Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-02-14
MARK L SECRET
(CosfisSed from Pdxe9

ID you pity met" be faltered Then do
something for me: Take this!" He de.
Mayfair square. ASK to see Miss Molly,
neux; Tell her. for her sake. l shall be q
die"
without another word he tore at the door
bell and was gone. And while Clara sazed
with the buriy form OF a policeman.
shouting from the window above!'
Clara stood aside to let the man pass in.
But she said not a word about the fugitive
who had Just passed out to commence a
lifelong struggle that winters night, brand
ed upon his brow with tho mark Of Cain.
A prettily decorated drawiag-r room was
all ablsze With light, ana amongst the
than the beautiful Fedora Molyneux. the
she wore . simple white dress, sot, and
circied the hem of the gown. and a small
wreath her golden hair.
She was the life Of the party.here.
single juvenile was forgotten, and when the
huge Christmas-tree was lighted she was in
the he, thick nc go. Of ,s the iray; 1t wax wa, , ,,a pretty nday
little mites. who probably, had never seen a
Christmas-tree before. For they were no
rich folks children. but those drawn from
l UaCk ftTeets Ant UyWdyS. rfl, LOT All hti
seeming absorption In her task, every now
and then she looked eagerly towards the
door: And each time that she heard the
bright with hope and Joy.
hut disappointment after disappointment
succeeded each other. Nine O'Clock struck.
children were fetched away by their parents.
others left by themselves. tn" rooms gre"
emptier and emptier. yet the crpwhing Joy
OF Fedore's birthday party had not yet
Julian Horley had forgotten his promise.
He had not appeared to help her with the
Riddles party" as he had himself termed
Mrs. Molyneux noticed that the bright
face was getting gradually paler, and that Il
tired weary look was cloudIng it. She in
sisted upon Fedore's going to bed the in
slant that the last little guest had disap-
peared. :.
is getting late. No other visitor will come
now"
obedientIy Fedore left me room and md
at once go to bed. She only took of her
pretty dress. and wrapped herself in her
warm dressing gown. Then she sat down
again a little gift she had that morning re-
ceived. 1t was a small gold bangle-a
costly trinket-for inscribed upon the outer
surface in tiny diamonds were the words.
She knew who was the donor. though there
was no note enclosed. And tonight she
| had been expecting sOTncDnt u 0Ndi W.
his own lips the half-promise she had
given him a few days ago. -,
"On Thursday night. Fedora. l shall ask
you a very important question on ov aheSe had
come and gone, and he had never come AT
|. What did 1t all meant? Something
something unexpected must nave de'a'hen
him. ~
She started up as a sudden thought
flashed through her OF course! ne was
ml-that was It-and unable to come!
ntt ng Snhllnly tha g0nHOlltlOn IdutG
from her. Had this been so; would ne
not have written. or have asked his cousin
Ferdinand to write? 49,.
she cared to allow even to herself, She
had shown him plainly many and many a
time that she would have none OF ms az
s~cornful curl of his Zip the day that he
nae co %st Il iae be that a"I he had conceived some
plot 10 separate her from JuIian7 But
then common sense came to her aid. ana she
laughed at the idea. Why should Ferdinand
bed and try and sleep. Perhaps Tomorrow
wo sba zee zee, the f., problem for ss ss1ysa. and when
she arrived in the morning room she saa
that her mother hastily hid the paper she
held; also she. that shs ser v, sS.sG s %aS .Goo sn
what is 1t. mother dear? No. w
can't deceive me-there Is something I'M
matter" :,
Instantly her i%ntuitive sense told her i
was something connected with Julian.
MY dear child. I hardly know how Il
break Il to you-but q very terrible thinl
has happened. II concerns Julian Horley;'
Every particle Of color deserted the giri'
face. She was as white rs a statue as sh'
stretched out her hand for the paper.
"He-is dead :" she gasped.
my dear, I almost wish II were 30
That would be better than disgrace ~
Disgrace! Oh. mother. mother! what II
1t you mean? Read II to me--teli me--de
not spare me! But the words are all swim
ming before me :"
Poor little Fedore sank into a chair and
hid her face In her hands. She was tremb