Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-10-10
cry way to dicourage the girls unfor-

4 She turned to her daughter, and
although her manner was as gentletand
4 affectionate as ever. Bertha had never
heard her; mother speak in such Sc
were tone
II fear you have been foolish, Bertha
and much to blame. Don't look so dis
tressed. child. know you meant mo
harm, but your credulous folly in going
to a fortune-teller and allowing your
self to be Influenced by her flimsy
tricks pains me as much as 1t surprises
me-"
Mamma, dear. it was no trick. /
saw the face so plainly. would have
recognized it a; hundred years later.
while Lefty saw nothing<at all. could
not have imagined Shirhy's face. for
had never seen him in my life; and 1t
is very unlikely that Madam Durand
could have had a picture of him, or
could have had any object in showing
me his picture rather than any other"
"Unlikely, child. but not impossible -
Mrs Martin returned, with an impa-
tient sigh. "But even she didn't say
that the owner of the face would love
you"
mo. unhappily: she intimated the
reverse, rather, for she said my love
| CAUSE llle SlSdI llllS0Iy. kAIu,
oh, mamma, it has done that already!
but perhaps can win his love yet, for,
beautiful though Clarice is, she never
could have loved him as do, or else no
threats. no. persuasions, could have
made her marry Uncle Philip. He will
love me-he must! love him so much
that must win his love in return!"'
Mrs. Martin depressed the discourag-
ing words that rose to her lips but she
thought OF Adele Lingard, who must
have been even more beautiful than
Clarice, and whose frantic love had
failed to make the true lover false, even
in thought.
"There is some witchcraft about Clar-
ice," she said, bitterly. mo man who
loves her can ever recover from it,; .
"Then can die!" said Bertha, calm
ly. but in a voice of concentrated de-
spair.
Her face became deadly pale. her
hands clenched, and she fell back in her
chair, as if already in the embrace of
death.
Mrs. Martin gave cry of terror. Her
heart contracted with pain, and in her
| perplexity, she asked herself, for the
first time, If God was about to punish
her for all her ouble-dealing, her plot
ting, her wicked scheming and hypcc-
risy.
Surely, my sin has found me out"
she thought. lis this to be the ending
of all my plans to gain possession of
Philips wealth? In my heart have
almost committed murder to gain it. I
have resorted to every species of de-
ceit and meanness to work out my
ends, and now the child of my heart
the one being in the world for whose
| sake, for than any other, have plan
ned and worked-seems likely to die be-
| fore my eyes, the victim of my evil
plotting"
Some such thoughts, less coherent,
but causing a deep impression, passed
through Mrs. Martins mind, and for.
the moment her bold, scheming soul
quailed before Berthas pale, accusing
face. =
"Cheer UP, my darling; you shall not
die she said, wildly. "Not if anything
your wretched mother can do to aid you
may be of service. I saw Shirley Aus
tin just now; his face showed that ne
had not seen Clarice. Perhaps she re-
fused to see him. Your uncle's will for
| bade her to marry again, and if she
cared enough for money to marry for it,
she is not likely to throw away mag
nificent fortune for the sake Of a de-
serted lover. Don't give way like this,
| Bertha. You are young-you are love-
ly. You may prove a formidable rival,
even for Clarice."
| This. and much more of the same
kind, Mrs. Martin said, and, in her anx-
| iety, almost believed it, too; and when
she saw the color steal back into Ber
tha's cheek, and the brightness to her
| daughters eyes, she felt justified in all
| she had said.
| "And now, darling" she concluded,
| "what We're you saying about Lefty?
Has she, too, stole a march upon her
unsuspecting mother, and fallen in love
with somebody? But, no! At her age
| it is impossible. She is mere child"
"a child in years, mamma, but wo-
man in heart, for she loves with all the
fervor of a strong and passionate ma
ture. But Lefty is more fortunate than
I; the man she loves adores her, and
has already implored her to marry
him.
| Lefty" calculated Mrs. Martin.
Eyes, mamma; but there is no cause
to worry about Lefty. She will tell you
everything herself, and her lover will
come to ask your leave to pay his adj
dresses as soon as he returns to the
city. There is some family trouble at
present which requires his attention.
and he was called suddenly away in
consequence of it," ..
when did she meet him? Where?
Who is he?" Mrs. Martin gasped out,
between spasms of amazement, which
every word spoken by Bertha only
served to augment. "Have my children
entered into league to distress and
disappoint me?"
Don't speak so, mamma: you will
break my heart" cried Bertha. "Scold
me-be very angry; I will try to bear
1t; but don't think I would willingly do
anything to grieve you.''
II can't scold you, Child, nor can be
angry. I love you too we'll for that;
but have no more secrets from me- If
you value my affections. Go to your
room. Calm yourself. Be happy. and
make yourself as pretty as you can,
while try to think out the best way Of
making your beauty effective"
Bertha colored bri Chilly, and, throw