The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-02-07

uibdkIttdDlt tOnt. ~ Sttfls tS tuOuVn
you were too prudish TO join us, and
you needn't be afraid; Roland Is sure
10 find you. lin sure you two have
been spooning there longenough for all
the world 10 know what II means.n
Kate made no reply, but she rose to
her feet, gave one smiling glance to Ro-
land, then turned and followed her sis
ter.
Where shall we hide?" she asked in
differently.
"Oh, know splendid place. was
the reply; 1--WE will hide In the west
turret. You shall have the little cham
Der leading out Of this ROOM" she said,
throwing open door at the top of the
stairs, land III shut myself up In the
one above you"
"But il Is dark, and 1t is cold" OBJ
jected Kate with SILVER, as they cross
ed the room towards the little turret
chamber which opened out Of IL.
"Nonsensel you won't be here five
minutes, and the corridor is lighted.
Go in quickly; think hear them COM
ing"
So saying, she pushed her half-re-
luctant sister through the narrow door,
then closed 1t upon her with silent
spring
She did not go into the room above,
however but she stood pale and notion
less, listening for the faintest cry.
None came; and at length, unable to
bear the suspense any longer, she cau-
tiously reopened the door, and pro-
nounced her sisters name.
No answer was returned, but blast
Of cold dank air seemed to rush up from
far below, and to strike TO her very
heart with its icy breath.
Grace Lilburne was not surprised,
though she had only been there once,
many years ago. In her childhood she
had been shown the chasm ut her feet,
and had been threatened by Frank Fair
field, the son of Kate's foster-mother,
that IL she listened at doors and told
tales about him again, he would throw
her down here, and she would never be
heard Of again.
The threat had been efllcacious, and
the horror of it fingered long in her
memory, and she remembered as though
IT had happened yesterday how terrified
she had been Mt seeing what looked like
the solid floor glide noiselessly away
when he touched spring, leaving UNI
covered dark and terrible chasm that
seemed to have no bottom.
While Roland had been telling Kate
he loved her, and after she had made
up her mind to kill her sister, Grace had
taken lamp, and with no slight diff
Guilty had pressed the long disused
spring with sufficient force to make the
false floor slide out of its place, reveal
ing the foul dark chasm below, which
had once been such a source of terror
to her childish imagination.
She had left the floor OF the turret-
chamber open, though she had carefully
closed the door-but now, when the
murderous work was done, she dared
not bring light, neither dared she
leave the place uncovered, and she felt
cautiously about for the spring, and at
some peril to herself, since she was
working in the dark, she managed to
find IL, and the floor slowly moved back
| into its place with grating noise, clos
ing with a sharp snap.
Terrified lest she should be detected,
and confident that the search had al
| ready begun, Grace almost flew to the
room above, and there stood pale and
| well-nigh spell-bound with horror at
| the foul deed which she had so deliber-
| ately planned and so completely accom-
| plished.
| But she knew she must not give way
to her fears in the presence Of other
| people, or she would soon betray her.
| self, for an awful time of anxiety and
dread was still before her.
II was with an intense feeling OF re-
lief that she heard the door open anC
saw a mans form in the doorway, fol
the passages, as | have said, were al
dimly lighted, though small out-of-the
way rooms, like those in which the tur'
ret chambers were, were left in dark
ness.
"Oh, | am glad you have found me,
| aI ansI rAr,,saY.l. IL
have been here such long time, and
am so cold"
ut was very foolish to hide in such {
part of the castle as this" said Rolan'
severely. "Where is Kate?n
II don't know where Kate is" wa
the petulant retort; II suppose she wa
wiser than | and hid herself where SIN
could be more easily found; but l shal
90 back to the others. | dare say Kat
has already been found"
Probably she has, returned the anS
ious lover.
Then he walked back to the grea
hall by the side of Grace, but as the
passed under light he exclaimed i
surprise, as he looked at his companion
"What have you done to your dress
The front of it is almost black"
Grace uttered little cry of alarm
| tiltll ItCONtIlilB Htlot oiio oaiu.
"How careless of mel l forgot til
walls would be thick with dust, and
pulled myself up to the window TO sc
If it was still showing. Excuse me
few minutes, dare say my maid ca
wipe it off,"
So saying, she hurriedly left him, br
no maid could wipe off the mark froi
her white satin dress any more than I'll
stain of the crime she had committe
could be wiped from her false heart.
She covered over the spots on he
dress with some flowers and lace, whiC
she hastily pinned in their places; the
she washed her hands, and went baC
to join her fathers guests.
Many of these were gone, others we
departing, and Roland Ayre's often-r
peated question: HAS Kate bee
found?" though answered with vagi
~ don't know" did not excite the i
, terest or anxiety that it would hay
, done at any other moment.
When all the visitors who were n
J going TO remain for the night had driv,
away, Mr.. Lilburne's annoyance at d
} disappearance of his eldest daught
gave place to alarm, and he summon'
; the servants and organized a scar
throughout the castle.
But though they ransacked the ma
: sion from garrett to basement, and Q
I amined every nook and corner, Ka
I Lilburne was not to be found.
l Grace was questioned again a.
Z again, but she stuck to the story s
had at first volunteered, and declar
: that Kate had parted with her befC
she assembled the staircase which led
!. the turret-chambers, in one Of viii
o she was herself found by Roland Ayl
: "Can she have hidden away in SOL