Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-09-17
CHAPTER Nj.

CHAPTER ri.
| ~ LOVE, AND HE LOVES ME AGAIN"
Col Stukely spent n long and wearisome
afternoon dawdlng about the lanes and
| little clusters of laborers cottages which
called themselves villages, entering into
conversation with every man, woman, and
child whom he could beguile into a dia-
logue, and suffering intensely from his
conscientious efforts to understand patos
which was almost as foreign language
to him But in all the flood of talk to
which he listened with sublime patience,
the good colonel could discover not one
| solitary sentence bearing upon the task
which he had set himself to perform.
Riding slowly homeward he tried to
cheer himself with the notion that as he
had failed in the endeavor to trace the
| footsteps of Victor Camllac, so, also, must
Mr.. Penwern fail He had no apprehen-
sion that his talents in the detective line
were inferior to those of the professional
| inquirer. Indeed, it seemed to him that
his education and experience must be more
than match for the technical training of
Scotland Yard He argued, therefore,
that the young Frenchman had got clear
off, and that he had nothing to fear for his
beloved god-daughter
| The o'clock dinner was a dismal func-
ton. Lady Darnel still kept her room.
Miss Darnel sat in her brothers. place and
went through the ceremonial with forti-
tude which savOred of martyrdom. Grace
edged her chair as close as she could To
the colonies, ate hardly anything and
was curiously abscnt-minded looking up
at her godfather every now and then with
little appealing glance which went
straight to his heart, smiling to herself
now and then, as she looked down at her
! plate, with a strange shy smile and 81 one
stage of the entertainment suddenly burst
ing suddenly into tears.
My dear Grace, if you cannot command
yourself better than this, you should fol-
Lady Darne's example, and hide
| yourself from the light Of day remon-
strated her aunt
Let her cry said the colonel, patting
the girls shoulder affectionately. Tears
are Il relief, and why shot-d she repress
the signs of her grief. There is no secret
about her sorrow. We are all of the same
mind"
The colonel had no inclination to sit
alone over his claret. He left the dining
room with Miss Darnel and her niece. In
the hall Grace put her arm through his.
Come on the terrace for IA little walk, ="
she said.
"My dear Grace, there is no moon, and
it is very cold" urged Dora. What pleas
ure can there be in walking on the terrace
on such Il night?'
"No pleasure, do not expect pleasure
but must have air. am sitting for want
of air"
Il should have thought you had air
enough this afternoon when you were tear
ing about the grounds with Mr., Colches-
ter" retorted her aunt, sharply.
"Will you come, godpapa," asked Grace,
| ignoring the reproof. you don't mind
walking up and down the terrace with me
for quarter of an hour, even if it is dark
| and cold"
81 shall like it very much, if you put on
| your jacket
Grace ran upstairs, obtained the latest
| bulletin of her fathers condition-always
| the same hopeless report-and came down
in her sealskn jacket. In another minute
she and the colonel were out of doors, and
| beyond the searching eye and keen ear of
of Dora.
AMY news?' asked Grace, excitedly,
hanging on the colonels arm.
"Not word. | believe that unlucky
young fellow has got clear or, and you
may wash your hands of him and his
| fate"
81 can not do that said Grace, gloomily;
81 am under promise"
mo promise can hold good with
| criminal answered the colonel
"A criminal! In heavens name, what do
you meany'
II mean that a detective has been at
| Darnel this morning, and that he has dis
| covered the footprints of stranger
across the flower beds, just such foot
| prints as would be made by that wretched
down-at-heel creature we saw on the com
mon. There was a considerable sum Of
money stolen out OF Lady Darnel's morn
| ing room, money which we all know to
| have been there on the night your father
| was shot 1t is clear to the man from
! Scotland Yard that Sir Allan was wounded
! by n stranger who entered that room and
stole that money, Now, my reading OF
the story is, that this Camillac was hang
| ing about the house on that night in the
hope OF getting an interview with you,
that he was on the balcony for some time,
saw the money put away, and took
| advantage OF Lady Darnel's leaving the
room TO enter and possess himself of that
| money lie was surprised by your father
and turned upon HMM the manner We
know"
mo, no; it IS too horrible! The man
once loved, he man promised TO marry
"A midnight rObher-a murr can
not bs." protested Grace am