The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1899-11-01
CHAPTER XVI.
GONE.

When Eric Brentwood returned to
Brentwood Park, he left his heart be-
hind him in the Keeping of The delir-
ious girl lying on the couch in the
gypsy tent.
He remembered every word she had
uttered in her delirium, and thought
with the gypsy that she must have had
some strange experiences in her life.
She had talked of being locked in II
room; OF the trcachery Of some one she.
had called lnez, aud then Of the kind
ness Of some doctor. But upDarmost
III Erie Brentwood's mind were the
words she spoke in reference TO him.
'Ah, if she could Gully have said
those words and mean them when she
was conscious Of her n~ttcrance," he
murmured.
Every day he meant to visit the
camp aud do what he could for tie
girl he loved. For he acknowledged
to himself that he loved the unknown
girl with all the fervor and passion of
his nature. Never before had lie felt
Tor woman as he did f0r rlre 1fiitv.ea!4-sur-
ferer who hal stolen his heart. and he
knew that he would never be happy
again unless he won her for his own.
tic did not think that she had heard
the name of Brentwood before, but at
tributed her repetition of the name SO
many times solely to her d~elirious raw
,ih&s. Had he only known who she
really was. Surely fate plays strange
tricks sometimes.
Here was the son of the friend TO
whom hon, lNnfha, hal ,1;,,tnJ H.. "
80 TOR, of course. the reader knows
that the girl was Breta Danton), all
Unconscious of the identity of the girl
who had won his heart without an cf-
fort.
Had he been seeking such n person
rs Breta Danton, her strange words
might have led him to suspect that she
had heard Of Brentwood Park. But he
supposed Breta Danton ~ to be in the
nome OF her grandfather, whittier she
a gone in the company CT Cecil
l3onlphan; therefore he had no ileo,
that the little stranger knew aught OF
him or his mother.
4, Every morning and evening for n
whole week found Eric Brentwood by
her side, and although she was gain
Tug III strength she was still delirious.
80 often did she repeat the same words,
that Eric knew il all by heart, and rs
soon as she opened her eyes with the
light OF reason, he intended to ask her
to tell to him her history; and if she
needed a friend he would he the one
to act that part.
bnt he was. destined to be disap-
pointed i'll his hopes. On the eighth
day he arose early as usual, and pre-
pared to visit his little love, as he
called her to himself.
Arriving at the camp, the first one
he came across was the gypsy Jock,
Who was gathering sticks to kindle n
tfa.
How is she this morning?' was the
first question lie asked.
shes gone, sir" returned Jock.
Had q thundcrbolt dropped at his
feet, Erie Brentwood would not have
been more shocked or surprised.
"Gone!" he exclaimed, when he
conld find his voice. "Gone where?
how? Why, man, she was too i'll, be-
sides being out of her mind"
II know that, Sir; but they insisted
"" '""iho u . u"RS VIII tneIn.
They? Who?" he asked excitedly.
why, the gent and lady that came
Tor her. The gent came last night just
after you left. He said he had been
hunting everywhere for her, and early
Mis- morning, just at daybreak, he and
lady came with q carriage and took
3ier with them"
"Who were they Did they tell You
4 heir names or hers?" asked Eric,
j whose excitement increased as he be-
gan to fear that she was in the hands
3pf enemies.
Z They said their name was Downes,
and the man claimed the sick lady as
9lis wife. And the worst of il is, sir,
he said that she was crazy and ned
ESCAPED from them, and that it was
not the result Of her illness at all--the
way she talked"
J ~ don't believe it," cried Eric.
from the words she said / believe
that she has enemies, and that she has
fallen into their hands"
well, sir, if You remember, she
kept saying that she was locked in n
room, and, perhaps, after all, she
weanl night iD her head.
D6Sea5aRea.s iscs vas a. xlisa