River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-11-18
CHAPTER TX.
On THE WATCH.

se-ANNN VA EcuCAdA AuDiCo WITH me-
as much as politeness required. His
demeanor towards Miss BeaufOy was
rather deferential, and TO Mary con.
strained and rather patronIsing II
was a most curious exercise of the
memory and of the imagination "a
contrast the formal aud altogether un-
Interesting paterfamili3s, presented in
general by my host and employer. with
the passion and fury of tine white-faced
man who, for some mysterious reason,
was about to shoot me the morning |
had heedleSsly Strayed into his sanctum.
That scene was photographed on my
mind, not less distinctly because it had
been so brief. The fact involved itself
in my imagination with tn fate OF
Mary Fortescue. | could not tell how.
ONLY felt that she was not really one
of them. any more than | was. There
was a close alliance and understanding
between the father and the daughter,
and there was some extraordinary Sc
cTet also shared between them.
found il difficult to believe that Mary
woul be kept in the house out of mere
philanthropy. and. on the face of it,
THAT ~lAt LS lEA " ant Oh
afriend on the spot. i was very will
ing to look upon myself as that friend
providentiallY sent 10 her aid.
noticed very soon that Hardy. as
well rs siiss BeaJfoy. seemed to have
the entree to the forbidden apartments.
Miss Beaufoy had no. mentioned the
fact to me when explaining how her
father disliked any intrusion But it
struck me a more than odd. that a
philosopher. whose zeal for research led
him to point revolver at blind man
who had intruded upon his privacy,
should apparently give the run OF his
laboratory to n rough specimen of
humanity like Hardy. To be sure the
Hardy family might have claims TO be
considered on a confidential footing for
Mrs. Hardy was the cook of the house
hold, and the only other female servant
was a cousin of hers. So | learned
casually from Miss Fortescue.
While | spent a few quiet and really
pleasant days in my new home, | could
net get the idea Of these condolences
out of my head, snd they took at last
the form of very decided desire and
determination to investigate the mys-
tEtF a NIUE On wv OHu ttGBuuE.
There was the more reason for this, as
| had considerable amount of time
quite at my own disposal. some of
which | devoted to q survey of the
premises.
l found that Mr. Beaufoy's rooms
did not look out into the large garden,
but that a high wall, enclosing a
qUadrangular space, envirOned that
part of the louise in which they were
situated. There was a small door in
this wall. BY which, as | seldom saw
Mr. BeaufOy coming in or out of the
hall-door. | judged that he generally
lei himself in or out.
Except for this. which in itself was
little enough, and for the fact that the
door at the end of the lobby, which had
on that one occasion given me admit
lance to the forbidden precincts. was
invariably shut and locked when any
one emerged from it in my hearing,
there was nothing whatever about
Hanover Lodge to lend itself to ideas
of Rsystery or crime.
The house was large, modern, and
comfortable. The living was excel
leEt bat unpretentiOus. My own room
was very nice one, up in tower al
enc angle of the front, which tower
was well covered with ivy, and gave al
ready picturesque aspect TO a house
which. but for its aid. would have beer
( like a great deal of the earlier reviva
\ Of picturesque red-brick building
I very red. and far from picturesque.
As have said. made it my task &
vcan Hardy from a too aSsiduous d.
I vOtiOn to me. He seemed rather tC
/ take TO me in cOnsequence-in grim
/ gruff way, certainly; still, he INDUCED
{ in a hard Jest or two now and then
and while willingly humoring my
/ fancy. when he found l could get
about with much safety. he yet took a
I kind of pleasure in laying any slight
mishap to the score of nv self-con'
/ iidcnce I had no trust whatever in
the man. and no abatement of my first
dislike. So | took care not TO rouse any
I suspicious in his mind that ! was other
wise than what l seemed. for il
there was any wickcdncsS about,
felt pretty sure that Mr.. Hardy was
well TO the fore in its commission.
One afternoon. about a week after
nv arrival. MIR. BeaufOy had announced
his intention of going 20 town, anc
had undertaken TO execute some trih
inc comm s>ionS for the ladies.
1 was sitting alone in the sunshine
on gardcu-chair by the window, wher
in the stiffness l heard the lock of the
lobbv-doOr turned. and the sound o
the door opening Ny curiosity tool
= sudden leap TO life ! Went i
through the French-window, crossed
the room. the door of which was OpeI
and proceeded quietly to the end Of the
lobby. Yes. sure enough, oree more tho
door stood open. | could not Te>i>
the temptation TO explore. reached
the door aud saw again the room iutC
} which l had previously penetrated.
. entered ard looked round. There wa
; really nothing visible 10 suggest any
. reason for Dir. BeaUfOy : emotion a
/; my appearance. But the little room
; beyond! Where vast? / had certain
" seen him n the entrance of an innel
J room. Where was that inner room?
Had the whole of that vividiy-re
, membered scene been nothing but al
! effort of excited and disordered mag
, ina,;on? Had my newly-opened eve!
PLAYED me false? II was highly prob
> able. and, in a sudden reyulsion o.
feeling. realized how greatly all M
mental attitude had been affected by