Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-12-14
A SPIRIT WApr1EN s


died when they were too young to re-
member them. Brought up by IN
aunt, they had happy, uneventful lives
until they had reached manhood AND
womanhood With youth. health and
riches, their future seemed without Il
cloud. Harry was not twenty-One.
Dorothy two years younger.
In faroff Singapore the Hobarts had
an uncle. He was bachelor and was
In business there. They received u let
ter saying: II am alone in the world
1 would like to have my brothers chill
dren with me. You, Harry, have at
tanned mans estate. If your aunt APP
proves | will take you as partner in
my business Dorothy can be queen
of our household. You shall be as my
own, and when l leave this world all
1 have shall be yours
Harry had often expressed a wish
to see little more of life than could
be seen in the small suburban town
where they now lived, and on receipt
of their Uncle Johns letter he was
eager to leave Boston and sail for In
dia.
Dorothy begged and pleaded in vain
for him to change his mind In spite
of his deep affection for her, her broth
er was wild to get a glimpse of for
eign lands. go with me, sister," said
Harry 'Uncle John wants you, and
Aunt Lucy can live here with the sew
ants while we are away"
But the affectionate girl would not
leave her old aunt. who had been Il
mother to her. 1t almost broke the
heart of the loving sister, this parting,
but her duty, she said, was with her
aunt
The day before Harry left he sat
with his sister in the library talking Of
the future 81 will stay one year with
out you, Dolly Then you must either
come to me or to you. And remem-
Der this, if any thing happens to me.
if / never return and death oyertakes
me, | shall watch over you, my dear
one, and in some way warn you If dan
ger is near
Six months passed.
The two lonely women had received
many long letters from the absent one
He was we'll and happy; would be
perfectly contented if only my Dolly
were with me-"
About this time the fair Dorothy had
two suitors for her hand. One was an
Englishman, . man of fine appearance
some twenty years older than the
young lady, but graceful and fascinat-
ing and of great wealth. The other
gentleman was young, fair, with an
honest, open countenance. but poor, an
artist almost unknown to fame.
The girl favored young Arthur Allen.
Her aunt urged her TO accept the elder
man. Times were hard. money scarce.
Many large bank robberies occurred.
The robbers We're experts and escaped
detection. Wealthy mansions were in
vaded and jewels stolen.
One evening Dorothy was returning
home from the city. She had been TO
her bankers to get a diamond necklace
she wanted to wear at a reception.
All her valuables were in Mr.. BaSSett :
safe. Darkness had come on before
she was aware. The road was lonely.
Suddenly soft light above her head
attracted her. The sky was filed with
storm clouds. The light was clear. A
faint outline of hand appeared point
ing toward a thick clump of trees. For
a moment the girl was bewildered.
Then, hearing oaths and footsteps APP
preaching, she rushed in terror toward
the friendly thicket.>
''Where is she?" cried deep voice.
''The bird has flown. and we have lost
the diamonds. | wish could find her
I would make that dainty throat
bleed.''
Almost fainting. the poor child reach
ed home at last
"Aunt Lucy, Harry is deadn' cried
she as she sank into a chair. 81 have
had a warning"
She related her narrow escape and
the strange warning of danger re-
ceived.
A few weeks after came black Dor
dered letter telling of the death of her
dear brother.
Three years passed. Many changes
had come to sweet Dorothy Hobart.
She was alone in the world Aunt
their last sleep. Young Allen was in
Italy pursuing his studies. Dorothy
had promised her aunt that she would
marry Mr.. Ellsworth, the Englishman.
HE will be a kind, good husband.
Promise me you will accept him. /
can then die content So the girl.
against her will, became betrothed.
The day before the wedding Dorothy
sat in the library alone. Tears were
in the pretty blue eyes. She was
| thinking of her brother and also of the
absent artist lover, for she had given
her heart to him while promising he"
hand to another. On q sudden fair
soft light shone near her, and agai..
the shadowy hand appeared. The lig'
glowed, and the hand pointed to
folded paper near.
Dorothy, pale and frightened, glanced
at the letter. 1t warned her not TO
marry Mr.. Ellsworth. He was suspect