The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-17

o'ufoeHco IN nor Dyes, put i'll all
things else she was tho same as she
| always had been. beautiful. weary,
frozen She asked him firmly. what
lie meant to do. lie answered as dri-
~ as If he were discussing any dry
legal matter. that he did not know.
Ills duty, said he. was to Sir Leicester
Dedlock. and TO no one else. IL think
mat ! shall want to hush this up
said he. but ! have much 10 CON
slider. In the meantime, must beg you
to Keep your own counsel act as you
always have acted. and / shall keep
mine. If decide on disclosure, /
Will warn YOU"
II was not An ordinary look that
he received from the hand some. i'm :
perlous face she turned 10 go. In
days gone by. In castlcd houses such
as this, many man with II lcsser
secret than that possessed by this lit
tic, w'thercd lawyer, would have seen
his warrant for quick death in some
secret chamber underground II he
had been looked nj with such eyes
But Mr.. Tulkinghorn went to bed
merely thinking with certain dry
admiration, of her wonderful self
control. lie was alive when the morn
Ing came; and unframed, he departed
with his secret.
Careful hunter as he was, he did not
know all. He did not know that Lady
Dedlock had learned, only recently.
that there was living n girl whose re-
semhlancc to herself was amazing;
that she had made inquiries cautious
Is. clevcrly: and that she had dis
covered that this was her daughter
hor child that. deceived by her stern
sister, she had believed dead Mr. Tui-
k'nghorn did not know. and probably
had he known. would not greatly have
cared, that this daughter was Esther
Snmmcrson.
Lady pcdlocls had mana gcd TO see
and speak with the unauspcctIny girl,
while still She thought her secret safe.
Now. with Mr.. Tulkinghorn holding
her in his hand, she dared not APP
preach her again, knew that she never
must dare TO let human eyes see them
together lest others be struck by tho
resemblance. Will. she was in her
suspense, In hcr agony of shame and
fear. she learned that Esther was very
III that she had found a poor lad cur
fcring on the road. had nurscd him
aud been Infected with his discasc the
smallpox.
Bleak Ilous, was no, erish, and
happy now. All it's occupants went
around Win distressed faces. and
there was nothing but sorrowful anX-
iety in every corner, from tho Growl-
cry 10 tho stables. She lay i'll through
many weeks nurscd by her little maid
VINO had had tho disease and Sa4 i'm
munc She lay through days aud nights
that were alike 20 her. filled with
vas; and fearful phan;oms OF dclir!um;
but always and again she managed to
struggle out OF the niShtnar. dreams
for intervals. and to repeat again her
Injunction 10 the little nurse 20 let
none come near her, to keep then away
from her even II she were dying, TO
keep them away from her when she lay
dead. TINT they might not be smit,cu
by her sickness
Sometimes. In these moments Of con
sciousn oss, she would hear those whom
she loved at tho door but though they
begged 10 be admitted. she shook her
head ana said: No. And they we're
aware soon that 1t would XIII her II
they were TO disobay.
She became better at last, but very
slowly As she lay in the bliss:ul
peace OF convalescenc. with her mind
m"rcifuliy clear again, she thought of
a certain thing very often And when
she was able 10 move about her rooms
at last, she was able 10 say quite
steadily TO her little mnid tina; she
missed something II miss some fam
iliar object" said Esther Summcrson.
"Ah! know VIVA, II Isl IT'S Inc
looking glass"
Her maid Ven, hurricdiy into the
next room. and Esther heard her sob
there. she was certain now. She
thanked God that She had Thought Of,
II during her convalescence, trat she