Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1900-06-14
Continued.

Mamma Is a darling; but this
time she has made n mistake!" cried
Gertrude "And some day she Will
acknowledge It. / wish | had been
grown up when the trouble came. l
would never have left the place.
would have employed the cleVerest de-
tectiyes in England and France"
my dearest Gertrude" said Dol
ores, there was not stone left I'M
turned. My father and Lord Rhys-
worth did everything that could be
done"
81 am not reproaching you, dear
est" returned Gertrude You would
have worked harder and longer II
II had not been for that false, troach-
erous letter which made you abandon
your efforts in search of the truth
when they were most needed"
But the girl began to see that not
even her firm faith in her father
could influence her mother she was
startled, but still unconvlnced. Cert
rude read that in her mothers face. IL
only strengthened the resolve that
had changed her from child into
woman,
Let mo keep the portrait, nam
ma" she said, "for a short time. VIII
you? II ever the dream and hope OF
my life are realized ! VIII give II
back to you framed In diamonds. one
look at the pictured face VIII give me
strength to do anything and every
thing"
SO, far into the night, they sat talk
ing Of the same mystery which SIX
teen years before had thrilled all
England Gertrude, although full OF
hope and faith, had no satisfactory
answer when Dolores asked
where can he be? If he did not
20 away with her-at her request
where can he be- An, Gertrude, who
shall answer my question:
Il will, mamma, Some time or other
before die | will answer it without
fail"
Then Gertrude kissed her mother
and said they must all 80 to rest
Have you decided, mammal" she
asked. Shall you see Lady Fielden
tomorrow
eyes, think so. She was very kind
to me, and liked her very much' |
cannot refuse to see her And yet 1t
will be terrible trial to me-
you must not look at 1t IN that
way. mamma. You must believe that
the hand of Heaven has sent Lady
Fielden hithor, and that perhaps
through her coming my fathers IN
nocencc may be established
SO the girls and their mother part
ed, but not to sleep, Dolores was too
excited. She rembled at the Idea OF
seeing her friend again She knew the
rush of pain, the bitter, burning mem
cries that would come over her at
the sight of the wcll-remembcred lace,
Years before when the blow had just
fallen on her, she had met 1t on her
knees, praying for health and
strength. So she prayed now.
Heaven had taken pity on her, ana
would do so again As for Gertrude,
with flushed face and burning eyes
she paced up and down her room,
talking vchcmently to Kathleen. Once
she threw her bare, white arms
round Kathlocns neck,
"ro think" she cried, that after
all we are only hall-sistcrs! How
strange 1t seoms!'
"Rut we shall love each other just
tho same returned Kathleen ut
will make no difference. We are both
mammals children, you know; and,
Gertrude. when | was little | loved
your father very much indeed,
can remember him quite Well, so that
you must love me even more on that
account"
II do not think | could love you bet
ter" said Gertrude; aud then she
talked OF her father and Of what she
intended to do
81 thought only last week, Kathleen
how pleased | should be when we
went to more balls and parties, and
saw more of life; and when | saw that
handsome young EnElshman today
in the pitU palace, ! pictured to my
self how pleasant 1t would be to have
such a lovers 50 young and hand
some, did YOU see his eyes, kathle?
But now | shall never give thought
to anything Of the kind again, feel
as though one single night had
changed me from a girl to woman,
with n great wrong to set right"
But Gertrude, YOU are not serious?
You do not mean that you will give
your life to clear up 4 mystery which
has puzzled older and wiser heads
than yours?"
My dear | WILL | shall live for It,
| have only the instructive love that |
suppose every child has. | think
nay, l am quite sure--that love your
father best But, Gertie, darling, do
not fix all your hopes on fathoming
this mystery. Depend upon 1t. mamma
knows best, 1t would be pity to
spoil your life, Remember, three
have been ruined already: do not add