The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1899-03-16
CHAPTER VII.

CHAPTER VII.
Miss Marvel Miss Marvel! Lilac.
dear"
Lilac started up from a dreamless
sleep and rubbed her eyes. For mo-
rent she imagined that she was back
At Deadman's Guleh, and that this was
her uncle's voice rousing her in the
morning. But her uncle would not have
,oued her Dear and the voice she
heard was certainly not his. 1t sounded
Affected and unnatural and. as Lilac
rscognized it she remembered sudden
IL where she MAS. She had fallen
asleep soon after noon. and now it was
ouite dark. An appalling fear flashed
into her mind that she had slept be-
vord the time of her lovers visit, and
that she had lost the last chance of
seeing him before she started for Eng
land
What is IT,? she cried. springing
out of bed in alarm at the thought; and
sabina Emmott's voice. which had been
calling her, answered from the other
side of the locked door
Sir Roy has sent me to wake you.
He will have to leave soon. He would
not allow me to disturb you before be-
cause you were so tired; but he can
\ not 60 away without seeing you"
What time is it?" Lilac asked. full
Of anxiety. She was relieved to find
that her lover was still in the hotel;
but the thought seemed unbearable
that he had allowed her to waste in
sleep the last opportunity of seeing
him which she would enjoy for so long.
Her heart sank when the reply came
through the closed door:
1T is after 10 o'clock. Shall | come
4 in and help you dress. dear?"
In her haste Lilac refused the offer
almost CURLY, and hurried across the
room to make herself ready TO go down
and see her lover. 1t took her only a
few minutes to put on the simple cot
ton dress in which she had made her
escape from the ranch, and to bind her
hair into a simple coil at the back OF
her head But the minutes seemed
like hours to poor Lilac. who felt that
each one of them was so much taken
from her last meeting with the man she
! loved.
When she unlocked her door ready
to go down she found Sabina waiting
for her on the. landing outside her
room.
Sir Roydon is waiting for you most
mpatiently," she said, as they walked
down the broad stairs of the hotel to-
gether, "in the room where you first
saw US when you arrived. l believe he
swould have had you walked for dinner
but we persuaded him that it would be
VERY cruel after your having passed
Through so much. | did not like dis
mrbing you now. but your ardent lover
insisted."
Sabiua ran on in the same chatterins
'way as they went down the two flights
that led to the Emmott's private sit
ting room, and did not wait for hel
companion to make any reply But. al
they neared the room, Lilac stopped
abruptly.
+. rs Major Emmott with Sir Roy
DOM" she asked quietly.
Sabina shook her head in more bird
like fashion than ever.
Il think not. He went down to the
reading room SheH 1 came up for YOU
Lilac had expected to hear this. The
itue She had vseen of Major Emmott
made her credit him with delicacS
enough to allow her to meet her love-
alons for the first time after their ex
K citing adventures together. His daugh
ter was different and Lilac turned tt
her.
Il would rather meet Sir Roy alone
then, if you do not mind" she said qui
etly; and only she herself knew what
rost her to say it.
Miss Emmott smiled sweetly.
of course, dear! can UNDERSTAND
pour anxiety" she said: and the smii
did not fade from her face until tn
door had opened and closed behind tn
Egirl 10 whom she spoke Then muc'
less pleasing expression took its plac
as Miss Sabina shrugged her shoulders
Dear me, Miss Marvel, you are quit
grand lady" she said to herself. 'fo
NIL take more trouble to manage tina
thought" and she returned to he
pWn room, to admire herself in tn
SheVal glass and think of the contras
petween her dress and that of the Cal
tornian girl.
CHAPTER VIII.
Meanwhile all thought of the major
Gaughter had fled from Lilac's mint
OF, as she opened the door of the pri
ate sitting room, Roy, who had bee
eating full of impartience for her al
Val, crossed the floor towards he
PUN outstretehed hands, and drew he
MIN, For some time neither of ther
yoke. For the girl it was an interva
more complete happiness than an
Yne was to know for many months
Roy was the first to speak.
what long time it seems alread
NICE saw you, darling" he sale
oidlng her at 's-length to look in
her beautiful face. II do not kno'
ow shall manage to get on withou
glimpse of you for ten whole weeks!
WIN 1t be for so long as that, Roy?
foice.
nd I Lot hnr hn