New-York tribune., 1880-09-26

absent, slc was recalfpu anu crOss-Quesloneu
rs to her dOings. For Jock Campbell alone had
Lady Westerham any affection. He was her
nearest relation and her heir. Ii was priDci-
paly on her income that Lord Westerham man
aged to keep mp Castle Greasy, his house over
the Scotch border.
Even I.ady sNesterhams hard nature yielded
to Jocks sunny presence. he seemed TO have
some dominating influence over her, which at
times reduced her to silence In the middle oi
a cutting remark to Lydia. To him Lydia owed
her few pleasures When she went rarely to
the theatre, it was with Jock and myself, under
the chaperonage of Calvert NJ lavish.
To myself Lady WeseTham WIS very gracious
Il am glad to know you, Mr.. Masters she
said with sight Scotch accent, tor we are
douhly cousins: and in Scotland mole than
elsewhere we hold the doctrine that blood is
thicker than water. | am Campbell and Main
waiing, and nothing else. THIS girl is q Main
waring, AMI her mother was a Campbell, and
that's why she lives here, Mr.. Masters
SUPPOSE she is "A cousin also T | SAID. slak-
ing hands with the poor girl, and rather glad
to claim relationship with her.
Yes, in kind of way. Lydia, you had better
go through the accounts.
Without word Ldyia left the room.
A year or two after my acquaintance with the
Westerhams my mother died, and became the
heir TO the title and such estate MS Went 18th IT.
At the bidding of Lord Westerham, assumed
the name of Mainwariag, and IN the winter OF
the same year went with JOCK CHnlpDeH 10
Castle Greasy.
'Theo,' he,said TO me in the train, after smok
ing in silence, want TO take You into conf
dence.' The tone in which be spoke impressed
ME. IL seemed as though some turning-point
OF my lie was presenting itself.
Wen talk business he said. | have been
thinking.Oger matters, and | find that, barring
my little sister III the country and Lady Wester-
ham, have no nearer relation than you NOW,
| am not going to live long. Ny heart Is shaky,
and | know it and have no one to whom. As
much as to yourself, can bequeath my c6pti-
dences. My little sister Is we'll provided for
She bad exactly the same fortune as myself,
and the accumuatiOns viii be considerable
when she comes of age. therefore intend di,
vi ling my own fortune into two pans-one
leave to ier and one to yOu.'
made some gest IRE OF depreciation. >,
Don't interrupt me, and don't THINK sLall
leave you your share absolutely. hope not To
die Just yet but when | do. yOu Will receive
letter making a charge on the money l leave
you Tins is what lawyers call n secret trust.
Il is not legally binding; but you, know,
will respect it. / do not even ask you to give
me your word. You will know the letter to be
genuine both from my handwriting and from
two seals-this one | wear on my finger and
another with the initials l.. VI.
The communication was so saddenlng that L
could NOT ind q word OF reply. Probably my
silence pleased him more than phrases. hope
V.
Castle Greasy is very lonely place. The
house is built in granite, with moat round 1t,
now dry and grown In grass. Ihe ghost of
LYDIA MainWaung haunts one portion or ia
long corridor. with bachelors rooms, and ending
in u billiard room. The house was more
gloomy than necessary, owing TO ITS hai1-teI-
antless state. II was rare that any visitors were
admitted TO the house, partly from the want OF
income, partly from the almost ascetic seclu-
sion of its masters since the death OF the two
sons. One custom alone partly relieved the op-
pressiye character OF the residence. GaS-nOt
hon IF
burning all n ght III different portions OF the
binding. THIS was absolutely necessary in
case of any night alarm, and made mp for the
small number OF the servants. Jock and |
walked through the large gloomy hall.
There is the heroine of the song, he said
| looked up. and either in Imagination or
present Is,s:a.n Lydia Mainwarins. We went up an
oaken staircase and passed a long gallery.
Then we were received by the master and MS
tress Of the house. Lydia Meinwaring was
with them, her eyes more startled and fear
stricken than before The likeness to the pic
ture again struck NE.
Lord Westerham received us in n kind but
somewhat reserved manner. Lady W esteIham
kissed Jock on the forehead Then she turned
to me and said:
Il must bid yen welcome, Mr.. Mainwaring,
though you will enjoy the inheritance of my
lydia shook hands with US with a look as
though she feared blow.
Perhaps you VIII 20 to your rooms to dress
inteTpOsed LAdY Westefham Ihry are III the
bachelors wing Lydia, ring the bell
jock seemed half inclined to make some jok-
ing observation, but the whole atmosphere was
too chilling and oppressive, and we Followed
the butler To our rooms.
The corridor ia which they were situated was
entered by flight of four or five steps. over
the entrance there was am gas light. Ihe
same over the door Df tire hilliard-rOOm 0pDO-
SITE Ii contained twelve rooms, SIX on either
side. These were furnished in the rough style
with which bachelors used formerly to be
treated.
nougbmap's with a dmiiy curtain. Patches
of carpet were placed here and there. The
wash hand stand was of cOmmOn painted deal,
and the dressing g-table was covered " tn an I'M
bIeached cloth on which stood small, plain
looking glass. The windows had shutters, but
only two plain calico curtains; and battered
tin ba tn stood in one corner.
NV servant will look after MIR. MainwarIng,'
said Jock to the butler Which room would
you like, TheO he continued.
| mechanically took the hrst on tne leIt. JOCK
took the next
I'VE must have a fire, Waters said Jock
Campbell to the butler.
MY lady has said nothing about it, answ cred
the latter .
well. Waters, III take the risk upon myself,
and pay you for the Goals in case OF necessity
Jock spoke halt in jest, but ii was clear that
the jest was half in earnest.
AS our stdy cohtlHucu IL pcSanO No c'.S.oi;
Hitherto | had never shot, and Jock initiated
me into the mysteries Of the ait, for which l
had contracted q passion. | sometimes thought
he seemed to tire himself to please NE by stay
ing out as long as possible, and more than once
he seemed worn out on our return but he was
so unsetish that lie appeared for my sake to |
be as greedy of the amusement "a myself. Que |
evening We were later than usual. and when we |
returned to dinner he was deadly pale. Lydia
looked ut him with al anxiety had never be-
fore SEEN and her gaze OF terror intensified.
We never sat up very late, and that night we
were both tired
Good night Theo, boy said Jock cheer
fully; sleep well and God bless YOU
always had slept well, but at Castle Greasy |