The Penn's Grove record., 1885-06-06

NOltt.
"Come, Grace" he said, after a long
pause, during which we listened in
tently. sit is wasting tune. She is not
here evidently. | will take you home,
and ride into Redstone aud make inqui-
ries. Something has happened, but l
cannot make out what"
The carriage was standing at the
front door when we returned-the car
Rage which was to have taken us to the
ball Earle sent it away and ordered
his horse. | had seen him lock
50 pale and troubled. In few minutes
he was gone, and | was leaning over the
gate listening to the ring of the rapid
hoofs growing fainter and fainter on the
still night air.
| heard the clock in the church tower
slowly toll eleven as ! wandered rest
lessly about the garden. ! felt as though
| could not endare to be in the house.
| must be where my ears could catch
the first sound there might be to hear,
nv eyes make out through the darkness
the first thing there was to see. 1t was
a long weary miserable waiting; but at
last | fancied that | heard the sound of
distant wheels.
With shaded eyes l leaned over the
gate. trying yainly to see; ! knew that
the wheels were approachlng-I could
easily tell that. 1t seemed, in my ex-
%citenlent, so long before anything came
in sight; but presently | made out a
trap of some kind, and the next instant
Sir Edward Melville's voice called out
to me
at is all right, Grace; Miss Preston
is here, safe enough. She has a little
wound on one arm-she thinks it is not
much. Call Earle to help mt TO lift
her down.
''Here | aml" Earle said, jumping
from his horss and running forward.
[ had not heard his approach. | had
heard nothing except that Lettie was
there, and safe; but he must have been
riding close behind Sir Edwards dog
cart.
What is it all about, Lettle? Do
you know l have been dreadfully fright.
ened about your" | heard Earle say as
he lifted her down.
ut is a long story, and | AMI am
so faint" she answered; and she reeled,
and would have fallen had not my
brother caught her in his arms and run
into the house with her.
We followed, after seeing the horses
led away.
"Why, she has been shot atf' Earle
exclaimed, Sitting up the sleeve of Let
ties light muslin dress and disclosing a
wound in her arm. ''Sir Edward, where
has she been, and how is it that she is
wounded2" he continued, busily Dress
ing the arm while he spoke.
81 know very little more than you
do our friend said, sitting on a corner
of the sofa by Lettie, who opened her
eyes and smiled at him.
II will tell you about it," she inter
posed, speaking family.
mot n word until you drink this, ~
Earle said, STOPPING over her with some
wine. "You are quite exhausted"
1t was some time before he would al
low her to speak; and, when he did, it
was a strange story she told.
II reached Arlie Brake all right,
Grace" she said. 81 had found some
lovely little fronds, and was just return
ing home, when a watt of air brought
the smell of tobacco to me. | thought
it was Earle coming to look for me; and
so, in a spirit of mischief, to frighten
him, | crawled into a assure of rock
which was quite hid from view, and
there | waited while | listened to what
| imagined were Earle's footsteps APP
preaching. | was DON aware of my
mistake, forI heard rough mems voices.
81 tell you, man. said one, that
Sir Edward Melville will drive through
the Black Lane to. might at about ten
or thereabouts, and Tom will be at one
end and we at the other; when he gets
to our end. we will put q bullet into
HIM; then we will jump up, drive on to
Melville, put up the trap, and sack the
house.
"But how about the servants, Tim ?
asked the other.
"They are all right. Sir Edward
never let's them sit up for him; he al
ways goes about by himself. A groom
meets him at the door for the horse, and
he let's himself into the house with
key we must borrow
81 heard nothing more distinctly, fol
the men passed on. | trembled like q
leaf /; and while | was waiting for the
sound of their footsteps to die away in
the distance l was bracing my nerve
for action. | must reach Black Lane
first, so as to speak to Sir Edward. ]
knew the lane, Grace, and | knew il
was seven miles away. | had not quite
an hour and three-quarters to get there.
| Well, l came out of my hiding place
and when l began to run l began slowly
Il had heard of men who wanted tC
go a distance dong the same thing,
Whenever I found my legs trembling
and | assure you, Earle, they often did,
though you have always given me credit
for selt-possession- II thought of Sill
Edwards life being i'll danger, and my
fears for myself grew very small ii
comparison. Between running ant
walking, l managed to reach Black
Lane before the time, but not many
minutes too soon.
"'Sir Edward, | SAID, stopping him,
take me up behind you, will youi
QuicKl There is no time to be lost.
will tell you all as We go on
II preferred the back seat; | thought
1t commanded a better view; though
the darkness caused by the trees meet
Ing overhead made seeing at all a mat
ter of difficulty. They may well cal
it Black Lane We had not proceeded
many yards, and l had not recovered
breath enough to begin to speak, wheI
a woman got up from the side of the
lane where she had been sitting
MASTER, said she, will ye give mt
a lift2 | have walked all the blessed
way from Coppleton.'
"'Surelyl' replied Sir Edward. Here
give me your bagl' And he took it from
her, and put it at the bottom of thu
dog-cart, while she seated herself beside
him.
'sAs the bag struck the bottom of thu
d~og-cart, | heard the sound of iron; anC
all my blood seemed to freeze as i
flashed upon me that this woman wa
the very Tom of whom one OF the mel
had spoken. i looked round; aud, be
fore Sir Edward could speak to. eithe
of us, l had quietly tilted his hat int
the middle Of the road behind US.
"'My good woman | said, as 81
Edward pulled up, would you be goot
enough to get that hat2 The horse |
avtramaiv tirQSomA tn MANAGE. and