Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1902-01-09
P VI.

SkC al lloOII l was o1NLAAA6 LA Aiy
cushioned chair in the old porch, and
the soft air from the sea was like
wine to me. Near me, Miss Margret
sat at her spinning wheel, and the
little maid played put on the bit Of
greensward which fronted the house,
with her doll and a little gray kit
ten-Mimi, asa she called it. which
was an especial pet.
Miss Margret," I said, as I sat
watching her sweet face as she bent
over her wheel. whose pleasant turn
ing made a pleasant, sleepy whirling
in the still afternoon. Miss Margrer
you have never yet told me how it was
that you and your little charge came
to this out-of-the-way place. You are
not Irish?"
NO. she said, smiling; II cannot
claim that honor. No, l come from
Sussex, in England, from a little sea-
side town, called Hastings"
From Hastings" 1 answered, with
q start. "Perchance you may know
a lad called David Bossum!"
Adtlu oOSSQiA. IL
David Bossum; then he is not dead
cruelty murdered, as We feared?"
Surely not" 1 said, unless the
storm treated him more hardly than it
did me, for he was well and hearty
when we parted. 10th enough were
we to separate, God knows, but twas
thought well for him to remain with
my lord aboard the frigate, while L
came with the Door ship whose frag-
ments still strew yon black rocks
MY lord" she said, repeating my
words, what lord speak you Of"
1.-The earl of Mountbrendon," I an
swered. Their did she stare at me
quite as if stupefied, and so sat down
again, for she was all of a tremble.
THE earl of Mounbrendon," she
said slowly. "What earl of Mount
brendon? For this house belongs to
an earl of MountbrendOn, and he 1t
was sem us here, using, L grant you,
much deceit in SO doing. fes1an evil
man-but still he said he knew naught
Of David, who went to London on the
little maids business, and then disap-
peared and hath never been heard Of
again. But if indeed he really lives
and you have been SO long with him.
hath he never spoken of his cousin
Meg, and the little maid. his father
brought home from Franceg'
"Oh! what a dolt I hav BEEN" L
cried as light flashed in upon me
why did I never guess h riddle"
Now just as I had ended, the little
maid came running toward us cry
ing, Meg, Meg, look at the beautiful
Ship" and so following with our eyes
the direction of her little pointing fin
ger. we were aware of a vessel, brig
rugged, but of foreign aspect, which
had Just rounded the p~romontory and
was close in shore.
"They mean to land i'm the cove be-
low," cried Miss Margret, who can
it be?" Then she ran back into the
house and brought out an old perspec-
tive glass, and leveled it as the boat
came nearer. 1 saw her cheek grow
pale. God help USE" h murmured.
looking at me with a c~onsternated air.
ut is the earl-our earl-the traitor.
He is coming here"
lis it SOP 1 answered. Then see
here-we will not a word about
my imprisonment. Keep silent, Miss
Margret, and / Will tell Tom to be SO
likewise-Ah! here he comes. 1t will
be well to walk with caution among
this coil, for your earl is a dangerous
man, and doth not stick at half meas
ures."
He is indeed a dangerous man"she
replied, ''for it was with deceit that
he brought us here. I had never come
so far from help had it not been So
But 1 must go to warn the household
of his approach. Stay you with Mon
sieur George" h said to h little
maid, land be very wise and greet his
lordship courteously."
The child's face fell as she came and
by me, catching my hand in hers
was a way she lad. But she
hung her head a little and pouted her
soft lips.
I do not love Monsieur Milford" she
answered.
Never mnid, chere petite" said Miss
Margret, that does not matter. Re-
member you are a little lady of noble
birth, and so must behave nobly. No
blesse oblige'-remember that always. !
it's a good motto"
Thus we waited, the child and I, and
presently we heard low voices talking
together, and hen coming round the
angle of the house appeared two men,
one of whom l recognized with an ir-
start. for it was none other
that Captain O'Brien-our gaOler at
Quimper; the other I knew at once
from David's description to be the
false earl of Mountbrendon-he who
sat in my lords place, and kept the
true heir prisoner.
At the first sight of Captain O'Brien,
I am free to confess that my heart
sank within me. for I thought, surely.
ne will recognize. and SO will guess I
know my lords story. INC with these
desperate men in this lonely place.
where the kings writ has never been
nown to run, there will be little
chance that Tom and I ever come out
live.
Tom. too, saw who 1t was, and shot