The Norfolk weekly news. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1888-1900, 1899-10-26

to the disappcarnnccs, " SAID l. ~ was
thinking Of something else. Lucottn is
not we'll"
"Ah, | knowl They say snc has some
kind of heart complaint, but that wns
not true then Why, her cheeks were
like roses in those days and her figure
as plump and pretty ns any you could
see now among our village beauties
No, Miss Buttorworth, it Wa her weak.
ness lost him. She probably pallcd upon
his taste, 1t wns noticed that he held
his head very high III going out of
town"
HAS ho married siucc?' | asked.
mot to my knowledge, ma'nm"
"rhcn he loved her, " | declared.
She looked at me quite %curiouslv.
Doubtless that word sounds little queer
ON my lips, hut that shall moi deter me
from using il when the circumstances
seem to require. Besides, there was once
II time But there, | promised to fall
into no digrcssions.
You should have been married your
self, Miss B~uttrrworth, " said she.
] was amazed, first at her daring and
secondly that | was SO little angry ut
1t. But then tho woman meant no oi.
fcnso, probably intended n compliment
rather.
81 am very we'll contontcd as | am"
| returned. al am neither sickly nor
timid."
She smiled, looked ns if she Thought
it only common politcnoss to agree with
mo and tried to say SO, but finding the
situation too much for her COughod and
discrcctly held her peace. | came to hor
rescue with II new question.
"Ilavo tho Knollys cvci~bccn success.
full in love? Tho mother Of these girls
now-sho who was Althca Burroughs
was her life with her husband happy |
have always been curious to- know. She
md | were schoolmatcs.
"You were? Eou knew Althca Knoll
lys when she was IA girl? Wasn't she
charming, ma'am? Did you over see u
~livolicr girl or one with more lnnCk at
winning affection? Why, she couldn't
sit down with you "A half hour before
you felt like giving up everything you
had to her. Itmado no difference whcth-
cr you were man or woman, it was all
the Same. She had but to turn those
misChicvouS, pleading eyes upon you
and you became II fool at once. Yet her
end was sad, ma'an; too sad, when
you remember that she died ut the very
height of her beauty alone and i'll n for
cign land. But | have not answered
your question. Were she and the Judge
happy together? | have never heard to
the contrary, ma'am. I'm sure ho
mourncd her faithfully enough. Some
think that her loss killed him. He did
not survive her moro than three years. y
"Tho children do not favor her
much, said |, "but | SEQ an expression
o and then in Lucetta which recalls
her mother family"
"Thcy are pure Knollys' blood, " said
she. Even William has traits which,
with a few more brains back of them,
would remind you of his grandfather,
who was the plainest of his race.
was glad that the talk had reverted
to William.
"He seems to lack heart, " said |, "as
well as brains. ] marvel that his sisters
put up with him rs well rs they do"
"Thcy cannot help it. He is not afcl-
low to be fooled with. Besides, he holds
| third share in the house. If they could
sell it! But, dcary me, who would buy
an old tumble down place like that on
IA road you CannOt get folks who have
any consideration for their lives to enter
for love or money? But excuse me,
ma'am; | forgot that you are living just
now on that very road. I'm sure / beg IA
thousand pardons.'
Il am living there as "A guest, a" | re
turned. 81 have nothing to do with its
reputation-cxccpt to brave it,
"a courageous thing to do, ma'am,
and one that may do the road some
good. If you can spend IL month with
the Knollys and come out Of their house
at last hale and hearty As you enter it,
it will be the best proof possible that
there is less to be- feared there than
some people think. | shall be glad if
you can do it, ma'am, for | like the
girls and would be glad to have the rep
utation Of the place restored.
"Pshaw!' was my final comment.
1.-The crcdulity Of the town has had as
much to do with their loss of it as they
themselves. That educated people such
as ! see here should believe in ghosts p
j say final, for at this moment the
good lady, springing up, put an II tc
our conversation She had just seen Y
buggy pass the window.
Its Mr., Trohm," said she. "Ma'am,
if you wish to return home before Mr..
Simsbury comes back you may be able
to do SO with this gentleman. He's q
most obliging man and lives less thar q
quarter Of a mile from the Misses Knoll
lys."
i did not say | had already met the
gentleman. Why, do % know, Ionly
drew myself up and waited with some
small inner perturbation for the result
of the inquiry / saw she had gone tc
make.
TO be continued next Saturday.
Notice to Land Owners.
To all whom il may concern