The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1900-12-22
CHAPTER ". fcont,nued.o

HEts oO 4S .Oyl1lS SuN1OS1ly " hAlOW
who I am, and whyI came here" said
she, when she had slipped the cool
drink, .and that's where an English
mar gets the better of my hot-headed
countrymen-you don't show it a bit.
Well, Til tell you all about myself
when I've got my breath properly"
For the next three or four minutes
/ had leasure to observe her more close
lily, and I could see that she was, most
probably, not out of her teens, and
her recent exercise had brought a red
flush to her cheeks that set them off
in marked contrast to the delicate
Ehite tint of her forehead. I was still
Nboking at her, when she turned
towards me.
ST must begin" said she. "by telling
you my NAME. Well, I'm Miss Nora
Courtney, If you please, and some say
th&t I'm the HONORABLE Miss Court
ney, but that doesn't matter; and I'm
some relation to him onder that was
following me. I live with my father
In the next house between this and the
town, and it's very likely If you stay
here long enough you'll meet me one
of these days running his messages.
by reason that our servants are so
stupid, and then If you saw me carry
ing a jug, or something, you'd be too
proud to speak to me. My father has
had. heap of trouble, and it's altered
him from what he used to be when J
was a child, but he's just as kind now
as ever he a when they don't bother
him. There! do you want to hear any
more about such a promising pair OF
people?"
..To be sure I do" I said. "You have
hardly told me anything about your
self"
"yvell, to begin again, then" she
said, I'm just nineteen, and my heads
as empty Of knowledge as-as this
glass is of drink"
I took the hint and her glass, n
when I had filled it she continued
IT can neither read nor write,
how my father las brought me up
Sure he says, If you can't do either
you won't get into mischief signing
bills, and that like, as I've done myself.
We'll, this man who was after me just
now Is some relation of mine, though
what I don't exactly know. It's a sort
of riddle like that about If DICKS
father was Jacks son'-you know.
Well, he goes by the name of DOrv1lle.
4 found out the way to spell the name
afterwards, and his mother is a Corsi-
can lady, and they tell me that these
people are hard to beat in III way OF
nursing their bad temper
st don't know what ails Maurice, but
something's gone wrong with him, and
hes got my father into the bother, but
If I'd had my letters at my fingers
ends I might have found out something
about It to-day. He comes at odd
- Aa-a- - $40 ,,eI 1r,hon Tho fl fQkoQ him.
and it's glad I am when he goes.
DO you know" and here she dropped
her voice, do you know that he and
his mother tried to put my father in a
madhouse, or threatened to, but he got
out of their clutches somehow n took
q droll revenge upon Maurice? MY
father can leave only q certain part OF
his property to me, by reason Of some
law or other. Laws very bothering
isn't It? And when he dies, Maurice,
my cousin, or whatever he is. comes In
for a lot; 30 to spite them father let's
nearly all Of his tenants go rent free,
and a nice time Of 1t the man will have
who tries to collect 1t. And so here I'M
q. that ought to be living in a castle.
taking shelter in a gentleman's house,
and I not knowing his name. 4
'I can guess what you'd like to be
asking: What made me come here?'
We'll, I'll tell you, for you look as If
you could be trusted, and it's very
comforting to have someone to speak
to. I got into Maurice's to-day
unbeknown to him. and there I found
bis keys in the lock of the box he
always brings with him. and-you
know how curious q girl is. leastways
I AMI opened It, and found some
books with writing In them, and I was
pretending to myself that I could read
them, when he came in and caught me.
All! you should have seen the evil look
OF him. I believe he's q dynamiter or
: Fenian, no less. I don't know how I
got past him, but I did, and out I rush.
ed, and the door slammed to and I
locked 1t, for the key was on the OUT
side. And then I ran for 1t, and I saw
your door open and rushed in. and here
I am. Now what are you going to do
with me e. 3 #
.'see you safe home" I said; .'and II
you t~everNcare to call upon me in q
proper way-that is. I mean-if-if.
you'll come and see me, I.:shall be de-
Would. you, th,oeushc would yon
t$eally?" # t7 Il
Eyes, really said; ..and-ah! that's
Mrs. Graves i hear. surely-as you've
appeared 50 OPPORTUNITY, you. will let
me offer you q cup Of tea e"
kn".Not this time, thank you. TIL be
afroing now. / can slip in, and none Of
them the wiser. Goodbye, and many
thanks for your kindness. and don't
forget that It's 3 princess who's thank,
ing you.".. aS&
Thus 1t wassthat ] sfrst saw Nora
Courtney, with the roses still fresh on
her cheek and mall the sweetness and
purity OF her maidenhood. was
aroused by the quick ;step3of Mcguire.
...What luck?" I asked AL he rushed.
In. 4. VI S Ss @T !.
.oh, may the Banshee fy away with.
them! IT'S the reader says one q
them, that isn't satisfied What
reader? says I. my reader heSsays.5
ssAh, maybe he haden't the tune OF p
brogue., i said, . perhaps twas b
italian that bothered him. See now,
jlet me give you. passage' and . took
sup my writing and read him hat BIT
\ about my adventure In Florence Ind
when IA finished there .heSsat turning
s0vergleaf after leaf OF sornespapersf bee
ss6ores him with s6ns hand and waving
- out WITH thS other..ssWei l,St them !
1aid something Il him In Irish---A-aand9it
gSwasn,t4a bleeetnx--anda bait9ed DE-