Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Tlis House ra tbcMarsIi /U -Oh- THE r.lYSTERY OF THE ALDERS By Si-oi-PNca -WAsSka. CHAPTEK XXV lit Wf fol'owod tlie do"-cart at a safe distance, wiiic’i v.-i'.s not very fir off in tlio Ur', until it stopped at tiio stable pate. Tin n we sliiiped past quite lin- seeii on the other hide of the road, while Mr. Ruyner was busy opening the gate; and at the front gate Laurence left me, and I groped my way down the drive as fast as 1 could, and got in some min utes before Mr. Uayn-r and his com panion. And as I could rely upon the silence of rs. Raynor end the cook. 1 said nothing to anybody else ; bout my excursion. After dinner Mr. Rayner asked the detective if lie liked violin music, to which lie replied that lie did not care for it much, it Lcin c ratln r a scratchy sort of an instrument. “Give me the concertina," said Mr. Maynard, geni ally. “Then I won’t ask you to listen to my music,” said Mr. Rayner. “I’m only a liddler. However, I think I must console myself for this disgusting weather by a—a tune to-night; but V11 be merciful and shut the doors. My wife and Miss Christie will entertain you, and—let mo see,' it is half past seven—at nine o’clock I’ll come and indict myself upon you again, and we can hare a game cf backgammon. Do von c.iro for back .amnion?” Mr. Maynard having declared that ho did, Mr. Lavner asked me if I could go into the iirawing-room and hunt out “La Travia.a" aiid Moore's “Irish Melodies.” 1 w nt obediently, and was on my knees turn big over the great piles of nius.o that stood there when ho came in stAly an ! shut the door. Be fore I know he was near I felt some thing pa*-ed round my neck and heard the sna;) of a clasp be.ii :d. I nut up I mv hand a id sprung to my feet, I startled. Mr. Rayner, bright and smiiii’g, drew my hand through his arm and led mo to a looking-glass, j Flashing and sparkling round my ' throat w-a a neeklneo of red jewels 1 that d.iz. l ii me by their beauty. “Don’t I ke p my promise? I said I ; would bring you i .me garnets. Do i ii. v please you?” D ,t they dM not ut all, after what L..t r. ue.** hmi : ..id; the r.ragiiiliccnL . - i.. :iii d rac v.-itli terror. 1 put | mis, torn them off,and flung | wiiii tr. inlding lingers, and | liantlug wiiil fright ut my 1 wondering what he would I was so mnch struck oy dog was making that I nnfttstonod the eh utters and opened the window about an inch to listen. Tiie fog was blinding. I could not see a yard in front of me. I heard noth- j ing tut Knp’s barking fora minute;: then 1 saw the d m glow of a lantern lorn and tho girl camo out and hoard a muillcd whisper through the fog: “Who’s that?" tiside, Tom w at last, and len t.v. loor ajar. A few m mites later tuoilter man camo up and slipped in to quietly, m> qtiiekiy. that wo could lard!, hare sworn _ u,a densa fog to '“■g.ing n*. ut ’I Then presently * "It is I—Violet Christie. Is that you, Laurence?” “Hush! All right!" ho whispered back. "Let me in.” He got in softly through the window, and, rather to my alarm a middle-aged man in plain clothes, also with a lan tern, followed him. Laurence himself looked more alarming than any, thief. HisJaeo was ghastly while with fatigue and dbiier than ever through long watching in the fog. He listened for a Ilo said good-bye to her, walked a few slop* away, until she had shut the dooiV then i .'.nnicd and er. pt alongside the wall of the lion si until he was undet the kliong-rooiu wi.i i-uv. '1 Peru were four of our men stationed \ciy close to Umt, and their chiof, who was with me, crept along easily under cover of the fog, which was as thick as ever, to join them. I followed with the other men. In a few minutes wo heard a soft whistle from tho strong-room win dow, as wo guessed. Tom answered by another, and we saw a third cian and join Tom. I nait drawn down fo; it was justice I ted—causedtae bitter _ , Laurence told me, la one of notes he kept leaving for long, that it whs exiMsctodl ner would bravo every thing and return the left to the Alders soon, rcr later, if only, for a flying ristt, and that, in conse- J quoncc, the search of tho house which age. I parsed 1 must take place was to be postponed, door, the very ■ and the place watched, with as much . I was op caution as possible, from the outsida. I door when come up and join Tom. 1 was so •Cinuto to the violin, then said quickly. f los ®. ,m ‘‘ 1 84a ^ c: ‘ uli ”’ 1 f i- - - — . ! 1 *4y down from tins window by a < • . 1 up Unin tbar.l do tlv:n sto own dai- do to me. ! Ilo did nothing. After looking at 1 mo for what seemed tome a long time, without tin; least sign of dbplcn. nro be picked up jin) mvk.aoo, slipped it into his pocket utid/sald, quite gcutiy: "That is very pretty spirit, but Is rat her ungrateful iau’t ft? Lcv-r mind; you .shall make am mis for by and by. L'ow will you go aad^licfj) Mrs. Raynr to enI ivo u our lynx-eyed friend? You f.!ni..l come back and fetch nta i.t nin.ro’clock. Run along now, my dear.” Ho pave me a gentle little tap of dis missal, and, rit i.ur cr ■stfallcn, I re turned to llu dinio -room. Bat neither my entertaining pon’er j nor iits. Uay- nei's were called into p.yy; for Mr. Maynard v^as alr '.idy rather drowsy, and a.t- r sleepily n.nticiing ‘“Bravo very good!” as the la-t sounds Of Sc!iti- belt's “A lien ’ died :.w y on Mr. 11 ,y- ncr's violin, 1 heard tii) regular bro '.til ing of a si.■oping pors n from too arm- chair where ho was sitting. But 1 was paying little attention to him. The door being shut 1 had gone closer and ■closer to it, as if drawn by an irr-sist- ible fascination, as Mr. Rayner s. mod to play the “Adieu” as ho li d ever played it before. Every note seemed to vibrato in my own heart. When the last notes of ‘the “Adieu” had ditfd away, I listened for tho next melody lagerly, and was struck with a chilly but still in a low voice: “Who is that playing?” ' • "Mr. Raynor," 1 answered., » Hu turned sharply to the other man, who nodded as if to say it was just what lie had expected. "How long has he been playing?" asked Laurence. "Ever since half past seven.” He turned to the other man again. "A trick,” said the latter simply. "Who is with him?” asked.Laurence again. "Nobody,” said L surprised and rather frightened by these questions. “Mrs. Rayner and Mr. Maynard arc in the dining-room.” "Maynard?” “Yes. Ho is asleep." Tho middle-aged man gave b snort of (ILgust "Hasn't Mr. Rayner been In tho din ing-room at all, dear,-this evening?” asked Laurence, gently. "Not since dinner. I left him play ing in tho drawing-room at live-ani- twenty minutes to eight, and he told me to call him at nine." “But it is niue." “Yes. When I went to the drawing room door just now I found it locked, and I knocked; but he did not answer.” “Will you go and knock again, and say you wish to speak to him purtieu- larly, dear?” said Laurence, gravely. I hesitated, trembling from bead to foot. "Why?” asked I, in a low voice. “Because we want to sneak to him parti ularly,” said the other man, gruffly. But 1 looked nt his hard face and panted out: “You are a policeman, I know! Mqliat do y ou want with Mr. Rayner?” "Neveryou mind, my dear: wo won’t Jut go and say you want j'i Tom handed it to the third man, whom we allowed to walk off with if —followed, however, by two police men—in order to watch the further proceedings of the other two thieves. Another bundle w>s let down, w hich Tom carried off himself; and then we watched anxiously fur the next move ment of the man'in the house. The strong-room window is about twenty feet from the ground; but the man jumped down and landed on Ids feet In an in By lotting the life at the Alden as usual, ft was hoped that be might be , lured back under the impression that > he was not expected to return there. Laurence had telegraphed to my moth er to tell her that I waa quite safe and the journey pui off, in order to allay | her fears auo .t me. Mrs. Rayner brought one of these notes up to me late in the afternoon. In addition to her usual pallor, she had groat black 1 rings under her eyes and, in answer to my inquiries, she confessed that ah* | had not slept ail night "I have something to tell yon,” she ■ whispered in my ear. "Mrs. Saunders drinks, aud is not a proper guardian for Sarah. She is afraid of Mr. Rayner; without being able to anoe, I wasrdfaw*' arm. '1 looked up, Mr. Rayner, and wa find myeelf in the arms of man who bad shot me. “Don’t tremble -eo,” sai meant to do for you before house; but this has saved yon.” AM The is he showed me my letter to Mr. Rayner. to i,i ^ , "Do youknow wbereheia?”Iaak*d f "Why “Sat1m. i. hi. l"0**f rr Vg r ** he. "1 left this ■” And spect shoul but last night, knowing he was not in the house, she was in nearly as excited a state as her patient and was very rough with her. Sarah’s room is near ly opposite mine, and I opened my loor and heard what sounded like s instant five of us were upon him, } struggle. Maynard, who was in the tould say that he is on his way to America by now, where he meant to have taken you.” “ Me? America?" "Yes, ma’am. Miss Haidoe was to have been left at Liverpool street sta tion, and brought back to the Aiders." “But I wouldn’t have gone.’’ . slowly, i sriJiSMt but, though I think each of in in turn thodght we had caught him, he cLi.led us all and gut clear away, and in the l us. But the man at the I hurt you. to speak to him. Vi ‘No, I won't!” I cried—not loudly, for my voice seemed to grow suddenly wca\. "Whatever you think lie has done, or whatever ho lias done, I will nevt'r help to harm Mr. Raynerl" The man shnigsred his shoulders, walked to tho window, whistled softly. Laurence put mo in a chair, whisper ing: "That’s a bravo girl!”—but with such an anxious, sti m face. Aud tho other man camo back into the room, followed by a policeman with his stall ready in his hand. "Wo must break*open the door,” said tiio elder man. I started from my seat. I wanted to rush to tiio drawing-room door and warn Mr. Rayner; but Laurence pro- vented mo, whispering, gravely: g fog escaped us. But I window there, who has keen so many | years on the force, recognized him and ' identified him us James Woodfalk and I recognized him, too.” “You, Laurence! I didn’t know yon had ever seen him!" I cried. At that moment the elderly man left the window. "It’s of no good, sir. I’m afraid. The one rogue’s got off as clear as the oili er. Can you tell me where Maynard is, miss?” I got up from the sofa and led the way into tho dining-room. Mrs. Ray ner was still sitting, pale and upright, with starin'' gray eyes, Maynard still sleeping. The other detective shook him, and glanced at the wine. "Drugged!” said he, shortly. * Willi a few vigorous shakes he suc ceeded in rousing Maynard, and, when ho began to 1 ok round him in a dazed way, the other said, sharply: "1'reUy fellow you are to bo hood winked like that, and drink and sleep quietly under tiio very roof of one of the greatest scoundrels unhung!” “Who?” said tiio other, startled. “Mr. Rayner?” "Mr. Rayner! Yes, ‘Mr. Rayner’ to simple folks like you; but to mo ami every thief-taker that knows his busi ness—the missing forger, James Wood- fall!" “if Sarah . had married I swered, “you would And the ] over every o way became in a when I saw by what mi . he bad on the one hao< your will would have stood Kent | e wife u d the fiend out against James'*—Mr. Rayner a t i, e 0 tb«r gained a And, if this letter had not shown you to over guc ^ different !■ , be loyal to him, I would not have left ite a d u au d myself. But now he is gone; and I ought to be you here alive. I may take this opportu- used to terrors, but I am afraid;” and , nity of apologizing for having once •I beg your pardon^ ma’am, but 1 don’t think i Aajunfi VSJj room next to the dressing-room, either did not hear or did not like to interfere. CHAPTER XXIX. As the detective pronounced the name of “Janu s Woodf..!!,” I gave a cry that startled them ail. Shaken as my trust in Mr. Raynor had already been, the shock seemed in a moment to cluuigj the aspect of the whole world to me. My wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who s t with her hands tightly ela-p’d nml head bent, listening to the proclamation of tho Secret which had weighed her down for years. I slink down upon the floor beside her, inn! she put lu r thin wasted anus “My darling, you must leave it to us ! neck and kissed me witnout new. Every word, every movement had a word. And tho three men quietly lefl th-i room. •Oil, Mrs. Rayner,” I whispered. A-s wijr »vvJ*Uy VVUljr lUUvUlUv-Jlti liclU j XI ,, |>' - y.< been so quiet that tho music still went , ur 'y r 'f 1 r * on while they opened tho school-room is h rnble for you! door and crossed the balk I stood ‘V, 1 s0 , u ' mb ' 0 , 10 •it sense of disappointment as an air frtnn “Rigoletto” followed. , it was not that I did not car* for that opera, but a certain hardne^p ol touch, yyliieh struck mo at once as .be ing unlike tho rich full tones Mr. Ray nor generally drew from his loved vio lin, grated upon ruy car aud puzzled me. My glance stoic to Mrs. Rayner and I could see that she also was struck by the curious change of stylo in hei husband s play'ng. It wa* as briiliaii' cs ever; the ex sen Jon of one of tho dif lieult pas ages in the arrangenientroi "Martha” was clever, more perfect than usual; but the soul was not there, aud no brilliancy of shako or cadenz;* could repay one for the loss. It did not sound like the playing of tiio sanw man, and my interest in the musk gradually died away; aid, afler watch ing Mrs. Rayner curiously fur some ininiilcs and noting the intcnlness ivitl' | which, silting upright in her chair, sin was listening to the t i Jn, a d at tin same time keeping her --yes fixed upor tiio slumbering M.iym.r t, IgavoUVsel) up to my own agitated thought*. What was going on at the hr!', now? Would the constables catch Tom Parkes, an. would l niilon prove to be mixed up b ii? 1 , ip * they would captur.i tin iinkiio\Mi‘James'Woo.if :!, who mus' be a <1 ■S’l 'rateci iitniii.r fnuu the eager i... s noli wine i t •' *» iliea b d snatch- ■ t t: (.. p i r. me, it.id airs, i .. r. s Vo mv mind. :Ril it th ••‘gii then: must hesomne •which would exoiier lo M watching them breathlessly. Tho three men, Laurence, the most stalwart, foremost, placed themselves against the drawing-room door, and by one mighty push burst it open. I rail forward to" the doorway jus: in time to sue Gordon, Mr. Carrullier's servant, fiiug down tiie violin and rush to the opposite window, the shutters of which were unfastened. But I heard tiie crash of glass and- at the same instant two policemen dashed through the shattered French window, seized and handcuffed hi pi. Then ho stood be tween them, white and Immovable, without a struggle. "It s no go. We know yon’ro one of the gang," said the middle-aged man. "Game’s up. We’ve got your leader.” "What leader?” asked Gordon, calmly. “Janies WoodfalL” “It's a lie!” snapped ont the immov able Gordon. “James Woodfall would n’t let himself be nabbed by such as you.” "Why not? We’ve got you.” The man did not answer. “All his fault for gelling soft on a girl. Wish I had hiir herel” Gordon muttered, presently. He caught sight of me at the door way and shot nt mo a sort of steely loo!- that made m; shudder. But 1 did no' eoancct in.vso'f with bis words. I was mo bewildered to think or to under stand clearly wnat was going on until 1 saw him, handcuffed as he was, quiet y draw a tiny revolver from hi-i pocket sml, without raising it, poir ' it at Laurence. With a scream rn-hed f rward into the room anu ing h m.! Jung myself in front of Laurence, and y .only ; 1 heard a report and felt soiac-ihing i : An i touch my arm—I did not know what at . ,Y of l!u de-; iifst—but Laurence sprung forward .1 practiced o, . with almost a yell. But bo was en- wruing cam-.; ciinihere-l with my form; and, before I seemed - a-, bo.could put me down, Gordon had plan alio: j wrenched himself away from his cap- . R,.\ net j ( 01 - g( and. sii.ivling; “I meant to have l e.'.|/ , rni... me,” site whis pered hack, wearily. “I have known it for years—almost ever since I mar ried him. But dpn't talk about it any more, said she, glancing fiir.iyely round the room. “Ile.may be in the house at this moment; and they might search and watch for months, b it tliev would never catch him. But l.e will make us suffer—me—all, and you, too, now. You were so unsuspicious, yet it must have been you who set Laurence Reade upon tiie track.” •Not of Mr. Raynor. Oh, I never thought of such a thing!" 1 whispered, shuddering. And I told her all about my sus picions ot Tom Parkes, my visit to the bail, ray le.ter to Laurence and ail 1 said in it. “Mr. tt'eado has shown energy and courage,” said siic. “But ho v, id suf fer for it, too. You don’t Know that man yet. He will never let Laurence marry yon. Even if ho were in prison, ho would manage to prevent it.” Laurence tnen came in and told us Ih.-y had failed to capture Gordon or any of tho olhi rs. He woirW return dfecon.-tables and buY 1 sbe shuddered. “Surely there is nothing to be afraid of if yon lock your door, Mrs. Rayner?” "I have no kev. Will you leave youi door open and the door at the foot ol the turret staircase? I know yon must not leave your bed, but it will be some comfort to know you are within hear- ing.” I promised, and that rilght, when Jane came up to my room for the last time,,I made her leave the doors open when ihb went down. The sense of being on the alert mad* me wakeful, aud two or three time* during the night 1 rose and stood at tire top of my staircase, listening. And <be third lime 1 did hear something. ] heard a faint cry, and presently the soft shutting of it door, then steps in the corridor below, and whispering. ] crept half way down the stairs; the whispering continued. 1 got to the botti.m, and recognized Sarah's voice muttering to herself. I would rathei have again faced Gordon with his re volver than this urndwomau; but 1 wa* so anxious aboutMrs. Rayner thataftei a .few minutes spent in prayer I vent ured out from tiio doorway, and found Sarah croueheiUn a corner muttering to herself. Ttie wretched woman started up on seeing me, but, im tead of nttemptTng to approach me, sbe hung back, moving her still bandaged head and her one free hand restlessly, and saying: "—1\ c done it—I've done it He’ll conm back now. Fve done what he wanted. He can Blurry tho Christie girl now.” With a terrible fear at my heart I dashed along the corridor to Mrs. Ray* ner's. room and went straight in. The atmosphere of tiie room was sickly and r-tiiliug. I went up to tho bed. Mrs. Ruyner was lying with a cloth over her. face! I snatched it off. it was steeped in something which I afterward learned was chloroform. Thunk' Heaven, she was alive!—for she was breathing heavily. I rushed to the two windows and filing them wide open, pulled the beli-ropo until the house echoed, and moved her arms up and down. The cook and Jano came in, terribly alarmed, in t ie r night-gowns. I left them with Mrs. Rayner, while I ran down-stairs for somo’brandy. * There "was some on the side-board in the dining-room, I k*ew; and I was returning with it when 1 caught sight of a man in the gloom at the end of Hi! passage leading from the halh H» had come from Mr Rayner’sstudy and disappeared in a moment in the darkness. It was impossible to recog nize him, but I could uot doubt that it was Mr. Ruyner. Where was he going? Was he going to escape by tho back way? D-d he know the house was watched? I made p step forward, anxious to warn him, but bo haVl already disappeared, and 1 dared uot follow him. I crept up-stnirs, fbomnch agitated to bo ot aiiy use any longer; but happily Mrs. Ruyner was already recovering, and the* brandy restored her entirely to consciousness. H ilh cook’s assist- anoe Sarah was persuaded to return to in r room, where Mrs. Saunders was found in a drunken stupor. As cook, refused to watch there during the re mainder of the night, the best we could do was to lock the door. Hap- borrowed a trinket of yours while you were staying at Denham Court But, as it was one which I myself had had the pleasure of assisting Mr. Rayner to procure from Lord DPiston's, I thonght it wisest to pull off the little plate at the back, for fear of Its being recog nized by Mr. Can-others, in whose service I was when I was first intro duced to Lord Dalston's seartn Derby shire.” “My pendant!” I cried, teal then?” “Yes ma’am. It—it was I bad to remonstrate was more than I could faintly: "May I go to mr room, Mn. I—I am not well/' And she herself led me ▼< for I was indeed weak and . the pain of my arm and half .. misery and disgust—up to my bad ths turret-room. Before the end of the day Mn. Saunders disappeared, taking withker Mrs. Rayner s watch and alee the i cook's wiiic-h had been left in the rooms of the owners. Mrs. Rayner now returned to the spare room, which was healthier than the dungeon she then with Mr. Rayner for bis rasl ness, had occupied *> long. Then really in givingTt you; but nothing ever went wag uo thing to keep he ‘ * ‘ ' with tncon.-fablea and sieep at tno hall but Maynard and two officers , ,. . . - would remain at tho Alders to kcepd P' ! y 1)0 harm camo of this, and after- very "enrly, to ward Mrs. Saunders managed to keep “ Bnt he .shall pay for it now. me, I said no more. from iiileiil'ioii ' l w rung doing. On {doini for h'.-ri”-dashed through Uni trin- does not qni-xly lo.-.o < iiiiiidi nej in * dow in'.O the fog and darkness. friei’.d who' h id bi been to ine. 1 litre an l sir. .I'tisl -hi"! in 11. V I . i si'l l ho u n so kind ns ho hn ut wiicn 1 real d th iv. 'ii i f tim rvi:• : -. .'I 1 U f. t. . eo ill I..O lion ■'• VV.-..- . I ; . :n -Sftjv Miv R i'y- eiiaine-d to hu i e l:;',)..e:i hv a la iii r's r /• r. kennel o.:l-. th'. Mrs. Ji yn r sf rte!. $tl!! M lyaard sltiuibe'-'J. 1 look d at t .u clot h; il was s . n i Inut s to uin :. Auolh I and an-'th r '. >• ! tnu i t ie tlog, fol- lowed by lull 1 and f,o wns'barking. V.’o two wonip'i rat ste.r'ng at ea 1’ olin willso':! a word. I knew l bad been shot in tho arm, for the hood trickled through my . flecVe. Laurence did not join in tiie rliaso r.ft r Gordon, hut tore off tho bod v of ray fr*"k and bandaged my arm’ l.ii'tseifi Ho wished to go to Bea- .'Mi ;'.i.r ;!i ft r a'd iclor, but I insisted tlnif Hit) iiijury was trifling, and his bandaging would servo until the doctor 3:111:0 in tli 1 morning to seo•Sarah.' "a ow te I nu no ut the robbery. |did you find U.a poilccmcn in tho mj 1 would li.’.vc I \\ i lint Mn. Ih.yiier gl oiet'd at spo _ 1 ha s cep ag delat l Ive ;.nd put Iter lui to J. r‘lips. the Koimds of the Vitrin <.me to us from tho drawing T00111 Vi'ithoat When nine o’clock .struck, I jumped up in nil relieved, o 11. d and saut the tloor: oliiy, cros-cd l,:,! hall, andluniod lUe iiamlio of tho drawing room dooK It was locked. I tapped, but thero was no answer. II* was play nga brilliant concerto, and I supposed .ho ! ad not heard me. I knocked again aud said, softly: ••Air. Rayner, it Is nine o’closk, you told mo to oonie at niue.” It was no u-o to stand there knock ing, sO 1 went into the school-room. It was ten minutes after nine and Nap was barking more furiously Ui&a even nil von mi I nark ?” Tlieu Biiddenly I sprung up s tho sofa. "\Vhcre»sMr. Rayner? ,■ was Gordon hero instead of him? Laurence, luy Ivad se. ms to bogo- watch. Then ho said, very, gently, Mrs. Rayner: "Will you forgive me for tho blow I have innocently brought on von?” “ It is 110 blow to me,” said she, rais ing her sad eyas to his face. "That nan—my hitsbaml—would have got rid of 1110 long ago, but that lie hated violence and dreaded it. Every thing ekoi t of Unit ho has tried.” sho whis pered-; "and it is i.ot my fault that my wretched Ilia has lingered in syifb of him.”: . : . ' Laurenco ground his teedi. "'diio wretch!” h voice. I’ll ransack the wholo have unearthed him.” “You w II never do that," said sho, calmly, "lie dares too irfueh for that, Ilo is no coward to lie in a rcruer," ehevvont ou, with a sort of perver*" pride in tho man for whom every spark of iova. was long since' dead? " He will brave you to your faces and escape you nil. Bat Von have done your best. You are a ’bravo man.' Mr. Reade. You would help mo if you could. Good night.” She shook hands with him and left tho room. He turned to m i quickly. " You must both leave this place," . Bald ho. "Tho. long-continued suiler- ing has almost turned that poor lady’s bruin. But sho is safo from that vile wretch now; and you, too, oh, my dar ling, thank Heaven!” Thero was a tap nt the door, and tho voice of the elder detective said: s iber. j.rctty been sent by This woman bavin Mr. Rayner, assumei about the same authority that Sarah had exercised in the'house, and sug gested that Mrs. Rayni r remove to her old room in tho left wing. The poor lady came herself to my rxym to tell me of this. “Wliy do you g6 back if you don’t wifh to do so, Mrs. Ravuer?" I askqd. •T expect it is by Mr. -Rayner’* or ders,” she whispered. And, my strong suspicion that ho was wrong with him- -dariift as be is—till you came across his patn, ma’am I have nothing to keep me here now, ma’am; so 1 shall be off to-night; and, if you care to hear bow I get on, you will be able to do so by applying to my late master, Mr. Carruthers.” Ho led me courteously to the door, bowed me out, and shut himself in again, while I went, trembling and be wildered, toward Mrs. Rayncr’s room. TJinoekcd at tin door. At first there was ho answer. I called her by name, aud begged her to T-t ma in. At last I heard her voice close to the other side of tho door. "What do you want. Miss Christie?” "May I come in, Mrs. Rayner? I have something to tell you.” "1 can’t let yon in. Can yon speak through tho door?” "No, no; 1 must nee yon. I have, something very itnnortant to say bbout Mr. Rayner," I whispered into the key hole. "Is he here?” she faltered, v "Nof he has gone to America,” I- whispered. Sbe gave a long, shuddering sigh, end then said:— "I—I will let yon in." * Sho turned the key slowly, while I trembled with impatience outside the door. When I found myself inside the room which had been a mystery to me for so tong, nothing struck me at first but a sense of (fold,and darkness. Thfre was only one window, which was barred on the inside; the fog still hung about th* place and the little light there had been all day was fading fast, for ft was five o’clock. But, as I stepped forward further into tho room, X drew my breath fast in horror. For I became aware o: a smell of damp and decay; 1 felt that the boards ot the fioor under the carpet were rotten and yielding to my feet, and I saw that the paper was peeling off the wet and moldy wails, and that the water was slowly trick ling down them. "Oh, Mm. Rayner,” I cried, aghast, “is this your room—where you sleep?” "i have slept in it for^hree years," said sbe. “If my husband had had hi* will, it would have been .toy tomb." ••*pi sfterwi CHAPTER XXX. The heartless cruelty of Mr. Rayner in allowing his poor-aubmlssive wife to iivo in a room suck as he would not for the world bav^kept hors*MK dog, or even violin in v ahocked and repelled me, and wrung from me the cry: ~ main!” "He may bo aid, in a low In the house acting like n spell upon ow. 'world till we “fire you ready, sir?” l! ri-bt ' ' ‘ ' "•All right,” raid Laurence; and then added, in a voice for me only: "I’m not ready » bit. I should like to stay and comfort you forever. Take car* of your poor little wounded arm. all 1 duii'tuml island it at alb I am tting quite bewildered. Why was it?” “Let 111c tell yon about the rob bery,” said he. very gravely and gent ly. " 1 found tiie policemen in the jjj^I^i'gh'L good-night, my darling!" mirk an 1 stationed th in in the shrub- j awoke next morning fueling ill and Ik ry, and I stood ntyself, with that >rncn w | lh lloL M )dug head and with man over thi re, mid one other, os •lose as p 'ssiblu to the back entrance jf tho h'..iser and there wo waited un til near y half-past s wen, when a man .■amo up throng a tho fog and tapped »t tho door. One of tiio maids opened t, by appointment, as it tunica out, lor sho was expecting him, though I ion't believe the poor girl suspected what his real business was; for it waa Pom Parka*. And. whan thar weut iroso with a hot, aching head and'with my arm paining me Hot a little. The dootor called during tho forouoon and at once ordered ino off to bed. Although my faith in Mr. Raynorwas entirely gone my affection for him was gradually coming back. Tho wicked things he had done I only heard about; and how could the Impression so given outweigh the stronger 'one of his con-, ttaat jundiieM tons? And to tbink I But I was curious to know what was tho mystery th: t hung about that bed room in tho left wring which no ouc was allowed to enter out Mr. Rayner aud Sarah; and I resolved that, as soon na t could I would try to induce Mrs. Ravuer to M me go in there. As I lay thinking of tho strange and horrible events which had occurred L could not believe that Mr. Rayner was all baa. How could a man who was so kind have no redeeming qualities? And L who had never received any thing but kindness at bis hands, had orooght this calamity and pursuit upon him. A posnolo means of communicating with him occurred to me. lu spite of tho doctor's proh.billon, I sprung out of bed, got my desk, and wrote a note | a'king his forgiveness, and giving him I a lu.l explanation of the way in which, hi all innocence, 1 had written the let- ter which had led to this pursuit oi 'Kin. I told him the house was botng watched, and was to be searched be- 'ore long, and begg 'd that, when he J tad got away, ho would find sums nuans of letting m« know ho was in safety. „“I do pray for you every night and morning. I caTt forget all your kindue s to me, whatever you have done, and 1 don’t wish to do so,” I added as a last thought in » P. S.- ugli And then I put on tny dressing-gown, heard and, when' I heard nobody about, ■ slipped down by the back shuvoase to his study, where 1 put the note, direct, ed simply to “G. Rayner, Esq.,” just inside th* drawer of nla writing-table and crept guiltily up-stair* again. That day Sarah waa ruaovad to th* tountr lunatic aaxium aad 1MTK MV e> s-"- “The vi "Hush!” said she. listening to us now.” “I don’t care!” .said I, passionately. "I am glad if he hears—il he hears me lay that this morning I hoped he would escape, but now 1 hope they will find ^ him, for they can not BRpsibly punish ' a him as he deserves. Oh, Mrs. Rayner, and I—I sleeping np m the tnrret to bo out of the dampl How yea mast have hated me!” ' ' f “I did once, I own,” sho whispond, sinking into a fehair and taking the li.mds 1 stretched out toward hen "But it was foolish.tif me, for you iSa not know-how could you know?" .' "But why did you s'ay? Why 4id (on H.iv nothing about it? -And why - ’ : not glad to. go up-stairs, in stead bf begging as you did to remain here?” "Because,” she whispered, h >r nerv- ous agitation coming back again, "I knew that while I remained down here they would not kill me outright; they mild not lot me He down here and in troduce doctor* and strangers to ex- amiue into the cause of my death into this room. I knew that a change cf room was mv death-warrant; and so it would have been, but for the accident which happened to Sarah on the very night whenfibut for you, I should have b oa sleeping up-stairs ready to tvr hand.” I staggered back, suddenly remem bering the message Mr. Rayner had in Vis letter told me to give to Sarah, it was this: "Tell Sarah not to forget the work sho bos to do in my absence.” Arid l remembered also the grim way in which she had received it Could he have meant that? Mi*. Rayner continued: “He hates violence; all was to have been over by his return, and he free to marry you." qu/t "But ho couldn’t I wr.s engaged 1», Laurence, Mrs. Rayner.” • Sbe gave n little bitter smile.' "And do vra think that, with Laur ence awa-, and Mr. Rayner here, you could have withstood him? In »j’ his soft manners, lie has^ a wl acts like a epelL I tell you,” Mijt twisting my lingers nervojt gjusay Ire is in ‘ untiling to keep her at the Aid era, but she relused to be removed until I was able also to go, an event 1 had de layed by rashly leaving my room throe, times si nee 1 had been told to keep my bed. Next day, which was Saturday, Laurence wrote to say that he had him self searched the store-room -nd Mr. Rayu. r's study, but had fp.md ho trace of Gordon bey ond a. pair of baud, cuffs placed neatly iu tiie middle of the store-room on the top of a pyramid of b S3uit-tins and pickle jars, with a sheet of paper say lag that the late wearer legged to retnru them with thanks to the police, who might perhaps ^succeed iu making tli m stay longer bn the wri»ti of a simpler rogue than their obedienffervant, F. Gordon. Meanwhile the 'tog still hung about the place, and Nap, the retriever, howled every night When Monday came, I, anxious to be declared cou- valesicnt as soon as possible, and to be able to avail myself of Mrs. Manner*’ invitation to stay at the vicarage, !>er- suaded Dr. L<We to let me go down stairs. It was about twelve o’olouk when I left my room, and I had made mv way as far as the corridor below, when I became aware of an unusual commotion on the ground-floor, doors being opened and shat, the sobbing of a woman, excited whisperings between Jane and the cook and then a ‘ tramp, tramp iff men’s feet the hall and along the passage to Rayner’s study. I went to the top of the back stair case, descended a few steps and looked over. The gardener and Sam were carrying between them a door, on which something was lyifig covered by a sheet The cook opened the study door and they took it in. A horrible dread filM my mind and kept me now crless for a few moments. Then 1 ma along the corridor, down the front staircase, and met little Haidee with awe on her childish face. “Oh, Miss Christie.” she w clutching my arm in terror, found papa!” Jane ran forward aad caught me as I tottered in the child's clasp. Before I bad recovered sufficiently to go to Mrs. Rayner in tiie -drawing-room Laurence and Mrs. Manner* arrived,! having heard the ghajty news already. They took us over to the Vrieararje at once, and I never entered th* Alders again. In the evening Laurence told ate all about the discovery. The gat who had don* little work for the few days beyond T looked and driving away with a whip the boys who would •warm over wMm thzy got a chance, "just to have a look at the place,” had been attracted that morning by the thrill cries of Mona, who, now more neglected than ever. pout all day in the garden in spite of the fog. Hj ran to the pond, wham she was nearly always to be found, and whence har cries came, fedring she bad fallen in. Bn', ho found her ~ in the mud on the edge of it, "Come out, noma oat!”’ with a stick at on object It was the body of her father among the reeds. The down-trodden grass and rushes at nearest to the : through the .twos: ent to with si before the care who bon child a* one of at ii stile which joined 1 plantation to the j beyoi : cry for 1 yond cold the have missed his tho plantation in Wednesday night, from the hsU to the into the pond, aud been there in the fog and darkness, • dog Nap, hearing hi* tried in vain by howling to draw attention to h.s n It was an awful thing lie awake lu my strange n Vicarage, and picture to dead Mr. Bayner lying at the sole occupant, with the < of tho woman hired to watch 1 of the big, dreary house his love of Inn and seemed to me to be brightness. I beard next day that two 1 booked in the name of “Mr. 1 Korria.”had< ' — were to Monaco.” field in tl we 1 will ■;V- > / ie r.y* I power again. 1 upon-me even «