The Norfolk weekly news., 1899-09-21
QpVpi6AT. iE
CHAPTER Ill
I SUCCJMB.


he persuaded me that my neglect of AL
thea Burroughs children was without
any excuse that what had been my
duty toward them when l knew them
to be left mothCrless and alone had be-
come an imperative demand upon mo
now that the town in which they lived
had become overshadowed by a mystery
which could not but affect the comfort
and happiness of all its inhabitants. |
could not wait day. i recalled all that
l had heard of poor Althea's short and
none too happy marriage and immcdi-
ately felt such Il burning desire to SEQ if
her delicate and espiegle beauty-how
well l remembered it-had been repeated
IN her daughters that l found myself
packing my trunk before / knew it.
| had not been from home for II long
time-all the better reason why should
have IA change now-and when l called
together Mrs Randolph and the servants
and told them of my intention of leav-
ing on the early morning train it Great
ed quite "a sensation in the house and r''
little surmise.
But had the best Of explanations to
give. I had been thinking of my dead
friend, and conscience would not let me
neglect her dear and possibly unhappy
progeny any longer. l had purposed
many times to visit them, and now
was going to do it. When I came to q
decision, it was usually suddenly, and
! never rested after having once made
up my mind.
My sentiment went so far that I got
down an old album and began hunting
mp the pictures I had brought away
with me from boarding school. Hers
were among them, and really did ex-
perience more or less compunction when
/ saw again the delicate yet daring fea-
lures which had once had very great
influence over my mind. What a teas
ing sprite she was, yet what a will she
had, and how strange it was that, hav-
ing been SO intimate as girls, we never
knew anything of each other as women
Had it been her fault or my fault? Was
her marriage to blame for it or my spin
sterhood? Difficult to tell then, impos-
sible to tell now. ! would not even
think of it again, save as warming
Nothing must stand between me and
her children now that my attention has
been called to them again.
l did not mean to take them by sur
prise-that is, not entirely. The invita-
tion which they had sent me years ago
was still in force, making it simply nee
essary for me to telegraph them that /
had decided to make them Il visit and
that they might expect me by the noon
train. If i'll times gone by they had
been properly instructed by their moth
er as to the character of her old friend,
this need not put them out. am not IA
woman of unbounded expectations. do
not look for the comforts abroad | am
accustomed to at home, and it, as have
reason to believe, their means are not of
the greatest l should only be provoked
at any extra effort to make me feel at
home in the humble cottage suited to
their fortunes.
So the telegram was sent and my
preparations completed for All early de-
parture
But, resolved as l was to make this
visit, my determination came near re-
ceiving a check. Just as | was leaving
the house, at the very moment in fact,
when the hackman was carrying out my
trunk, l saw man approaching me
with every evidence of haste. He had
letter in his hand, which he held ont to
me as soon as he came within reach.
For Miss Butterworth, he said.
Private and Immediate"
"Ah," thought l, "a communication
from Mr. Gryce," and hesitated for
moment whether to open it then and
there or thrust it in my pocket and read
.J ar my leisure on the cars. The latter
course would be far the easiest, for my
hands were numbered with the various
small articles / consider indispensable
TO the comfortable enjoyment of the
shortest journey, and the glasses with
out which l cannot read a word were
in the very bottom of my pocket under
some other equally necessary articles of
smaller size.
But something in the mans expect
ant look warned me that he would new
CT leave me till l had read the note, so
with sigh called Leila to my aid, and
after several vain attempts to reach my
glasses succeeded in pulling them out at
last and by their help reading the fol-
lowing hurried lines:
DEAR MADAME send you this by swifter
messenger than myself. Do not let anything
that may have said last night influence you
to leave your comfortable home, The adven-
ture offers too many dangers for a woman.
Read the inclosed. q.
The inclosed was a telegram from
Obadiah Trohm, sent during the night,
and evidently just received at head
quarters. Its contents were certainly |
not reassuring:
Another person missing. Seen to have en-
tered Lost Mans lane. Never seen to have |
come out Of it. harmless lad known as Silly |
Rufus. What's TO be doneH Wire orders f.
Mr. Gryce bade me say that he
would be up here some time before
noon, ;" said the man, seeing me look
with some blankness at these words
Nothing more was needed to pull me
together. Folding up the letter, ! put
II in my bag.