Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1907-04-18
CHAPTER NJ.

CHAPTER XI.
1t was long before poor Audrey closed
her tired, aching eyes that eventful night
she had shed no more tears after that one
passionate outburst; she felt too much
pain and anxiety for this natural relief
All she could think of was Jack Glendur'
wood, lying alone in the bracken, insen-
sible, half murdered. She accepted her
mothers tender comfort, in vague
dreamy way. All the sudden joy and
pride that had sprung into being early
in the evening, as she listened to the story
of her birth, seemed to have vanished
beneath this great sorrow.
The sun was shining high In the heav-
ems when she opened her eyes, and found
her mother bending anxiously over her
Constance Fraser gained strength at sight
OF her child's suffering. She was now
the strong, courageous woman: she put
aside all her invalid ways, and rose SUI
preme to the moment.
Look after her WE'LL" she said to
Marshall, as she donned her outdoor gar
ments, and prepared to drive over to
Craiglands.
The duchSss, proud, self-reliant, self
possessed aA she was generally classed
to be, was after all only an ordinary
woman, with a mothers heart beating
quick and strong in her breast. Her two
boys had been her darings from the ear
liest days of their childhood I; she had new
er been so fond or so proud of her one
daughter, who was too much like her
father in nature and character to prove
a comfort to the other parent.
The tears came to the mothers eyes
as Constance Fraser, after speaking all
the consolation and sympathy she could
think of, mentioned the countess name.
II will stay with you till Gladys
comes" she said, gently; II am sure
there is much l can do"
GLADYS will not come" the duchess
answered, quietly enough; and then all
at once she broke down. "Oh, Con-
stance! My dear! My dear!" she
moaned, what shall do if I lose both
my boys? Duncan's days are numbered
i know it only too well-and Jack
my bonny, my dear, good, noble Jack y
Then Constance knelt beside her and
cheered her again.
You are alarmed by this insensibility
it is nothing; it often happens with con
cussion of the brain. | prophesy thai
in a weeks time you will have Jack ou
of bed, or very nearly so. Now l want
| you to look at me; don't you see a change
| 10 my face? Yes, l see you do; shall
tell you all about it?"
And then, as gently, as briefly as sh'
could, Constance barred the secrets of hel
heart to her friend.
And you have found your child Con
stance? l am glad. l rejoice, my dear
in your happiness. You must let me se'
her soon. shall love her for your SAX,
and for poor Franks; he was a grea
favorite of mine"
Constance Fraser covered her face will
her hands and when she drew them ava.
it was ashen white.
Hush ~ she said, almost inaudbly
do not let us speak of him. The pail
is too deep, too great. Such horrible re
morse comes over me when l begin t,
think, that l fear for my reason.
know now I was deceived, that l doubted
him wrongly; but-but that is all I dar'
let myself know just yet, it makes N.
heart bleed"
The duchess bent and kissed the sweet
white face.
Have courage. Remember you
child! :" she whispered.
Il do! l do"' answered Constance
brokenly. "In her | must live again
God-mamma, / want you to promise t.
| ~ b,.h al,
For your sake and for hers, l prom
ise this, Constance; she shall never wan
a friend while l am alive"
John Glendurwoods condition showed
no change, and although DR.. Sentanc
declared he would pull his patien
through, he nevertheless felt much doub
and anxiety as to his ultimate success.
1T is the mind that Is keeping hin
back" he declared over and over agai1
to Mrs. Fraser, and at last ventured t.
express the same idea to the duchess.
That very same evening as Constance
was dressing for dinner, a carriage ar
rived from Craiglands with a hurried
message from the duchess.
Would Mrs. Fraser kindly drive ove1
as soon as possible-her grace wished t
see her particularly"
Audrey sat before the fire In her moth
er's room she was clad in a pretty littl,
white gown made in picturesque fashion
and her hands already had lost the worl
stains that had seemed 50 out of place OF
them. She was scarcely conscious oi
what was going on around her. The past
few days had sapped her strength, sh'
cared to do nothing, could do nothing but
sit and wonder how her beloved, her hero
was. How little did she guess that, as
she sat there fearing, dreading every
fresh moment, that her lover was ther
speaking her name as Constance Fraser
bent over his bed.
"He has called her so often" his moth
er whispered, with ouiverinx lips. "Oh