THE WEIRD SISTERS.

CHAPTER IX*

A FLASK OF COGNAC,

A ROMAiNCK.

By MCHAED HOWLING.

Author of "Tvb Mystbhy of Killabd."

PART 1.

A PLAIN GOLD uU^RD.

WHKtt the Woeelade Valley Bauk declined to advance five thousand pounds on the Weeslade Steamship Company's river pas senger-boat the Rodwell, they had two reasons for tbe refusal: first, they were not prepared to lock up money at r,ho time ; second, a report reached them that the Rodwell was in bad condition. In the winter of the year 1865 the Rodwell had lain up, undergoing repair*, and then ttio discovery was made that her condition was far from satisfactory. Many of her plates were no thicker than brown-paper, and just at thu bends afc the point of a scraper had abmlutoly gone through a plate. The boilers, too, were found to be \n an unsatisfactory condition, and the machinery needed thorough overhauling. But they wanted the bom for the summer traffic, and'had no time to f^ofc all she re quired done before the fin« weuthur; »o Bbc was patched for ttio time, the intention being to lay hot up the following autumn and put her in good repair ; in the mean time one new boiler was io be made for her, Towards tbe middle of .April she began running as usual with passengers between Daneford and Soacliil'. On her third trip slio broke down ; some thing went wrojitf with her machinery, and she had to be towed into Seacliff by auother steamer. As this accidont occurred early in the season, thero were' fow (ja-seugorc, auii little excitement arose fr..m the circum stance. Almost the whole trade of the Rodwell consisted of cairying seaside folk from Danoford to Seaclifl'and back again. She sailed every wof k-day of tho teaeon from Seacliff to Daneford at halt-past seven in the morning, and from Uauefoid to S molilf at half-pant six in the aftetnuon. Many of the business mon of tho city kept their families all the aeasou ht SeaclitT, they themselves coming aod Koiny betweon the little town aud the city daily, und enjoy ing tbe advantages of sleeping in »ea freshened air and two bright pleasant sails of a couple of hours each in the When, in overhauling the Rodwell in 1865, they fnund thu boilers iii hoi a satis factory condition, they took oil live pounds of steam. "Better to be sure than eorry," they said. This reduction of st am made the Rodwell slower in 1860 thau in previous years. On Tuesday, the 14th of August, ISG6, tho engineer of tho Rodwelt made a report to the owners, and was directed to work her at another five pounds reduction ofpiesaure. When Grey advauced toe live thousand pounds on the morL;,M^c,lu; made do enquiry into her condition. Ue kucw the boat »ory well, had mauy times traveled by ncr be tween Daneford aud Seuditl'. He kuew stie was worth more than the money asked for, and as no mortgage exuieti upon her he felt he should be quite secure if the couipauy iu sured her, aud handed him a policy for five thousand pouuds. His position was that if the compiny did not pay theiuterest onhia money aud his money itself, ultimately he could seizo the liodwell; and it tue stoiiin boat were lost by any chanca of wind or water, he should gat his_uiuney tioni the insurance company. Mr Grey wan a* familinr with tho steam boat Rodwell us any man in D*noford. Ho had often spent tho summer months witti his wife at Seacliff, and had been a pas senger in the ooal hundreds of time?. Ho knew all the men employed ou her; he knew every exterior brasa plate aud hinge and bolt. Be could go about her blindfold, and steer her up or down tbe river. Ho didn't understand machinery, but often said be could command, steer, aud attend to the engines all by himself, aud save the wage* of the crew, Jjnueford was proud of all its institution*, and after Wat there were few it felt more complaisant about than tbe pretty town and picturesque scenery of Seacliff and the faithful Rodwell, the town being regnrded as tbo country sweetheart, ttie milkmaid lover of the city, and tne steamboat as the Mercury of tho love-making. It was Grey's intontiun to spend the month ol September, IS6G, at Seaclilf. lie did not own n house there. It bad been his custom to rent a small white cottage that haDg half-way down a red cliff sur rounding one of the blue bays clueteiing around the high headland on which the white town was built. He did not r»gard his sojourn at Seacliff with any lively anticipations. It wh pleasant to atoam up and down the blue river betwtcn tbe sunlit green shores, through the sweet odours from the woods and hedges freshened and spiritualised by the full broad river. The morning swim in the strong sea-water brought the sense of ;ho»lth and vigour and power into bis frame, Tbe breakfast, ample, and well i cooked, appetising, with blithe company, full (A inspiriting talk and resolute happi ness, in the steamer's cabin, would cure a misaathtopa and buoy the heart of a cynic. The joyoan solemnity of tha* cigar on deck afterwards would reconcile an anchorite to comfort. Yet for all these advantages Henry Walter Gray did not liko bis season at Soacliff. The evening voyago wa» no less to be enjoyed. After the dust and worry of the city's day it was Rood to fcol tbe moist winds blowing through your hair, against your forehead; to hear the cooling swirl of the water at tho bow, aud the far-off wash of tho steamer's swells upon tho shadowy shore j to watch the crimson sunset, and the comiog of the pale-blue stars, and the red moon that, slowly rising from tho hot limpid sky, «rew and fair, wlulo under it the white earth sailed silent down the ocean of the dark ; to feel the hallowed piece of night.ascending from earth to God. But it ruined all to know in that cottage above tbe bay on tholedgeof theredcliilone waited who was no companion, yet bound to him for life; to know yoar by year tho chasm between them widened ; and that above that chasm hung a spirit of evil, the bad angelof a terrible wcakßess, which might at any moment become visible to all those standing by, and ruin her, and biing on him pity—pity, that boneless scorn more unendurable than contempt or loathing. In the deep seclusion of the Manor, Grey felt the skeleton in his house was pretty safely hidden ; here in b'eacliff thero were innumerable chances of discovory. It is more than likely hu would not have gone to Seaclilf in the summer if by any possibility he could safely avoid it. But all the well-off people of luneford went every year to the little town, and to depart from tha custom would bo to attract a dan gerous attention io himself and his house hold. It had been his custom ot former years to stay at Seacliff for three months of •umnier; but in the year 1866 lie re.

solved to limit his stay to one month—the month of September, Whoa be and she were at home in the Manor House, she was more directly under his control, immediately under bis obser vation, nut on leaving SeaclifT in the morning he was always weighed down by the dread that in this little town of much gossip something might leak out while he was away. She might go into the town, and in some incautious way betray her fault, and destroy all the respect felt fnr her—all the respect they felt for his wife. What an'awful millstone to carry about with one I 'Fancy the men at the street corners chatting together, or groopa stand ing at the Chamber of Commerce windows, ' or the members of the Club, or his own staff at tbe Bank, looking after him with com pasaiouate eyes, and saying : " Poor Watt riow Bad and worn and broken-down be looks! What a wretched thing I What a dreadful thing when a man's wife la a— drunkard 1" Tbe last word was always haunting his ears, always booming in the hollow caverns through which his fears followed him during sleep; and although the habit of Mrs Grey had not yet become bo confirmed as to justify thu application of such an odious epithet, her case was growing rather worse with time. All the Midharst money was gone. Her fault was at most a vice; but he had com mitted a crime.; He lay between two fears ; ho was threatened by two discoveries. Someone might find out about ber, and blast the fame of the Manor House; some one might md oat about him, and blast the Daneford Bank, and lock him up in gaol, and brand the name he bore with ignominy. In such a Btate of mind was Grey when tbe 26th of August arrived and evening brought him home. The husband and wife sat down alone to dinner, sat down alone to the last dinner they were ever to eat together. " Bee," Baid Grey to his wife, whon the dessert had been brought in and the servants had gone, "do you think you could go down to Seacliff in the Bodwell to-morrow evening, and look up the cottage ? I saw. the estimable and penmious landlord of it to-day. It's not occupied this month, and he wanted me to take it from the 20th. I'm half inclined to accept his oiler. He says vre can hare it from the 20th of this month to the ond of Soptember for a month's rent. It would bo almost worth while to take him at his word, and hoar how he'd whine if I gave him a cheque for the month's rent only. What are those two famous items ont of last year's bill?" "Brunswick varniab, for the kitchen coal-scuttle, 2d; and a fair of brass stair eyes, one lost and one damaged, 2d," quoted Mrs Grey seriously, as If the imposition was intolerable, "Yes, yes. That's it. Brunswick varnish and stair-eyes," laughed Grey. " And at the end of all the i terns f»rdamago was the general observation : ' The same being in excoss of reasonable wear and tear.' Didn't ho make us whiten all th« ceilings too, on the grounds that we stopped far into the season and blackened them with the lamps t'1 "Yes, Wat" " Is it three or four times we have paid, Bae, for cracking that soup-tureen ? The old cruck, you know." " We've paid, I think, Wat, only twice for that crack, but he has charged us with the ladle every year, although we never had one," " Why, this old Parkinson is much more amusing than a state-jester of old, and not half ho impudent or expensive." Mr Grey smiled, and rubbed his Bmooth cheek with his white hand. After a moment's enjoy ment of bis recollections of Parkinson, he returned to the question. "Well, Bse, will you go down in the liodwell with me to-morrow evening ! We cau have a breath of sea air, a look at ParKiutou and the cottage, an,d come back by the boat in tbe morning." '' Very well, Wat Of course I'll go with you." " Now let me see, The best plan will be for you to go from this to the boat. Be on board at a quartet past cix, and stay theto uutil 1 come. You won't forget^" •'No, Wat." "You're quite sure you won't forget?" Of lata Mrs Grey's memory had shown signs of Riving way. . " I'll be there, certainly, she answered, a little hotly. " "kou don't think my memory i» so bad I am likely to forget any thihg that gives me a chance of gettiog out of this dull house," " Because," he said, holding up his finger to quite her disple«isure' " I may not bo able co get away from tbe office until just half-past six. I shall be at the boat in time. You will go aboard and ait down aft, and wait for me." Having thus arranged for the following evening, Grey Upsed into silence, and his wife withdrhw, .... ~ Those after-dinner hours, which, to the drorperous man are the most placid aud fnll of content, were now to Grey full of fours and subtle agonies when he had no company. Ihe neceisitn all through the day for (bowing a fair front to the world and keeping up his reputation for cordial joviality no longer existed when he fonnd himself clone in his own dining-room. Then ha exposed his imagination to all the dangers and difficulties in bis path, Here, this 16th of August, was he safe over all the wreck of that awful month ot May, but at what a cost? The commission of a disgraceful crime and the perpetual dread of a damning discovery. The financial crisis had shattered trade, dispersed confidence, and ruined enterprise. The last penny of the baronet's money had been taken, and was gone; and yet no remarkable prosperity, nothing in the meanest way approaching what ho bad calculated upon, had set in towards him. Even in the recent days of over-trad ing, when money was dear, the deposits in the Daoeford Bank had been more than during the past few monthß. Things were not likely to meud in time for him. At the pro«ent rate twenty years could not bring in half the sum he wanted, and he might be called to disgorge within eighteen months, within a much less time should the old baronet die and matters take a turn unfavourable to his interest with regard to the guardianship of tbe heiress—his care over her not reaching, he supposed, beyond her twenty-first birthday. Merciful Heavens ! what could deliver him ? And then followed the invariable reply : There is nothing to save you from infamy but marriage with Maud Midharst Then tbe memory of his wife's faults came up before him like an indictment seeking her Hie. hhe was flighty, unwise, dul), uncompanionable—lntempe rate. She waa no pleasure to him. She seemed to bo the source of pleasure to herself. If the Powers of good would only take her, what a blessed relief to him ! If the Powers of any denomination whatever would only take her and leave him free! He rose, and strode up and down the loog room, bis face r/uckored and pinched, his hands clutched, his eyebrows dragged down over his eyes until the eyes disap peared, those eyes wont to be so free and open.

If the Powers of any denomination whatever his thoughts paused a while, his brows relaxed, his whole face pu* on holiday attire. With a light loot and a pleasant smile he approached the ohimney-plece and pnlled the bell. "James," he said, when the man entered, " bring me a flask of cognac." While the servant was going to tho cellar ho said to himself, with a gentle smile, " I have been very thoughtless about that press in the To wer of Silence. I have left claret and port and sherry, there, but until bow I never remembered brandy! How careless I have been." In a few minutes James returned with the bottle, drew the cork, decanted. the , brandy, and left. ' Grey took up the decanter with a oordial smile on his face, walked towards the tower-room, the first floor room in the Tower of Silence upon the top of which tho wasied skeleton of the huge tank stood out clear against the quiet summer stars. It wan dow past olavenoVlock. Wopro fonnder silence raigned by night in deserted mine deep in tha bowels of the earth, in Asian desert open to tbo glittering stars and the pale radiance of the moon, oh the dark peaks of mighty alp that reaches up ward into the thin windless air, than in tbe , chambers and passages of the fearful Manor House, As he draws near the door of the towc*• room he' carries the decanter of brandy in one hand, a lighted candle in tbe other. ! When only a few feot *eparate him from the door be pauses suddenly, aud looks earnestly forward. There are two keys for that door, one is on his ring, the other is in ; the possession of his wife. He holds the j lamp high above his head, and listens i intently. Yes ; there ii someone inside, While ho waits he hears a lock shot. Presently the door opens, and with a cry of surprise and fear his wife confronts him. " Bee," ho says, without allowing) the smile to relax, "is this you? I thought you were gone to bed." " I went to my room," cays the unhappy woman, trembling and looking down, " Dut I could not sleep, I was very norvous and —and, Wat, I thought a glass of port might do mo good." ! "Of course it will. Of course it will, he says, in a soft voice, " I was jußt gome to pat this in the cupboard," He Holds up the decanter. " What is that ?" she asks in a voice of uneasiness and fear, " Only a liitle brandy. It's not a rattle snake or 8 petard that you need be afraid of, Bee," he replies, in a bantering tone. "No, no, Wat," she cries, drawing back a pace and holding up her hands as though she b»w some fearful object in her way. "We don't want auy brandy here. Indeed we don't." "What nonsense I" he laugbs. "But, seriously, Bee, you know wo must have some brandy here. Suppose ono of the servants, or any chance caller were to be come suddonly faint, what could you do without brandy ?" " Don't put itthore, Wat I Formy sake, for Mod's sake, don't put it there 1" She covers her face with, her hands, and trembles again, '•There now, Bee, go to bed, and don't ba silly. I should never be able to forgive myself it any harm cauio of there being no braody that could be readily got at." With slow heavy steps tbe woman passes him, and, at) sbe reacbe« the end of the short corridor, throws up her hands to heaven, sobs out, " God be merciful to me!" and bursts into tears. Wo waits until she is out of tbe pas sage, then shrugs hit) shoulders, and, with tbo old, genial emile upon his face deposits the decanter of cognac in the cupboard of the room on the first floor of the tower, of that tower which, in a moment of grim humour, he had called the Tower of Silonco.

CHAPTER X.

ON THE THRESHOLD 01' DKATH,

Mr GRKV broakfaated early, Mrs Grey late. Nothing was said by either to the other ou tho night of the 16lh. On Friday morning, the morning of the 17th of August, 1866, Mrs Grey was still sleeping when her hus band left tho house. The morning was bright and clear, and as the banker strode on briskly to the city he hummed an air to keep him compauy. His voice was in different, his ear was indifferent, and yet it was more invigorating to hear hinajblander ing out wild approximations to a tune than to listen to a moderately accomplished draw ing-room vocalist. Tbe banker seemed v uable to keep the natural gladness of bis nature within bounds; the accomplished vocalist follows an every-day handicraft or trade with the tools of which he is familiar and .expert. A* Grey walked to hia office that bright Friday morning he met many friends and acquaintances, He had a nod, a wave of tbo hand, a cheerful word, a kind enquiry, a jovial wish, a congratulation for each, according to person and circumstances. fie earned his black bag in his hand. In tho black bag were some books, some papers, md the revolver. Nothing par ticular occurred to bim on the way to the Bonk. Nothing particular awaited him upon his arrival at tbe office. All wea going ou smoothly and properously—but very slowly, very slowly towards bringing back the baronet's money. Two was his luncheon hour, and at two he want out. He lunched at his club, and then strolled down to tbe Chamber of Commerce to see the) latest Exchange tele grams, and have a chat with some of .the merchants and traders and shipowners of Daneford. He sot bock to the office at a little after three, Nothing particular had occurred during bis absence. He went into his private room and disposed of some routine affairs. Then, having no business to do, he threw up tbo window, and looking out, began to whistle softly a recitative of his own in vention. After a little while he stopped whistling, and thought : " I shall bo here two hours by myself this evening. I .don't think I could do auythin^ better than burn that book." In a little while more he made up his mind. "Yes; I will bum it. It would tell against me in any ca?e. ifven suppose by any miracle I am able to got that money together again, the dates would betray me. Then it is better to have neither book nor Stock than a telltale book only, Dead men and burnt books tell no tales. Yes ; up tho chimney it shall go. If I am able to replace that money, the making of a new book will bo an easy task, a gracaful amusement" Mr Grey had always kept the Midharst (Consols)Jaccouot in'his own handwriting, and in a book to which none but himself had access. This was a small book bound in rough calf, having a patent lock and key. Before tbe Bank closed at four o'clock he went down to the strong-room and took up this book to hi* private office. By about half-pact four all the clerks had left the office, and Mr Aldridge had gone out to pick up an appetite for dinner. Grey locked tho two doors that led into his office, opened the little ledger, and having out the book out of the cover, ho locked up the cover in a sufe in the wall of his own office. There were two reasons for doing this: 1. The cover was, with the appliances at his command, indestructible. 2. He could get new paper bound into the old cover; and those of his staff who were

tamiliar with the outside of the book would not be able to detect any difference between the original and the counterfeit. When the cover of the book had been concealed unaer lock and key he sat down in front of the grate, and Tbegan tearing up the book into slugle leaves, *«d burning each one separately in the empty As the record of the baronet's twenty ye»rs of grinding, exaction, and penurious living changed into flume, and smoke and ashes', Greys thoughts .were busy with the awful aspects of his position, and now, for tha first time, • new element of fear entered into the case. He suddenly stopped in his werk and looked around him with a ahastly smile. Lait night h» had been calculating that his only way of avoiding exposure lay through the freedom of himself to marry Maud. But suppose anything were to happen to hia wife two. Suppose the died that very day; suppose she had died a week ago, a month ago ; what would have occarr«d! He should then be a childleea widower, younger in appearance aad in manner than in »e»rs, and even young enough in years to be the suitor of any girl. Was it likely if he were so circumstanced Sir Alexander might not think of altering the will, of introducing into it aaothtir guardian, sxecu tor or trustee! True, Sir Alexander wai no* an ordinary man, and had unlimited confideDce in bim. Grey; bnt surely he could not be such a fool as to leav* hi< daughter and his dauah'er 1* fortune m the hands solely of a popular, good-looking, and an agreeable widoww of forty-five ? , The thought flurried him, and he gasped and covered hia faca with his handkerchief, ■ and leaned upon the mantel-piece. Last night it had appvared to him nothing more advantageous to his fortune could arise than the death of his wife. N»w that eveut seemed the most disastrous which could befall him. The more he looked at the wholefsituation, tha more hopeless hia position appeared. What last night he re garded as the gateway to deliverance now was the cavern of ruin. Well, he had begun burning this book, and be might as well finish it. JDestroying thi-i could have no important influence for evil on the case, and might be beneficial or have a mitiga ting influence. At last the whole book lay in a mass of black and blue ashes at hi* feet He stood in front of the pile for a few moments think ing. " Between that book and me there is a. great [similarity. It was once truthful, then it recorded a lie, aad new it is burnt and black. I was once honest; I fell; and bow my position, my prospects, and my hopes are in ashes. There is no chance of escape. . It]waa after five o'clock, He rang the bell; as he did [so, he heard the street-bell ring also. •• Aldridge coming back from his con stitutional." Then, correcting himself, he thought: "Of course, Aldridge doesn't ring." He unlocked the doors, and in a few minutes the servant knocked and entered. " I want you to tidy up that grate; I've been burning some old letters, "said Grey. " Yes, sir;Ja, letter for yon, sir, just come." "All right; leave it on my table," '' Beg pardon, sir, but it's from the Castle, and marked immediate." The banker took it and glanced at the superßcriptioa as the servant withdrew. "From Mrs Grants" he muttered. "What can it be now?" lie tore open the envelope and read the contents hastily. The note vas very brief. Sir Alexander had bad a very bad night, and was rather worse this moroiog. tie particularly wanted to see Mr Grey at cmce. Would Mr Grey te so good as to come instantly upon receipt of this ? The words in italics were underlined heavily three or four times. " What can this be ?" he thought. " The last time I got a note from Mrs Grant asking me to go to the Castle I w»s in the final extremity ot apprehension, and all came much better than I could have dared to hope. There senims no possibility of a favourable solution of tlie present situation, If the old. mau is sinking, that will give m« only a year—and tb*t is tbe leaat terrible thing can cause ibis busty summons. Well, go 1 must, and at once." He leaped lightly down the stairs, carryiDg his bag in his hand, and was soon driving rapidly towards Island Ferry. Two miles lay between him and the city before he remembered his appointment with hit wife on board the Bodwell. "Kever mind," ha thought, "I'll boatd the steamboat as she passes the Island ; that will make it all right." By six o'clock he bad reached Island Ferry. Without the loss of a moment he crossed over to (he Island and ascended towards the Castle. A servant at nnce conducted him to ' Mis Grant, who was waiting for him in ' the hall-room oft the grand entrance hall. " 0, Sir Grey, I am so glad you have come; we are in such fearful anxiety. Poor Bir Alexander has got worse and worse ever since I wrote to you. The i doctors [say this ia what (hey hava been dreading all along." ' ■ Tht little woman was In a state of the greatest excitement, and had completely lost all sense of proportion. The aiandarda of her feelings hod been broken by her agitation, and everything that want wrong Beemed of equal importance and mischief. "What is the matter nowfthe banker asked, in a soft sympathetic voice, i" I hope Miss Midharat," he added, before he gave the little widow time to answer, "is kept as free as possible from these sad and depressing scenes." " Ob, yes ; that is, I moan tbe poor child is fearfully distressed. She has been with her father all day. It's not good for her, but then she wouldn't come away. I think if you spoke to her it would do her fiod. She used to mind s good deal what said to her, but all this day she nits there, staring as if the room was fall of ghosts. I fear there's something bad the matter with the whole place; and only for darling Maud, I'm suro 1' shouldn't stop an hour. And to listen to him ia something dteadful He talks of nothing- but his money and you* and robbery "What!" exclaimed Gray, loudly and sharply. . "' .' "Mow," she cried, you are offended with me just because 1 am nervons and excitable.. Maybe you'd be ex cited yourself, Mr Grey, if he was turning to you every minute and say ing you were a wolf in sheep's clothing, and that you wanted to rob his child of the for tune he had laid by for her. You wouldn't like to be called a robber, and you're a man, and I am only a nervous woman ; and men are more used to that kind of language than women, "althongb, until now, I did not know that gentlemen ever used such words." Here Mrs Grant broke down completely, and sobbed. By this time Grey had recovered from the appalling shock caused by Mrs Grant* association of himself with theft. He went up to the sobbing woman, and inhis gentlest accents having placed hia hand reassuringly on her shoulder, said: " Mrs Grant, I am exceedingly sorry if tny hasty exclamation has canted you any iinneyance. Believe me, nothing was

He pleaded iahi» most wi n »- V 8 manner; ho looked npoaffi^^j M« Grant towardsX^.MJK portance. ** *TOK| "It wasn't your fault. M, p Mia Grant, qu.eting her«,k -$!? <S • am not fit for anything of>w }km always knocks me up™ " "tfo wonder. Of ttnjJihtf " »uch exprfcMons are never'i, V* *i gentlemen-" ?■ he| W «aS She interrupted him, I " I hep* I didn't Bay an»tti n » . »»g to yon; if I dio, I d&%Sft. am so worried and confni^i^itsl what I'm saying." By ffi. i- Olrt W forgotten the cause of S^^kj Urey said made her WfcLl^ " Wt uttered something oflen^r^lfS "I wonder can ft b* tff t WwC the leva, from Sir AieS!.™' in my ri^ht mind t" ' ■' «* am ii# " tio. n0,n0," laughed Or"' " You need not be af<aid o tZ^%r. no dstire to recall to her n*WA V- B« tod ia wnfrr^»%a | dkconcenmg extlamation. S^tod ! head is waudeiing." B"Al?tfi^>, . 'oh, yea. He-btantaißiM n.ght, and got W oi S9 all XW \* morning we sent for the docto» ht^ came a*u.a in the afterml ?' ""'to, visit they eaid I had b"° erß ' c i tbeQ you were so much in Sir >i« if^Ks There are times wbeH' 'fa i m? ** others; bnt I liffift.? £" ** S» free at any ,C f&^» you here instead'oVl^?!^ him as I Bhould have Sn^^Wto excuse me; my poor heart ;, M *ffl bo; Yes'heaM^^ss Ab be followed her th m «X v. stately passages, that S e\*¥ anll '■ still full dvUgliL ff 11*'' ft W« he tried to pierce' £"A'J'W How would^a*'KTM' l**' the old man's Tte^AOTl*l* <* the old man fa ru?^,)'*, 1> mom«nts capaUe -«t!2£S^ What was the ca^oiSß^ *** to see him! and •bgv^uiS^t!to ' idea of theft come upoiCt So far as he could n^ » o l ft ■. _ •, ■ of the case, he did not feel r«Mmh o!4mim Snppoae Mrs Grant'i.vsceoiurt^f W baronet's condition of mind iaihe W cited moments was overdrawn. aaTt?* while in his periods of delirinmTheW haunted by goblin fears ofiobbeST, more collected phases he might tuM^ur with reasonable dread of buwSSt or fraud. Did the old maa:&S?r stroy or alter his will ? XlatjKTiiS question. If he did, theo';i^yjj,ij^ would overtake the gold.sv,,. The gold I Tnat Roid could nivette wni back, not in as many years it :itt^ti,, baronet to save it up. Sot Ta twite v many years, and he mi Kut lawbwM* • than one year. Tn c gold coog txm^ take lead now—that is, tte'toH k! Consol.. h ' ttß But the gold of a wcdding-rjog £(~ jjj Midh»rst would balunca^Xfi^. toßß weight of the baronet's. LHilt:(i terw ounce of gold would outwei^^j^. a ring that coet no more thaa^^j D | tj would balance a deficit of fiveliii^gyi fifty thousand pounds 1 i <m| Mrs Grant suftly opened thedtaittftba pick chamber, a:>d inotionißgj'fmocage inside to come near, she said,asMiiiM)i. hurst approached: "M*ud, dear, h«re is Mr GreyV-he caag at once." ' The girl offered him her hawp g» took it respectfully, tenderly, vi^ $. saying: '■ !i "I sm deeply grieved, Misj^i^ju^ at what Mrs Grant tells me, iSjjjttlj may be only a temporary afftctiiji. S^ is Sir Alexander now ?" "Oh, he's very, very bad !" soMfe girl, in a whisper. "It was kiniof jjijj come. He talks of jotl alway s "I am, believe mo, Miss liiait, deeply grieved for him, and-yojk'^..' Nothing could be more Iclndiifof^j. pathetic than his voice and maQUiS ■ ■ "Be talk* of nothing but yiMitia money," whispered the girl, tini^ia At that moment a shrill about ewafem the bed, followed by the words iWi i "Ah. Grey, i« that yon? Yoijiiijiin 1 scoundrel 1 Do you dare come ;lato Ef | house, under myronl, after.atealfog aj darling's fortune ! Bring mernv.piiteKl ■ say—some one bung memy pisioUllrl shoot thi» miscreant bauker Gig, 1/ | ' pUtols, 1 say 1" fl | CHaPTBEXI ! BY THE STATS BIDJH Fob a moment Grey paused inwpjkjoa the threshold of the sict room." s(n to the most alarming ordeal to whiohlijlad been subjected. Cionld it be tiuttbyay untoward circumstance of disuUmjiiie tbe old man had discovered thetwttt To be loudly, Tiolently aeciue* il&i crime he had committed by the tusa^boit money he had stolen, and in the praecsiif . that man's daughter I ' He had often in his worttMßK imagined the position he now ocßß^mit had never dared to thiok of it—it hi4wi j entered his moments of wildcat feu js realise—such a scene conducted!! presence of Miss Midhart and Mrs G nd And now to the horrors of heariig w J words from the defrauded man's iif«, yi added the awful question, the »sp«Eij uncertainty in the questions: Wra* baronet know anything? Did^B His name for hnnonr, lor honesty, ja ;| existence of the respectable old io!ffl|| which had been banded down, to iiakj : his father unsullied, his very life; WffJ ; on tbeise two questions. There *«•*?' one chance between him and rain,l WW* him and death. At these thotp a made a prodigious effort, and tnroitf dv 1 two distracted women with a force* t^ ' and a lip he could not keep f rom trewnj "I fear my presence only excitesSr Alexander. Had I not better retire ual ; he is more calm?" .. "Oh, Mr Grey," said'Mand tarodgiw j tears, "you must not mind hh.fflft: « He aoes not know what he ?»wBK does not understand what is said to«» ;j He does not even know who is in tn« wa when he is in this state. My poor «k«i - oh, my poor father 1" She covareiJW face with her hands and sobbod onfcai : Grey began to breathe more freely. * whispered, as though the .'weight of » | mountain were rolling off bim, He m notkuow who is in tbe room. x«st.w\ tlemanl Poor Sir Alexander I I «HB|||. foundly sorry for him and for yon,H« ; Midharst. You can understand JtWH | I,was surprised to hear him, who MJ» long relied upon me, use such woMSttß*; It was, you must admit," he looked boom woman to . the pirl in deferential ap|w •« tather startlißß," ./*>

STAR SATURDAY SUPPLEMENT, JUNE 16, 1885.

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