The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-06-09

4
understand"
II can show no preference" returned
Beatrix, ''for I feel none." The duchess
laid her hand on the girls arm.
| "Beatrix," she said earnestly, 81 try to
believe you but cannot; 1t Is incredible
| to me that you should deliberately throw
| away two such chances. You must be
the Duchess of Heathland. / should not
| like you to go to Italy, but should like
| to see you Duchess of Heathland."
Peter Lennox came home early one
| evening and, not knowing that his niece
was at home, he went to his study and
| fell asleep in the comfortable easy chair
that was his favorite resting place. When
| Beatrix heard that he had returned, she
| went at once to see him. She never neg
| lected him nor left him alone. She went
to his study, and, opening the door, saw
| that he had fallen asleep in his chair. She
did not awaken him, but went up to him
very gently. How tired and worn the fine
| face looked! And there was the secret,
| thought Beatrix, revealing itself in great
piteous lines round his mouth. Her uncle
suddenly turned round!
II did not mean It," she heard him say
81 never thought Of it."
Then with a sudden cry he awoke from
| his sleep.
"Grace, Gracew he called. For a mo-
ment he looked wildly around him.
"Grace, Gracew he repeated.
Uncle" said Beatrix, Il came to see
il you wanted anything"
An expression Of fear crossed his face,
followed by one Of great relief.
"Is that you, Trixie? l was asleep
dreaming. 1 am glad you are at home,
my dear. felt very dull tonight"
And ell night, while the gay world
moved along, she remembered that one
cry Of "Grace, Grace! and wondered
what it meant.
CHAPTER K.
A cozy little party sat in the beautiful
boudoir that Peter Lennox had furnish
ed for his niece. The Duchess of Elmslie
who was just as devoted to the million
aires niece as she had been iHattentive
to the poor outcasts at Strathnarn-had
driven over to Lady Lennox-who had
forgotten in her present happiness all her
past pain, and who delighted in the gos-
siping conversation of the duchess-in
company with Lady Dutton, one of the
duchess dearest friends, who kept her
well supplied with news. These two la
dies with Beatrix and her mother formed
a friendly little party-they had partaken
of luncheon, and now sat at ease discuss
ing the events Of the day.
On this morning the conversation amaz-
ed her more than it generally did. There
had been great scandal, and the duchess
appeared to delight in discussing it. Then
she had many anecdotes of Lady Scales
to relate. Lady Scales was one of her
pet subjects. Beatrix turned away tired
at last. How shallow all this seemed to
the high soul and noble nature formed
amid the glorious solitudes of Loeb Narn!
Lady Lennox saw her daughters look
and understood it. The Morning Post lay
upon the table, and, anxious to divert
Beatrix's attention, she pointed to it and
said:
''Beatrix, will you look through that
and tell me when the Botanical fete is to
be held?'
Beatrix gladly took up the newspaper,
while the three ladies resumed their dis
cussion. The duchess continued:
II have always told her so. have
warned her a hundred times, even Lady
OHIO"
The clear sweet voice Of the young
girl checked the speaker by q rapturous
cry.
THAT is something like a man!' she
said. "Now l believe in heroes! They
are not all dead; there are chivalry and
honor and kindness left in the world. !
should like to see the man who did that
glorious deed"
"What is it?" asked the duchess.
Evil it tire you if read it?" she ask
ed. Mamma, it is so wonderful"
Read it by all means, my DEAR" said
the duchess, wondering what it could be
that interested the girl SO deeply.
"A Noble Deed" the paragraph was
headed; aud this was how it ran:
Our readers will probably remember
that short time since servant girl Of
the name Of Mary Hanson was brought
up at the Chester Assizes on a charge Of
murder. The case was both interesting
and painful. The girl Hanson had lived
III the service of a gentleman named Har-
land Roby, vine resided in d villa, siear
Chester. Mr.. Roby was a married man,
his wife a lady Of considerable personal
attractions; they lived alone, had no chill
dren, and kept two servants. But in six
weeks after Mary Hanson went to live
with the RObys the cook left, and her
place was not filled. Mary Hanson gave
every satisfaction to her employers, she
was honest, industrious and amiable; no
suspicion was ever entertained about her
until Mr.. Roby, after drinking some beef
tea which she had prepared for him, was
taken suddenly and seriously i'll. The
doctor las sent for, and he declared that
the master Of the house had been poi
soned. After some time the unfortunate
gentleman died in dreadful agony; and at
the inquest it was proved that he had met
his death through the administration of
arsenic. Evidence was given that Mary
Hanson had two. days previously pur-
chased arsenic. saying that she wanted to
poison mice. The testimony against her
was strong: she had purchased the poi
son: she had made the beef tea, and the
poison was found in it."
"Oh, those terrible, lower ORDERS" ex-
claimed the duchess.
Wait" said Beatrix; you have not
heard ALL" Miss Lennox resumed:
THE girl listened to the verdict of
guilty, and then, raising white, scared
face TO the judge, said: My lord, bought
the poison-my mistress told me to do SO.
l never gave it to my master-I swear
that l never gave it to my master-I
swear that ! am as innocent as a child,
and that if | am hanged it will be muir
der There was q great sensation, and
a conviction nj tho 0irrS ;npooapco She