The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-14
this, darkness like death closed in around
her, and she knew no more.
CHAPTER VII.


CHAPTER VII
When she came to herself it was broad
daylight, and she would have thought she
had been the victim of ugly dream, only
for the violent pain in her neck, just where
the burglars fingers had met and were
tightening when Dorothy had interposed
She tried to get on her feet, but fell back
each time, weakly, and then began to realize
the full extent of the shock she had Sus-
tanned. She was naturally strong woman
and had never tainted before in her life, so
that she did not understand her own sensa-
tons. But as she could not move she knew
she must keep still for the present, at any
rate, and resigned herself to her fate. But
having fallen close to the couch, she reached
up her hand, and pulled down a cushion for
her head, and presently, strange to say, fell
asleep.
She only reused when she heard Jane (she
had no regular maid) in her dressing-room
preparing her bath, and then she found, to
her relief, that she could stand now, and
rose to her feet. A cold douche helped to
complete her cure, and by the time she had
though her throat still gave painful tWinge
when she swallowed, and had an ugly red
stain on it just under her chin
She concealed this before she went down.
stairs with a lace scarf, and no one would
have noticed anything unusual in her man
ner or face when she appeared in the break
fast-room. Dorothy was not down, and when
ten minutes passed and she did not come,
Lady Lesson, whose heart was beating fast
by this time, went upstairs to her room
She knocked, but she did not expect an
answer, perhaps, for the blood rose to her
face and an expression of great relief came
into her eyes, when she heard Dorothy's voice
asking who was there.
"It is I-your mother" she replied. Can
you let me imp"
ct have such bad headache" answered
Dorothy, plaintively. Cant stay in bed
little while longer?'
Lesson, decidedly. st am leaving Dover
House by the 1 o'clock express
This announcement seemed to startle Dor
othy into something like animation.
"Then Of course / must get up" she said;
ST had no idea of that
ST had no idea either yesterday
IT will dress as quickly as I can and come
down. the girl called out. us anything the
matter?"
Lady Lesson wondered how she dared ask
this question, but true to the principle she
had laid down for herself, she answered
promptly.
Nothing of much consequence, but 1 will
tell you when you come"
Perhaps Dorothy was anxious .and4curious
for she was certainly much quicker than
usual in dressing, and appeared before her
mother in about half an hour, looking rather
pale and heavy-eyed, but with an entire alb
manner
This irritated the elder woman and she
had hard work to free herself to speak quiet
lily, though she believed that it was only by
assembling she could get the girl away and
out of her lovers clutches. Dorothy repeated
her question at once as to what was the mat
ter, and why they were leaving Bushworth
so suddenly
Lady Lesson had had time to think and
was ready with explanation.
II have such pressing debts" she said, 81
dare not stay for fear of summons That
would be disgrace 1 could nor survive
But surely it can be avoided responded
Dorothy, thoughtfully.
ST don't know how I have nothing left
except few pounds"
Dorothy wrinked her brow for a minute
and then she said:
81 don't know much about business,
mamma, but I know I have $4,000, and it
seems to me l could borrow enough of that
to set you free. I shall never marry, and
therefore no one will have a right to re-
proach me for what I do with my own. 1t
will be mine absolutely directly I am twenty
one, and if I choose to anticipate a little it is
going away, mamma" she added, persua-
sively, let us go and see the lawyers and
ask them to lend the money"
Lady Lesson would have been touched only
that she knew Dorothy was trying to make
reparation thus for the wrong she had done
her in other ways
In spite of her terrible infatuation, she still
loved her mother, or she would not have
saved her from the mans murderous grasp
that night; and though she would help him
rob her in one way, because she had let him
get such terrible power over her she could
not help herself, she was willing to make
sacrifice in other ways that he would know
nothing about.
But Lady Lessons only object was to get
Dorothy away from his influence and then
appeal to her conscience and feelings, as we