The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1904-02-06

were not unmi ful of the opp oirtun id
1 AL 8of that bright, SUM morning,
Barbara, having given ord ers It's be IA:
MED to all visitors. had bent over her
desk. It. was q strange task at which
she was occupied. Before her lay 4
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 81
any change. -'....< - -
~, My Dear Milton" f.. ~,
These were 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 the
"M'' which was so characteristic.
So absorbed was she in her work
that she did not hear the light tap at
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 Marte's most re-
spectful tones. Then she started and
made movement as if 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.
II have made wonderful discovery
which may assist madame" Marie
continued
"A discovery, Marie? What is it?"
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"
II am not covetous, madame. have
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 l 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. l
arranged it, however, that this key
should drop upon the carpet What
more natural than that should pick
it up, to restore it to her at the earli-
est possible moment? Meantime the
opportunity was too good one to be
lost; at least l must try it in the lock
at some fitting time, to see If it would
fit. 1t turned easily-so easily that,
almost before knew it, the desk and
it's contents were laid open before my
curious eyes. The desk had been her
fathers. 1t 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 few notes from her brother,
two or three old letters from her faith
er, 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. ~
II am coming to that. madame.
was somewhat disappointed at the re,
suit of nv investigations. when l set
about examining the desk more mi
nutely The bottom appeared to me
unusually thick; the idea struck me
that there might he some secret COM
partment. For time it baffled all my
efforts to discover it, until finally
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 we'll beloved
! son, Travis Meredith. and one what
purported to be legal document.
"Well-and them"
"The legal document, my lady, was
the formal adoption of a daughter by
Henry Meredith, Esq. bearing date
which would bring Alice Avice 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?"
II 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 glass of water
i 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! l have heard of it, OF
course; but"
The sentence remained unfinished
for Barbara had swooned away
The maid summoned no assistance