San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-09-25
The Haunted Chamber.
BY THE DUCHESS
Author Of Monica" Mona ScGllH"
"PhnLLfsr etc. etc.

Phyllis" etc, etc.
enough 10 ma dcIIYercT
Yet he is not quite easy in his mind.
Fear of discovery, fear of Sir Adrian's
displeasuTe. fear of the world, fear of
the rope that already seems to dangle
in red lines before his eyes render him
the veriest coward that walks the
earth. Shall he return and release his
prisoner, and treat the whole thing as a
joke, and so leave Adrian free to dis
pense his bounty at the castle, to en-
terrain in his lavish fashion, to secure
the woman upon whom he-Arthur-
has set his heart for his bride?
No; a thousand times no! A few
short days, and all will belong to Ar
thur DynecOurt. He will be "Sir Ar
thur" then, and the bride he cOvets
will be unable to resist the temptation
of title, and the chance of being mis-
tress of the stately old pile that will
call him master. Let Sir Adrian die
then in his distant garnet alone, des-
pairing, undiscOverable For who
would think of going to the haunted
room in search of him? Who will even
guess that any mission. however i'm
portant, would lead him to it, without
having mentioned it to some one? 1t is
a grewsOme spot, seldom visited and
gladly forgotten; and, indeed, what
possibly could there be in its bare walls
and its blOOdstained floors to attract
any Onep Ne; surely it is the last place
to suspect any one would 90 to without
a definite purpose; and what purpose
could Sir Adrian have of going there?
So far Arthur feels himself safe. He
turns away, and joins the women and
the returned spOrstmen in the upper
drawing-rOOm.
where is DynecOurt?" asks some
body later. Arthur, though he hears
the question, does not even change
color, but calmly, with steady hand,
gives Florence her tea.
yes; where is Sir AdrianT" asks
Mrs. Talbot, glanCing up at the speaker.
He left us about an hour ago" Capt.
RingwOOd answers. "IIe said he'd pre-
fer walking home, and he ShOveled his
birds into our cart, and left us without
another word. He'll turn up presently,
no doubt"
Dear me, | hope nothing has hap
pened to him" says Ethel Villiers,
who is sitting in a window through
which the rays of the evening sun are
stealing, turning her auburn locks to
threads of rich red gold.
Il hope not, I'm sure" interposes
Arthur, quite feelingly. ut does seem
odd he hasn't come in before this"
Then, true to his determination to 50
arrange matters that, if discovery en-
sues upon his scheme, he may still find
for himself path out of his difficulties,
he says quietly, 81 met him about a
mile from home, and walked here with
him. We parted at the hall-dOOr; dare
say he is in the library or the stables"
@GOOd gracious, why didn't you say
so befOre% eXclaimS old Lady FitZAl-
mont in querulOuS tone" quite be-
gan to believe the poor boy had blown
out his brains through disappointed
love, or something equally objection
able"
Both Dora and Florence color warm
ly at this. The old lady herself is free
to speak as she thinks of Sir Adrian,
having no designs upon him for Lady
Gertrude, that young lady being en-
gagged to a very distinguished and tit
led bOtaniSt, now hunting for ferns in
the West Indies.
Markham" says Mrs. Talbot to
go to the library and tell Sir Adrian
his tea is waiting for him"
"Yes, ma am"
DuI pltotuIly MAI hIldlll ItIullo dilu
Sir Adrian is not in the library.
Then try the stables, try every
where" says Dora somewhat impa-
tiently.
Markham, having tried everywhere,
brings back the same answer; Sir Adj
rian is apparently not to be found!
"MOst extraordinary" remarks Lady
FitzAlmOnt, tanning herself. "As
rule | have noticed that Adrian is most
punctual. do hope my first impress
sion was not the right one, and that we
shan't find him presently with his
throat cut and walfOwing in his blood
on account of some silly young wo-
mani"
Dear mamma" interpOses Lady
Gertrude, laughing, what terrible
0ld-fashiOned surmiSe! No man nova
days kills himself for false love; he
only goes and gets another"
But, when the dinner-hOur arrives,
and no host presents himself to lead
Lady FitzAlmOnt into dinner, a great
fear falls upon the guests save one, and
confusion and dismay, ard anxious
conjecture reign supreme.