The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-02-01
By
MALCOLM FURzE.

1AC gill b4l uoL LAC OCd1ICl POPRAOS
into chair where they were found
days afterward, and hurried with
light steps down to the garden and in
hurriedlybegan to collect few of her
most valuable trinkets, all the money
she possessed and some necessary
articles of clothing.
She must not excite suspicion, she
knew, by carrying too much away with
her; the servants or any one who might
chance to see her must think that she
was going for walk
She remembered, even in her hurry,
that heroines who ran away almost in
variably left a note on their pin
cushion. She wrote hasty scrawl, tel
ling her father that she had found out
his secret, and that she was going to
rid him Of an unwelcome daughter
She babe him not trouble to find her,
as she would be all right, having money
with her.
Then, folding it up, she addressed the
envelope to the Earl and placed it in
conspicuous position, and set off, poor,
pretty little Lady Lettuce, out ON her
travels toward the great unknown
world on foot-the feet which were to
be her fortune!
But these same feet grew weary to-
ward 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 it would
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 fur
Their to go?"
In all her short life Lettuce had had
little experience of men, beyond her
father, and what she had had of him
was not calculated to inspire conf
dence in the SEX She drew away lit
tie, although the face bending toward
her own was kindly solicitous.
Ever so far" she said hopelessly.
L WeAht W SCI " I@OAAQOA do oOOA eko
possible"
The young man laughed.
"Walking?" he inquired "You won't
get there tonight, unless you take a
train from the junction. What's your
name, and what do your people mean
by letting a p little gf4l"- he cor
rected himself hastily as he found her
large hazel eyes fixed inquiringly, ON
him-''walk these roads by herself at
his hour"
In flash Lettuce decided that her
name had better not be mentioned
She dimly remembered her mothers,
and her own second name.
Hillary Fortescue," she announced,
with quivering lips. I've run away
from home to make my fortune-and
think l can dance if they will take
me on in London"
Whose advice are you acting upon?''
the young man asked, quietly He
thought of his own well-guarded sis
ters, and then looked at Hilary. She
was a perfect lady, and well born, he
could see, even in the fading light. A
runaway?
Suddenly, and without any warning,
Lettice dissolved into tears, and sobed
out her story to her sympathetic COM
panion, only emitting names. Geof-
frey Anstruther started. Could any
father be SO utterly callous and cruel?
Come home with me tonight" he
sold xrrhon oh hoH into
mother and sisters will be only too
glad to hove you; and 1 have no father
who will turn you out neck and crop
he died years ago! Yes, you must
come, Miss Fortescue," as Lettice
drew back hervously; you can't be out
in the country lanes all night"
rAn inn," she ventured timidly.
'Impossible!" returned her self-con-
stituted guardian, decisively.
Make no more fuss about it, but
just come along with me, and tomorrow
If you are still of the some opinion per-
haps we shall be able to help you'll"
And Lettuce, 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 Let
tice 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 perfect stranger to her, spared
no trouble with the young guest so
queerly thrust upon her.
But Lettuce remembered that she
had her own living to earn. and beg
ged Mrs. Anstruther to help her That
good lady, however. came upon a
photograph in the London papers, and
photograph of young girl who was
missing, which strongly resembled Let
tice, and she guessed that the visitor
she had harbored in so strange man
ner was none other than the Earl of
Cranston's only child.
Geoffrey, who had been daily grow