson gave the reasons for her ST.
lence and Dorothy listened distressfully.
AT least I can never be vain" she said
presently, IF the two people who seemed
to love me, and whom / loved, could believe
me capable of robbing them, in consort with
be my lover, think I had better hide my
diminished head for the rest of my life.
There are Protestant converts, and | shall
go into one as soon as can make the proper
arrangements" she concluded, with decision
1--WE will see about that later" returned
Lady Lesson, with a faint smile Mean
while we can both afford to be thankful that
the Rothbury diamonds are intact
How is that, lWonder"
He was afraid to dispose of them in Eng
land, but they were to have gone to Amster-
dam-where there is a man the Duke has
always done business with-as soon as they
had my jewels to add to the haul, and then
they were going to travel for time, and en-
joy themselves with the proceeds, poor Nary
said"
And she saw no harm in this?"
mot much-unless they were found out.
But that was my fault-not hers" added
Lady Lesson, remorsefully and humbly.
''She was right in saying that she had never
had chance"
Let us hope that she will have one now"
returned Dorothy, gently.
AS soon as the funeral was over, funeral
which, simple as it was, raised the self
respect of all the unkempt slip-shod in
habitants of Dash Street, Lady Lesson wrote
to Lord Rothbury, unknown to Dorothy, and
told him the whole truth, reluctantly and
shamefacedly, but without reservation, for
the girls sake She had sacrificed one child
to her terrible pride, the other should have
no cause to reproach. her. This letter she
sent to his bankers begging them to forward
1t at once, and she also left the diamonds,
and poor MaryS confession in their charge,
to be handed to him on his return to England.
And this painful duty accomplished. she
thought of another scarcely less painful, and
went to see the Duke in his prison, as she
had promised Mary.
That there was some good in him she never
doubted after this interview, for hardened
sinner as he seemed, he cried like a child
over Mary's last messages, and letter to him.
He promised to go abroad, and try to lead an
honest life as soon his time was up, and
Lady Lesson could only hope he kept his
word, for Mary's sake, though she never
heard of him again.
A month passed, and there was no answer
from Lord Rothbury Dorothy had almost
recovered her bodily health by this time but
was very Spritless and detected, and was
actually in correspondence with the lady
superior of High Church Sisterhood, which
she intended to join directly she was sufici-
emily strong. ~
She was sitting alone one evening in the
Pickering freight. gazing abstractedly into
the red crestS of the Goals, and perhaps See
ing a face in the fire, face she loved still
with all her strength, when a man, who had
been standing outside, gazing wistfully at
the beautiful, sad face, moved cautiously
away and presently someone knelt at Dor
othys feet, and a humble, pleading, passion
ate voice murmured close at her ear:
Forgive me, my darling, have suffered
so horribly. Having loved you I had
to love YOU always, though believed you to
be unworthy, and nothing short of the evil
dence of my own eyes would have persuaded
me of that. But thought it was you that
night, although I ought to have doubted my
own eyes before doubted you
Eyes, you ought" she said knowing my
heart so well; but suppose have no right
to be very severe upon you when my own
mother made the same mistake and So"
'fAnd SOP" echoed Lord Rothbury, eagerly.
And so we will let the dead past bury it's
dead" she answered, and threw herself into
his yearning arms in glad surrender.
Thus Dorothy's troubles ended early, and
she became happy wife and mother instead
of Kilburn Sister But those who met her
in the world in the days to come, the bril-
liancy of her beauty, eclipsing even her dia-