San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-09-27
CHAPTER XI.

Dora, after her interview with Ar
thur DyncCOurt, feels indeed that all
is lost. Hope is abandOncd-nO
remains but despair; and in this in
stance despair gains in poignanCy by
the knowledge that she believes she
knows the man who would help them
to a solution of their troubles if he ever
would or dared. No; clearly he dare
not! Therefore. no assistance can be
looked for from him.
Dinner at the castle has been a pro-
miScuOuS sort of entertainment for the
past three or four days, 50 Dora feels
no conjunction in declining to 90 to it.
In her own room she sits brOOding mis-
eTably over her inability to be of any
use in the present crisis. when she sud
denly remembers that she had prom
Used in the afternoon when with Flor
ence to give her, later ON. an account
of her effort to obtain the truth about
this mystery which is narrowing them.
1t is now eleven O'Clock and Dora de-
cideS that she must see Florence at once.
Rising, YEARLY, she is about to cross
the corridor to her cousin $ room, when,
the door opening. she sees Florence.
with a pale face and agitatrd. coming
toward her.
You, Florence" she cxcIaims. 81
was just going to you. to tell you that
my hopes of this afternoon are all"
Let me speak" interrupts Florence
bTeathlessly. Il must. or" She sinks
into chair. her eyes close and invOl-
unfairly she lays her hand upon her
heart as if to allay its tumultuOus beat
ing.
Dora. really alarmed rushing to her
dresSing-CaSe. selves upon flask of
eau-de- Cologne, and filings some of its
contents freely over the faimting girl.
Florence, with Il sigh. rouses herself,
and sits upright.
There, is no time to lose" she says
cOnfusedly. "Oh. Dora" Here she
breaks down and bursts into tears.
Try to compose yourself" Cntreats
Dora, seeing the girl has some impOr-
tant news to impart, but is so nervous
and unstrung as to be almost incapable
of speaking with any conference. But
presently Florence grows calmer, and
then, her voice becoming clear and full,
she is able to unburden her heart
All this day | have been oppressed
by curious reStleSSneSS," she says to
Dora; and, when you left me this af-
ternOOn, your vague promises of being
able to elucidate the terrible secret
that is weighing us down made me even
more unsettled. l did not go down to
dinner"
Neither did l." puts in Mrs. Talbot
alphabetically.
81 wandered up and down my room
for at least two hours, thinking always.
and waiting for the moment when you
would return, according to promise,
and tell me the success of your hidden
enterprise. You did not come, and at
half past nine, unable to stay any Ion
ger in my own room with only my own
thoughts for company, | opened my
door, and, listening intently, found by
the deep silence that reigned through
out the house that almost every one
was gone, if not to bed, at least to
their own rooms"
passed to their rooms about an hour
ago" says Dora. But some of the men,
think, are still in the smOking-rOOm
Il did not think of them. stole
from my room, and rOamed idly
through the halls. Suddenly a great
l can not help thinking now a super
naturally strOEg-desire to go into the
servants corridor took possession of
me. Without allowing myself an in
slant hesitation, | turned in its direc-
ton, and walked on until reached it,"
She pauses here, and draws her
breath rapidly.
Go on" entreatS Dora impatiently.
"The lamp was burning dimly. The
servants were all dOwn-stairS-at their
supper, | suppoSe-because there was
no trace of them anywhere. Not a
sound could be heard. The whole place
looked melancholy and deserted, and
filled me with sense of awe | could
not overcome. Still it attracted me. |
fingered there, walking up and down
until its very mOnOtOny weaTied me;
even then | was lOath to leave it. and,
turning into small sitting-lOOm, |
stood staring idly around me. At last,
somewhere in the distance | heard
clock strike ten, and, turning, | decid-
ed on going back once more 10 my
room"
Again. emotion overcoming her Flor
ence pauseS, and leans back in her
chair.
well. but what is there in all this to
terrify you so muchg" demands her
cousin, somewhat bcwildered.
"Ah, give me time! Now am com
ing to it." replies Florence quickly.
"YOu know the large screen that
stands in the corridor just outside the
sitting-rOom | have mentiOned-put
there, imagine to break the draught?
Well, had come out of the room and
was standing half-hidden by this
screen, when | saw something that
''"""lyZed me with fear"
To be Continued