The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-04-09 00:00:00

CHAPTER XVIII.

EADY disappeared, and Adrienne sat still and pale, re-
flecting upon her warning. She vainly endeavoured
to recall the fitful snatches of her vision of the pre-
vious night, and arrange them in a reliable shape.
They evaded her like the fragments of an imperfect
dream, and the means by which the ring came into
her possession remained as much a mystery as ever.
In pursuance of her plan, Eady overcame her re-
pugnance to the idea of approaching the dog, and
dropping the ring upon a small knob which fastened
his collar, sped up the staircase to her master.
"What has kept you so late this morning? See, my
dog has gone mad, and half torn off my dressing-gown.
I was forced to kill him to save my own life."
"An' dat fierce creetur turned on you, sure 'nut! P
It's a mercy dot's you's here to tell on it at all."
"A mercy ! umph ! I wonder if you really think
so. Tell Pierre to go to the overseer and get me the
Acre( st bloodhound he has. I'll soon tame him to my
hand, I'll warrant. I'll chain him in the lower room
and let him starve till he'll be glad to see any one boar
log him food."
"1 thought somethin' drefle had happened, when I
saw de creetur a lyin' out yonder, stiff an' dead. What
shall be done wi' his body, sir r
"Dig a hole, and put it in it, of course, you stupid
simpleton. Take off his collar first, though, and send
it ever to the quarter for his successor. I believe I
will go down myself, and see the wound I gave him."
M. Lecour drew the torn robe around his tall person,
and preceded the negreiss to the lower gallery. With
a trembang heart Eady followed, fearing what might
burst from him when he discovered the ring lying in
the conspicious position in which she had placed it.
They reached the body of the dog, and, to her intense
amazement the jewel had disappeared!
With horrible gusto, M. Lebour examined the Yawn-
ing wound he had inflicted upon thehound, and an ex-
pression of serene satisfaction crossed his features, as
he mw-red—
_ _

"My hand is as sure now as when it dealt death to
my enemy. It is well to know the vital point in every
organisation ; a false blow last night, and I should.
have beta mangled by that ferocious beast, but my
sir my cunning, saved me. Faugh! Call Pierre,
and hasten to remove this carcass. Inform! Made-
moiselle Adri,nne that I invite her to breakfast with
me this morning."
Ha slowly ascended the staircase, and entered ha
own rornn.
In silent bewilderment Eady obeyed his commands.
She summoned her husband, and informed him of the
duties delegated to him, and then went to Adrienne's
tower to make her aware of the unusual couttesy
which had been extended to her.

"I shall he quite ready," was the response of her
young lady. "But when will the morning meal of the
prince be served Must I not be present at that ?"
•• ob, no, young misLis: he allers eats his breakfast
in bed. He is a poor mis'able creetur, tho' he is made
so much on, an' made to b lieve he's a king. He aint
got the sense to know better hisself, or he'd soon find
out chit it's a mighty poor kingdom he rules over.'
"What have you done with the ring, Eady ?" asked
Adrienne, reverting to the subject which most deeply
intervsted her.

" I.ploo' know what's came on it, and when I tells
you what's happened, you won't believe me, I know."
"What, then, has happened ?"
With many contortions of the body, Eady related
the singular disappearance of the ring with tolerable
accuracy; but at its close she could not forbear to
throw in a touch of her own.

6. I blieves de ebissary tuck it off, caze I smelled
brimstone in deer, an' 1 heard a noise what sounded
like cloven feet makin' dere way 'cross de floor. But,
Lor' ! he didn't mind dem demonstrations, for I reckon
he's wen to 'em."
Just then the summons to breakfast came, and as
Adrienne passed Eady, she whispered eagerly_
.4 Ele'll take my life of he finds out dat I've lost it;
srr' me, young mistis, as you hope for mercy your.
,
self 1"
Adrienne glanced at the dusky-looking face which
so visibly betrayed how deeply the old woman was
suffering, and she could not refuse a sign of reas:ur-
anee. She hal every reason to believe that Eady was
faithful to her, and she dared not risk doing her an
irreparable injury, even if she failed in the duty she
owe i her grandfather.
With assumed calmness, the young girl offered M
Lecour the salutations of the morning, and took her
place at the table. He commanded Eady to leave the
room, and then sipped the strong coffee prepared for
him in ominous silence. The poorgirl had little appe-
tite, and she only made a pretence of eating a small
portion of biscuit. To the few remarks she ventured
to make, her companion gave no reply. At length he
placed his cup on the table, and drily said—
"Your nocturnal rambles do not seem to have im-
proved your appetite. Are you aware, mademoiselle,
that you were in my room last night?"
Adrienne started, and raised her eyes to his. She
saw in those steely blue orbs the same glare which had
lighted them up when be dealt the death-blow to his
hound on the previous night. It warned her that she
was in danger, but how or why, she could not com-
prehend. She faintly said—

TRifiirusion was an unconscious one on my part,
for I retain no recollection whatever of coming into
this apartment.'

"N-or into any other ?" he searchingly asked.
Again that confused vision flitted across her mind,
but she could draw from it nothing tangible, and she
slowly shook her head—
"I cannot recall the incidents of the night."
"You are quite sure that you retain no recollection
of the wanderings of last night?"
"I seem to have had a frightful vision of headless
men flitting around me, as they stepped out from the
pictures which represent them, and assumed the
appearance of life; beyond that, I can fecall nothing
distinctly."
M. Lecour laughed discordantly—
" Ha ! ha! your imagination is becoming infected
with the spirit of this house. You learned yesterday
who lives up-stairs, and your thoughts were naturally
busy with the ghastly times which reduced' a Bourbon
prince to the condition in which you saw Louis. Thus,
you see, your dream is easily accounted for. Let me
warn you, mademoiselle: this time, you have escaped
punishment; but I will not brook a second intrusion,
even if it is unconscious on your part. It was not
here you came to me, but in my private sanctum, into
which I have said no intruder should enter and lice?
Had you been conscious, I should have kept my
word.'
Adrienne regarded him ki silent consternation, and
he rapidly went on—
"To save you from the fury of the dog kept con-
stantly chained there, I was compelled to slay him. A
second time, I will not lift my finger to save you."
The young girl listened with eyes dilating with
horror, and she would fain have persuaded herself
that she could not have beard him aright; but a single
glance at the fixed icy face that confronted her, showed
her that M. Lecour was terribly in earnest. At length
she found voioe to say—
"I have come to you, monsieur, a helpless, defence-
less girl, with the strongest claims upon you as the
child of your only daughter. Is this the treatment I
had a right to expect from my own grandfather r
He coolly replied—
" Had your mother been a dutiful and obedient
daughter, perhaps your claim might have possessed
some weight; but she was an ingrate. She defied my
wishes, and gave herself to one of a race I detested. I
am a despot in my own house—a cruel one, if you
will -but I choose to be obeyed; neither will I be
interfered with. I do not love you, but I tolerate your
presence, becauseyou can be of use to me; but if you
wander where you should not, although your senses
are bound in this mysterious sleep, I shall do nothing
to save you from the consequences of your own rash-
ness." -

"In that condition, I am quite unconscious of all
my actions; how, then, shall I preserve myself from
this danger?" faintly asked Adrienne.
"I know of no other way than to let Eady lock your
door on the outside every night, and take away the
key. Then you would be unable to get out, even if
you should attempt it."
"Since it is your will, let it be so," was the feeble
response of the poor girl, who only now began to com-
prehend the wretched slavery into which she had
thrown herself. Glad ef the permission to leave his
presence, which began to be a terror and an oppression
to her, she hurried to her own room, and in solitude
tried to review her position, and fall on some plan of
action which would ultimately enable her to go forth
from this dreary and oppressive mansion free to act
as she pleased.
Already did she find the prediction of M. Mendon
verified, and life under the same roof with M. Lecour
an intolerable burden; yet pride forbade that she
should so soon shrink from the burdens she had volun-
tarily assumed.
The priest might be able to protect her, and if he
were really her father, as he asserted himself to be, it
was clearly his duty to do so; but her heart refused
utterly to acknowledge the relationship, sod she
believed that the first use he would make of parental
authority would be to return her to her convent, to
be more strictly guarded than ever.
Then she thought. of her lover, and his speedy
arrival in Louisiana. Du Vernay could rescue her—
could bestow on her a happy and secure future; but,
alas! that stern old man, with his blood-stained hand
and icy heart, stood between them; and she compre-
hended that M. Lecour would immolate her himself
sooner than see her go forth in freedom and safety to
enjoy the wealth wrung from his own grasping hands.
Had she not herself written the fiat that separated
them for ever? She looked around for her letter, and
saw that it was already gone. Eady had been in-
structed by her to send it to the office, and she had
obeyed.
Poor Adrienne sat down with a feeling of utter
desltation weighing upon her heart, but Eady came in
almost immediately to assist in the elaborate toilette
she must make for the dinner of the prince.
The old woman was unusually silent, and at length
Adrienne asked— _ _ _

"How long has this young man resided here,
Eady ?"
"Oh, longer'n I knows on. I foun' him here when
come, and I reckin he cone from forrin parts wit de
marster." _

-
" And have you never mentioned his presence here
to any one ?"
"Hi ! I reckin I hasn't. Ef we was to—my ole
man an' me I mean—we wouldn't stay long on die
part o' de yeth. We's had our orders a. long time ago,
an' we knows better'n to break 'em in de least tickler.
I'm thankful, young miatis, dat you didn't tell 'bout
de ring, but from die time I aint gwine to talk no mo.'
Things is happenin' in dis house dat I don' portend
to comprehend, an' I begin to b'lieve I had better hold
my old tongue, an' keep out o' trouble."
Thereupon Es.dy domed her lips with an expression
of conceited firmness which, under other circumstances,
might have amused Adrienne, but just now her heart
was too heavy to find cause for mirth in anything.
During the afternoon Pierre performed the task
delegated to him of replacing the slaughtered blood-
hound by another of his savage tribe. He was brought
to his new home in a box securely fastened, in which
a few air holes had been pierced to prevent the tur-
bulent inmate from perishing from suffocation. Stifled
barks and whines issued from the box, though the
want of a sufficient supply of air materially
lessened his rampant desire to attack indiscriminately
everything that approached him.
The door of his prison was scarcely unfastened
before a well-grown hound, with inflamed oyes and
lolling tongue, thrust forth his head, and respired with
long-drawn breathings until he had recovered his
bodily powers. He then looked around the strange
place to which he had been brought, glared on the
motionless figure which stood with his eyes fixed
sternly upon him, and gathered himself up for a leap
towards his new master.

- With all his muscular strength he sprang forward,
dragging the box with him, and his outstretched paws
-almost grazed the breast at which he aimed. Another
leap, and he might be upon him; but M. Lecour did
not recoil. He kept his stern gaze fixed on that of the
dog, and there was something in the unflinching
human eye that seemed to daunt his brute nature. He
grouched upon the floor, uttered a long dismal howl,
and did not seem disposed to renew the attack.
N. Lecour saw that he was snuffing around the
blood of his predecessor, and he sardonically said—
"Ha! you have sense enough to be warned, have
you? Smell at that pool, and learn discretion. There
Is water within your reach, left by your dead brother;
but food you shall not see till you are subdued to my
will."
Warily passing around the wall of the room, so as to
keep beyond the limits of his chain, with his eyes still
• fastened immovably upon those of the savage animal,
M. Lecour finally gained the door, stepped out, and
locked it upon his captive.
When Adrienne came down-stairs, she shuddered to
hear the furious bounds and yelps of the imprisoned
dog. With trembling haste she ran across the lower
hall, through the sitting-room, and up the private
staircase to her own apartment. -

Baleful eyes were watching her as she sprang
through the door of the lower room, and cruel, resolute
lips muttered—
" Ho ! my dainty one, you need not fly from the
sound of his voice, for you may yet make a nearer
acquaintance with him than will be quite agreeable to
you ," and M. Lecour entered his chamber with the
defiant expression upon his features which revealed
all the reckless hardness of his dature.

(To be continued.)