Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-03-30
FLORA FAlRFAX;
The Curse of the Crimson Cross
CHAPTER I.

aud SIZE. de Was dark, with CURING half
and bright blue eyes, whose gaze Was 1al-
con-ilke IN It's keenness, but there was an
ex preston only OF the most caresslng ten
derness III their light as he approached his
wife. Lady Falriax's face grew bright as
she heId out her jeweled hand.
You are late tonight, Roy,
ga httle late, my love, bat | had letters
to write, he answered.
81 wish you were not going out to dinner
tonight" she said, lnstinctlvely drawing
nearer to his side.
My darling don't be unreasonable, he
ansW cred, touching her bright har iondly.
81 shall be back before you have had time
even TO mss me-"
'As ii l did not alwaJ S miss you, Roy.
''Don't SIT up for me, Marian. Il Shall
endeayor to return as early as possible, but
don't like the idea OF those bright eyes
growing ann with midnight vigiIo. Pro
mise me to 20 to your room at eleven"
81 promise, Roy.
Her eyes shone softly up into his as ht
bent to press a good-by kiss upon the dew,
scarlet u her lovely lips, and thus the.
parted.
Dir Roy's footsteps had long died away
in he Corridors, and the little clock haC
chImed several times, when Lady Fairta1
sounded the small silver hand bell on the
bile. Her maid answered the summons
grave. miodle-aged woman.
Are there lights IN my room, Wharton?
eyes, my lazy. DO you Wish to retTeT
81 may as well 60 upstairs, as to sli
here, SAID Lady Fairfax, YEARLY. prom
ised Sir Roy LOT to be late.
HAS SIR Roy gone out, my lady Z
'.Yes: he dimes at Mr.. Mounjoy's to-
night"
Fdope out to dinner, my lady p
Lady Fairfax glanced up In surprise.
Odd you not hear me say he Was to dine
at the MounUoys WHAT is there so
strange about Jnat p
Nothing, my lady, to be sure, aus
wered Mrs. Wharton, occupying herself
with gathering Up the books and WORK SCAT
tereu round Lazy FaIrfax's table; "only
Dickson has just come up from the game
keepers cottage, and says he saw Sir Roy
go1gg III there.
'DlcAson must be mistaken" said Lady
Fairfax ptacIdly. You have lett my cass0-
Leqe on the table, Wharton"
Mrs. harton followed her lady up on
the broad staircase, on which strip OF vel
Vet carpet deadened the sound OF 100. steps
into large and beauntuily-decorated
apartment, where the skill OF the modern
upholstere4, had turned the ancient wallis
into "a casket OF beauty and freshness.
Il am MT sleepy yet, Wharton, said
Lady Fairfax, glanclng around her, as she
Sank into the Cushioned depths OF this easy
chair. Il shall read tor sometime yet. 1
Will ring Tor you when L require you"
'.1es. my lady, said the ma1d. quietly,
and she Withdrew, leaving Lady Fairfax
alone IN tue beautiful room.
Suddenly Lady Fairfax started to her
feet.
clark r she exclaimed, as if to herself,
'What was that Z?
For the dreamy, summer-perfumed 81
lence OF the room mad been suddenly rent
asunder, as it were, by the quick, sharp
report Of a gun !
CHAPTER IL
Sir Roy Fairfax, ON leaving his wi Ell
drawing room, had by 10 means entered
the carriage 10 DIVE across The country u
the old Mountjoy mans Oh. Instead o
that he had taken his way across the ter
RACED lawn to secluded path which lee
into balaam smelling copse OF evergreens
where rustic sunmer-house afforded 6
sort OF lnnpromptu shelter from the dew and
ehnl.
.;It's too early yet, said Sir Roy to him,
self, as he Sat down and deliberately light
ed cigar.
The stable clock struck nine, ten and
eleven, as he sat there, sometimes smoking
sometimes whISthng softly TO himself.
When, finally he rose, and moved stead.
ly through the qulgt tees, 1t was neatly
mldnlg1t
Across the dewy grass past an old ivy
mantled tree, where an owl hooted dismal
~ as he passed down narrow path, Sn
Roy Fairfax walked, until he found him
self, OF sudden, clio. g 10 the back entrance
OF small matched co tage, on the Very
verge OF the pieasure-grounis. All Was
quite dark and silent, or seemed so from
without; bur when Sir Roy tapped softly a.
the door, 1t opened, revolving suddenly
aud loIselessly on It's hinges, and revealed
a brightly-lighted room, 9TH three men,
slttlng, or standing carelessly around one
OF them the Very Co.onel Mountloy with
whom SIR Roy had aSowed his purpose o.
dining That evening.
"At last r cried old Colonel Mountioy,
as the door closed once more, behind The
new co.ner. why, man, We thought you
We're never coming r
1t Is the hour we agreed upon, Sir Roy
answered deliberately
''Well, perhaps you may be right about
that, SAID the old gentleman, impatlently,
'but when man Is waiting, every minute
Sc ms Ike an hour"
81 Roy glanced round the room, nodded
to e4s other comraCe, TALL rather slender
man, and spoke 4 word or two to the game
keeper, grzzly-headed Scotchman OF fifty
or Whereabouts.
You think the game will lie well to-
q ght, Morrison p
Couldn't be better, Sir Roy" the man
answered, with repressed chuckle.
Then, sir, said old Morrison, as neither
Colonel Mountioy nor Sir Roy
answered hun, ''p'raps we'd better be a
moyln ! Here's your gun-now, then to
the lett r
He led the way, plunging into an appar-
entity trackless bit of over-grown woods
through which he threaded his way sure
footed and swift as one of the Park deer
The three gentlemen followed, and for a
few minutes the silence was unbroken.
Suddenly Morrison stopped breathing,
rather than whispering into Sir Roy's ear,
as he pointed In the dim, uncertain star
ilght, at small open space, quite sur
rounded with dwaIfed trees and under
brush.
There, Sir R"y, there's the trap on the
edge o them hazels and it amt empty
neither. He won't be long comm arter his
game, You may take your oath l'
lie old mans hand trembled with Gag
erness-his face turnedupward in the star
light, was flushed with the excitement OF
the moment.
Hush On your life, don't speak q
word, man, murmured Sir Roy, motioning
TO the other two to advance no farther, 1--WE
have only TO wait now"
The seconds grew into minutes minutes
sseemedVo lengthen themselves out, as the
tour men stood there so motionless, that YOU
could not have discovered their Swallowed
figures 1rQm the trunks of the beeches and
chestnut trees. Their very breathing was
hushed-one might have heard the mufied
beating OF their hearts
Nov" gasped Morrison, the gamekeep-
sr, 'now he's comm Sir Roy"