The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-07-02
SUSPECTED
The Fate of the Gamekeepcr
GARRETT SYLvESTERs
CHAPTER XlX.-Continued.

CHAPTER XIX.-Continued.
Lord Heriot pours out half tumbler of
brandy and drinks it eagerly. Then little
color comes into his white cheeks, q little
life into his dull eyes.
AZ haven't slept for more than ten min
utes at a time since that wretched day, he
murnurs plaintively. "I've had an awful
time of it. wonder how often I've cursed
my own folly for dragging me into such a
mess"
''Can you tell me how ithappened now ?"
1'You remember the day left this to walk
to the railway station!"
Eyes, yes. How could forget it p
81 went down to the mill on my way. I
left Kingscourt to catch the three o'clock
train, but did not intend to go up to town
before the 4:20. meant to see Anne Grace
Trathaway first. We used to meet near the
river-path. We generally said goodbye to
each other at the old stile."
Lady Gladys cannot restrain an exclama-
ton. But she wonders even now that he
has never asked after the unfortunate girl.
He is too selfish to think of any one but him.
self at this moment.
81 was there-down at the mill-for q
good while. The old woman was ll-in bed,
/ believe. At all events, did not see her.
There was nobody else about the house
Anne Grace came part of the way with me
through the wood. Then said good bye to
her She went back home to the mill, and
turned round from looking after her to find
myself face to face with Robert North.
Lord Heriot's teeth chatter little, though
he is leaning close to the fre-almost against
the bars.
''He stood before me, right in the middle
OF the path. knew in q moment what he
was up to-there was murder in his face, if
it ever was in q mans face, when I looked
at hin that day. He had the gun in his
hand"
"Well?" Lady Gladys asks breathlessly,
wnen he pauses, shivering.
"Lord Heriot, he said not at all loudly.
4 told you once before that if you interfered
between me and that girl would shoot you
like dog. I think no more Of taking your
life than would of choking rabbit, or of
losing my own either. 1t has come to this
with me- Then he swung up the gun, but
before he could pull the trigger-while his
hand was on i'll sprang at him. 1 don't
know to this day how it happened, but
sprang ct him and threw up his arm. The
gun fell and went OFF as the butt came
against the ground. don't know how it
happened could not explain it if my life
depended upon it. I suppose he pulled the
trigger in some way before the gun dropped
out of his hand, or else the conclusion when
the butt struck the ground was sufficient to
discharge the gun. At all events, it went
off. North fell in a heap upon the ground
Only for that I should not have known that
he was hit. It might just as we'll have been
me. We were both in the same danger. 1t
was just chance where the shot went But
he fell forward, and jumped back"
Lord Heriot pours out another half-tum-
bier of brandy, and Lady Gladys stares at
him, as he drinks it, with wide-open eager
eyes.
81 could not realize for three of four min
utes what had happened. The dead silence
stupefed me. But my first impulse was to
run. wish had run now. Then horrid
panic seized me. If any one should find me
here with the dead mani 1 looked about as
if q hundred eyes were watching mel
thought I heard q whisper among the bushes.
Then 1 stopped down, and, taking hold of
his collar, dragged him out of the path-hid
him under some brambles, about ten yards
from where he fell. That was the maddest
mistake l ever made in my life! If had
only left him where he was, then I should
have been safe. But lost my head"
Lord Heriot pauses again and looks for the
brandy. But he does not find it.
81 hurried out of the wood as if the fiends
were at my heels. When 1 came to that part
of the wood where the trees begin to grow
thin, heard some one coming. This was
what had feared How lucky that had
dragged it out of the path Because any
one would know that must have passed it
moment before. At the next turn l met
Hereward."
eyes, know. He asked you if you had
heard shot,"
HE did; and I said no, had heard
nothing. His asking me the question terri
fed me- He remarked blood on my hands.
That terrified me still more. 1 wonder now
that did not faint. 1 told him 1 had cut
my finger, and asked him for his handlier-
chief had only one in my pocket, and
did not want to use it. He did not look as
if he suspected anything. He always knew
was horribly nervous about blood. He
used to laugh at me for wanting to be a SOL
dier. / don't know how the blood got Oh
my hands. 1t must have been when drag
ged the body out of the path. had not
noticed it before he pointed it out. My idea
in moving the body was to keep it out of
sight till l was clear off. If any one had
come upon it just after meeting me, and
had said nothing about it, l should have
been done for. But many and many time
I've wished I'd left it where it fell"
''And the handkerchief-wh became of
it?"
81 rubbed the blood from my hands, and
when l had crossed the stile, l threw it
away did not want Hereward to see me
khro,u ~ owou Ha Fowl. n f1rO 10 tl,a Iaft