The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-08-13

were not unmindful Of the opportunity.
All of that bright, sunny morning,
Barbara, having given orders to be de.
MED to all visitors, had bent over her
desk. It was strange task at which
she was occupied. Before her lay
sheet of note paper covered with writ.
Ing. A tracing paper was at her side,
and the paper on which her hand rest.
ed was covered with a copy of the
handwriting before her-an excellent
copy, too; so like the original that.
unless one suspected mischief, they
would have been in total ignorance OF
any change.
My Dear Milton"
These we're the words heading the
page, and Barbara smiled, smile not
altogether good TO see, as she tran
scribed them, again and again, with
that curious little appendage to Che
"M' which was so characteristic.
So absorbed was she In her work
that she did not hear the light tap al
her door, or the soft football that stole
across her carpet until the words,
BEG pardon, my lady" sounded close
In her ear, uttered in Marie's most re-
spectful tones. Then she started and
made a movement as il to conceal her
work
HAS madame succeeded" the maid
questioned.
Barbara let her hand drop, making
no further effort at concealment, but
glanced up haughtily.
81 have made wonderful discovery
which may assist madame" Marie
continued.
"a discovery, Marie? What is it?"
THAT which will give us most ex-
cellent pretext for assuring Miss
Avice that her lover wishes to rid
himself of this marriage and thus
inducing her to lend herself to our
plans"
Tell me It, my good girl, and your
reward shall be doubled"
81 am not covetous, madame. Ihave
already determined upon my reward
and shall ask for nothing more. But,
let me tell you, Miss Avice has seen
fit to give me unlimited confidence,
notwithstanding that | shudder when
I look at myself in the mirror, so
changed am I by my disguise. My
young mistress likes me, and has even
gone so far as to place her keys with
in my keeping-all save the key of her
desk, which is kept locked by tiny
key suspended to her watch chain.
arranged 1t, however, that this key
should drop upon the carpet. What
more natural than that should pick
1t up, TO restore 1t to her at the earli-
est possible moment? Meantime the
opportunity was too good one to be
lost; at least must try it in the lock
at some fitting time. to see if it would
fit. It turned easily-so easily that,
almost before knew II, the desk and
it's contents were laid open before my
curious eyes. The desk had been her
fathers. II was large and somewhat
old-fashioned for lady's dainty be.
longings; but she priced it all the
more highly on that account Well,
turned the papers idly over. There
were a few notes from her brother,
two or three old letters from her faith
err, and little pile, tied up In blue RIB
bon, from her lover. This was all"
What, then, was your wonderful
discovery" her mistress asked, i'm
patiently.
az arr coming to that, madame.
was somewhat disappointed at the re.
suit of my investigations, when | set
about examining the desk more mi.
nutely The bottom appeared to me
unusually thick; the idea struck me
that there might be some secret COM
| partment. For time It baffied all my
J efforts to discover 1t, until finally l
! touched a spring and a tiny drawer
| slipped out before my astonished
| gaze. In It were two papers-one ad-
/ dressed to his only and well beloved
son, Travis Meredith, and one what
purported to be legal document.
"well-and then?"
1.-THE legal document, my lady, was
/ the formal adoption Of daughter by
! Henry Meredith, Esq, bearing date
which would bring Alice Ayice to her
| present age"
"Her adoption, do you say?" Bar.
bara almost gasped "She is not,
then. Of his flesh and blood? You are
sure OF this?"
81 have brought the paper that you
might examine It."
With trembling fingers and white
face, Barbara snatched the sheet and
ran her eyes down the page; but, as
she read, the pallor deepened, and her
head sank back YEARLY upon the
chair, as though overcome with sud-
den faintness.
The maid, watching her narrowly,
handed her a glass of water.
1T was from La Madeleine they took
this child!" Barbara almost gasped,
striving to recover her calmness.
Eyes, madame. What OF that? You
surely had heard of La Madelaine be-
fore now?"
Eyes, yes! have heard of 1t, of
course; but"
The sentence remained unfinished.
for Barbara had swooned away.
The maid summoned no assistance,
as she aided her mistress return to
consciousness, though no tender CLEAN
of pity was in her ruthless and malig-
nant glance.