The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1884-02-06

kind hot md hostess of the tele.
gram, aid Of my determination 10
start foi England on the morrow.
Lady c. looked grave when
she rca| PIE message.
eYou might have saved a few
hours, = shesaid.
"Cul q serr few. And then i
shoula I've missed the most de-.
|lighifuIf0 0Derieuce Of allmy lifeIs
Iansw fervently.
eBnt vas q case Of life and
death, chill, she added gently
And 1 i4l She liad given me a re-.
My 'l Is we're soon packed by.
Justin No accompanied me 10
l,s trif Ehailpe C. rs
my legiil gdardiao, also Insisted on
going with me, and late on The fol-
lowing night We were driving
through The moonless darkness Of
country roads 10 Crovsaest. A
stately housekeeper me. us in the
hall.
@Miss Northcote, yon come too
late, she said, and there was more
austerity Than sadness in her tome.
my dear mistress died three hours
ago II yon had left Paris last
night you would have been in
time. My lady had connnunica.
tion she desired to make to you"
"What was it?9 asked, in much
distress
"That no one will ever know in
this world" was the answer And
1 felt from that moment as though
Mrs. Stevens was my enemy.
Sir Charles C-remained at
Crowsnest until after the funeral.
Then, in vain, he urged me to re-
turn with him to Paris. I'was
bent on remaining a few weeks
longer in the quaint oldfashioned
house, which now to all intPnls
aud purposes vas mine. With
the exception of one bedroom in it,
a description Of CroSsnest is not
necessary to the development Of
my tale, but to describe that is i'm.
psratiye. This room had taken
my fancy from the first. 1t was
long and large and low; the walls
paheled with celarwood. On the
panels hung framed tapestry pic
tutes, the work Of past generations
L lofNprshcates. The ceiling Of cs
dar.wo0d, with curinusly carved
rafters, made the walls look even
lower than they were. A time.
mellowed square Of Indian carpet
covered the center Of the cedar floor
on which stood the bed-of the
same wood and richly carved-rais.
ed on a dais. There we're two win.
dows; that nearest the bed, a bay
with diamond panes, the hanging
similar to those Of the bed, of old.
fashioned rich brocade with faded
pink satin linihgs, On the side
Of the bay window nearest the bed
was fixed a modern gas.brackei,
which struck me asa strange ano,
maly aud only inCongruiiy amid
the antique Surroundings. 1t was
in this chamber my step mother
I
died, but utterly devoid Of all sup
erstitious weakness l decided To
occupy it myself. No sooner had
my kind guardian left Crowsnest
than / told Mrs. Stevens of my i'll
tention, whereon she looked tronbl.
ed, urging various reasons why /
should not do SO, none Of which ap,
peared to me Of any weight. AT
last she said: at was Mrs. North.
cote's wish that that room should
not be used. She died in it,"
"And do you suppose l am 50
foolish as to be afraid to sleep there
on that account9" Iasked.
ut is not my province TO sup.
pose anything, Mrs. Northcote.-
NV late mistress entertained the
fancy, and if you had seen her be.
fore she died it is my belief she
would have given you her reasons
herself. As is=.
"As it is, Mrs. Stevens" l ans.
worcd, seeing that she paused, ir.
resolutely, l am now mistress here,
and have set my heart on that par.
ticular bed room. Have it prepar
cd, please, for | wish to occupy it
at once"
@As you will" she said, indiiItr.
emily. But as she turned away /
caught peculiar look on her fuoe,
which perplexed as much us it an.
noyed me. My belongings were
promptly removed into the coveted
room, my maid, Justine, occupying