The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1907-09-06

lOI uHS III IcI lcGl.
Why should she not turn those most
useful members to account?
When the first shock was over Lettice
laughed to herself softly. How easily
her father could have rid himself of her
presence had he only known 1t, and now
two strangers had done the deed for
him!
The girl thrust the scarlet peoples into
chair where they were found days after
wards. and hurried with light steps down
to the garden and hurriedly began to
collect a few of her most valuable
trinkets, all the money shepossessed and
some necessary articles of clothing.
She must not excite supicion, she
knew, by carrying too much away with
her; the servants or any one who might
chance to see her must think she was
going for a walk. gus g..
She remembered. even in her hurry,
that heroines who ran away almost in
variably LETT a note on their pincushion.
She wrote a hasty scrawl, telling her
father that she had found out his secret,
and that she was going to rid him of an
unwelcome daughter. ..E .....--.
She bade him make no trouble to find
her, as she would be all right, having
mony with her.
Then, folding it up, she addressed the
envelope to the Earl and placed it in a
conspicuous position, andset off, poor,
pretty little Lady Lettuce, out on her
travelstoward the great unknow world
on foot-the feet which were to be her
fortune! .. r--
But these same feet grew weary toward
night, long before their mistress had
reached what she considered the world,
although she tramped long and steadily,
her face set toward the metropolis.
Where she would eventually have found
herself as night came on 1t would
be difficult to say, had she not met some
one by the way, some one to whom
her pretty earnest face, with It's shadow
of WEAKNESS and resolve. instantly ap-
pealed.
"You are tired-have you much further
to go?
In all her short life Lettice had had lit
tie experience of men, beyond her father;
and what she had had of him was not
calculated to inspire confidence In the
sex. She drew away little, although
the face bending toward her own was
kindly solicitous.
Ever SO far" she said, hoPelessly.
81 want to get to London as soon as
possible"
The young man laughed.
"Walking?" he inquired you won't
get there tonight, unless you take train
from the junction. What's your name,
and what do your people mean by letting
pa little girr'-he corrected himself
hastily as he found her large hazel eyes
fixed inquiringly on him" walk these
roads by herself at this hour?"
In flash Lettice decided that her name
had better not be mentioned She diinly
remembered her mothers. and her own
second name.
hillary Fortescue," she announced,
with quivering lips. 1--WE run away
from home to make my fortune-and l
think can dance-if they will take me
on in London"
Whose advice are you acting upon?'
the Young man asked, quitelv. He
thought of his own we'll guarded sisters,
and then looked at Hilary. She was a
perfect lady, and we'll born, he could see,
even in the fading light. runaway?
Suddenly, and without any warning,
Lettice dissolved into tears, and sobbed
out her story to her sympathetic COM
panion, only emitting names. Godfrey
Anstruther started. Could any father
be so utterly callous and cruel?
Come home with me tonight" he said
when she had finished. My mother and
sisters will be only too glad to have you
and have no father who will turn you
out neck and crop-he died years ago!
Yes, you must come, Miss Fortescue,' as
Lettuce drew back nervously; you can't
be out in the country lanes all night"
"An inn," she ventured timidly.
Tmpossible!" returned her self consti-
tuted guardian, decisively.
make no more fuss about it, but just
come along with me, and tomorrow if
you are still of the same opinion perhaps
we will be able to help your
And, Lettice, after what she had gone
through, was racked with headache the
next day, and good Mrs. Anstruther
would not hear of her leaving them.
At the end of a week My Lady Lettuce
was quite one of the family. 1t was a
novel experience for her to be made much
of by girls her own age, and mothered by
the kind lady, who though a perfect
stranger to her, spared no trouble with
the young guest so queerly thrust upon
her.
But Lettice remembered that she had
her own living to earn, and begged Mrs.
Anstruther to help her. That goodlady,
however, came upon a photograp in the
London papers, photograph of miss
ing girl, which strongly resembled Lettice,
and she guessed that the visitor she had
harbored in so strange manner was
none other than the Earl of Cranston's
only child.
Geoffery, who had been daily growing
more and more attached to the young
girl he had protected, and whom fate had
so strangely thrown across his path,
grew white to the lips when his mother
silently handed him the paper.
"Then she is Ny Lady Lettice," he
said, land not Miss Hilary Fortescue"
"Geoff" his mother looked up loving
ly. II have seen-you love her; but you
have not spoken"
The Young fellow turned toward the
window. 81 have not spoken, ofcourse, -"
he said slowly, land never shall now
butt love her! All how love her, my
little Hilary
Unperceived, third person had entered
the room. She had meant instant flight,
but the half-stiled cry OF anguish arrest
ed her footsteps. My Lady Lettice had
grown into a woman during the last few
days-she had learned many new things.
"Geoff."
The one word escaped Ter trembling
lips, and then, as ifashamed of saying so
much, she slipped swiftly across the room
and hid her flushing face on Mrs. Anstru-