The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-12-26

scarcely affected by the hand OF time, but
that on one of the four perpendicular walls
iron clamps were fixed, forming kind of
ladder let into the stone, and clearly in
tended to be means of ascending and de-
scending the shaft.
Taking the lantern in her hand she ex-
amined the cord attached to it, to see that
it was securely tied, then she slowly lower
ed the light into the darkness below.
She kept her eyes fixed upon the iron
ladder, but every bar of it was intact, and
so intent was she on noticing this, that
though the lantern had been swinging a
good deal by the wind in its descent, she
was suddenly startled by finding that it was
resting upon something and seemed to be
able to 90 no further. And she saw that
what she had believed to be Il damp and
almost bottomless well, was not in reality
more than some twenty or thirty feet below
the false floor that covered it.
Still it is deep enough for the fall to
have stunned Kate if it did not instantly
kill her; and now, with burning anxiety
and breathIess terror, Grace leans over to
look, as she hopes, upon the corpse of her
sister.
Can it be true? do her eyes deceive her?
or is she the victim of some cunning delu-
sion-some horrible nightmare?
The crushed mass Of satin and lace,
pearls and flowers, that she had so often
pictured to herself as lying here was not to
be seen, and she might have believed that
she had dreamed the events of the last
Christmas Day but for two things which
the light of the lantern on being moved
revealed.
One was pearl necklace, the other a
lace handkerchief both of which had be-
longed to her Inflated sister. The effect of
this discovery upon Grace Lilburne was to
paralyze her for the time.
She could not act or think; she simply
sat on the floor like a creature stunned, and
it was only the sound of voices in the cor
ridor that ultimately reused her.
Even now she could not move quickly,
but she drew up the lantern slowly , pressed
the spring that made the floor slide back
into its place, then she deliberatel y Invested
herself of her ulster, extinguished the light,
and walked out into the corridor.
She did not observe Miriam Hindman
and Victor Gayherd standing only few
PAGES from whence she emerged, for she
was like woman walking in her sleep; and
though stunned by the sudden discovery
she had made, she had not as yet begun to
realize what it meant for her.
There was strange look in her eyes as
she reioined her father and their guests,
and Amy Coulbourne asked if she was i'll,
and somebody else suggested that she was
about to faint.
But she smiled absently and declared
she was quite we'll, and she gave the signal
that the dance was to recommence, though
she herself declined to take part in it.
II am little tired and will look on,
she said to gentleman who asked her to
dance with him.
She sat and watched them, absently and
vacantly, and she saw the looks of love that
passed between them.
Grace knew quite well that Victor would
never have thought of marrying her if he
had not believed her to be her father S
only surviving child and sole heiress, and
now she wondered if Miriam had persuaded
him that Kate was really alive, and if at
the last hour he meant to desert her for his
old love.
She knew not what to do nor which way
to turn When her mind became more
accustomed to the situation she began to
think that she was frightening herself I'M
necessarily, for now she remembered that
the bottom of the shaft into which Kate
had fallen seemed as though it were only a
portion of room or cellar which was prob
ably as large as the chamber above.
If this were the case, the injured girl
might have crawled away into some dark
corner, and there remained until death had
mercifuly ended her suferings.
Il wish | had possessed the courage aud
the presence of mind to descend by those
iron steps and see for myself what is hid
den below, and where the place really leads.
''There may be many secret chambers
beneath the old part of the castle, of which
neither my father nor [ ever heard. [
must do it sooner or later; [ shall never
sleep in peace again until | know that Kate
is past troubling me"
And all this time the fun never tagged.
The band played, and the guests danced
and firted and talked about the morrow,
and whispered among themselves Of the
great good luck Of Victor Gayherd at hay
ing won SO rich an heiress.
Mr.. Lilburne was not good company this
evening
His lost daughter was constantly in his
mind, and every now and again he felt as
though if he looked round he should see
her.
Miriam was quick to observe his manner,
and to divine the cause, and she at length
said
at was about this hour last year, was it
not, that Kate was lost ?"
very nearly he replied, his eyes wan
dering to clock.
Then he and the girl both sat silent
waiting for they knew not what; but with
their eyes fixed upon the clock as though
they had been watching the old year out,
and were anxious to welcome in the new.
Grace and Victor had been dancing, but
the band had stopped suddenly, and they
had paused very close to where Mr.. Lii
burne and Miriam were seated.
"What do they mean by breaking off
like this" asked Grace in tone Of an
noyance.
Her question was never answered.
At that moment, the house-stcward,
who rarely showed himself except to an
nouRce distinguished guests, now came to
the open doorway, and announced
"Mr. and Mrs. Roland Ayre p
Mr.. Lilburne sprang to his feet and
started forward with cry of welcome, and
Grace likewise took step toward the new
corners. -
But no sound escaped her lips. For a
moment she swayed ike sapling shaken
by a tempest, then she fell forward on her
face, and when they picked her up they
thought that she was dead.
CHARTER VII.
THROUGH THE SNOW,
We must go back to the night when
Kate Lilburne so mysteriously disappeared.
1t will be remembered that the snow be-
pl -