Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-08-25
CHAPTER XVI.
THE CASTLE OF ROMANCE.


Flow silent the forest was! The
brook no longer murmured, the rustic
pf the leaves was without sound. A
spar Of sunshine, f1ltering through the
ragged limbs of the trees, fell aslant
her, and she stood in an aureola. AS
for my hero, species Of paralysis had
stricken him motionless and dumb.
1t was all so unexpected, all so sud-
den, that he had the sensation Of be-
ing whirled away from reality and
bundled unceremoniously into the I'M
real. -. She knew, and had known!
A leaf brushed his face, but he was
senseless to the touch Of it. All he had
the power to do was to stare at her. /.
She knew, and had known!
Dick stepped into the brook and be-
gan to paw the water, and the inter
mission Of speech and action came to
an end.
"You--and you knew" What a
strange sound his voice had in his own
ears!
Eyes. From the very beginning /
knew you to be a gentleman in mas
querade: that is to say, when saw
you in the police-court. The absence
of the beard confused me at first, but
presently recognized the gentleman
whom I had noticed on board the
ship" So she had noticed him!
That night you believed me to be
your sister Nancy. But did not know
this till lately. And the night visited
her she exhibited some photographs.
Among them was portrait of you
without beard"
Warburton started. And the thought
that this might be the case had never
trfckled through his thick skull! How
she must have laughed at him secretly!
She continued: Even then I was
not sure. But when Col. Raleigh de-
clared that you resembIed former
lieutenant of his, then knew" She
ceased. She turned to har horse as If
to gather the courage to go on; but
Jane had her nose hidden in the
stream, and was oblivious of her mis-.
tress' need
He waited duly for her to resume
for he supposed that she had not YET
done.
II have Inundated you in hundred
ways, and for this I want you to for
give me. I sent the butler away fol
the very purpose of making you serve
In his stead. But you were so good
about 1t all, with never murmur OF
rebellion, that I grew ashamed of my
r,r{i H.. D,,4 t.,
eyes closed and her body swayed; but
she clenched her hands, and the faint.
ness passed away "But for you, my
poor father would have been dishon'
ored and l should have been forced
Into the arms of man whom despise
Whenever I have Inundated you, you
have returned the gift of kind deed
You will forgive me?"
Forgive you! There is nothing
for me to forgive on my side, much or
yours. 1t is you who should forgive
me. What you have done have de-
served His tongue was thick ant
dry How much did she know?
"No, not wholly deserved it." She
fumbled with the buttons of her waist
her eyes were SO full that she could
not see. She produced an oblong sliI
Of paper.
When he saw it breath as of ic'
enveloped him. The thing she helt
out toward him was the Cancelled note
For a while he did me the honor tt
believe that had betrayed him.
''I understand the kind and generous
impulse which prompted this deed. Oh
I admire it, and say to you, God bles
you! But don't you see how impos
sible it is? 1t can not be; no. no
My father and are proud What w
owe we shall pay. Poverty, to be &C
copied without plant must be with
out debts Of gratitude. But IT wa