Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1888-06-14
CHAPTER X.
A. DREADFUL SECRET.

CHAPTER X.
A. DREADFUL SECRET
The Sunday morning following Jack
Graham's visit to Dnglewood Will Try
foil performed his u.jlal Sunday morning
duty by accompanying the ladies to Perth
ard Church.
They had passed through the gateway of
Hazelwood House, but suddenly paused;
for, sitting on the road, with his back
against the wooden fence that bordered the
Hazelwood grounds, was the tall, slim
beggar.
Miss Bentley was hard on professional
beggars, and spoke to this one roughly.
What do you want?" she asked. "You
have no right here begone!"
The beggar grinned and shook his head
unmeaningly, as if he did not understand
Gomez" she said. releasing her arm from
Will Tryfoils, and touching the man with
the ferule of her umbrella; "we don't want
you here, you know, and we don't believe
in your stupidity. Go away"
I'm a-doin' no harm, said the beggar,
in thick voice, in which the lolling of his
tongue was disagreeably prominent.
MY servants have orders to give you
nothing-please understand, returned the
lady of Hazelwood, sharply. This is a
public thoroughfare, and you have right
to use it But my fence is private property,
and you have no right to lean against it. So
you had better be off
The man mumbled something, but finally
obeyed her
Then Miss Bentley again took Wills arm,
and they passed on, leaving the beggar
standing in the middle of the road
When they were out of hearing, the fell
low blasphemed in different voice to that
which he had previously used then he
walked away in an opposite direction.
Will, thinking that Miss Bentley had been
little too severe on the man, ventured to
ask her during their walk to church if she
had any particular reasons for her aversion
to him. Her reply was that she simply
went by what she had heard, and by what
she saw in his face.
II believe he would do anything" she
said. ut is dreadful reflection, but am
afraid there are some creatures in the world
who are entirely and Incidentally bad. If
there be such people, he Is one of them"
After dinner that evening, Will took a
short stroll and smoked cigar.
When he returned to Hazelwood House,
darkness had set in. As he was about to
open the iron gate, a slight rustling in a
spot in the hedge directly opposite it at
tracted his attention.
Under ordinary circumstances he would
have taken no notice of the sound; but, re-
Numbering the beegar and Miss Bentiey's
opinion of him. he walked to the hedge
and beat it with his walking stick, to sat
lsfy himself that no one was lurking there
He left quite satisfied on that point. But
he was mistaken. The beggar was con-
cealed on the field side OF the hedge
Will Tryfoil made his first great discovery
on the following day.
Miss Bentley and Mrs. Harcourt were
away at Perthard. Miss Wentworth had
said that she would go with them, but had
afterward changed her mind; and Will had
taken the library arm chair at four, lit the
lamp, and laid certain drawing materials
upon the table. In few minutes he was
busily engaged in making a large pencil
copy OF his own photographed head and
shoulders, which he intended sending to
London.
While he was thus employed, Ada was
reading in the drawing room. Athalf-past
four she put the book down. walked to the
window, and opened it. 1t was very
pleasant afternoon, and, going for her hat
and shawl. she put them on, returned to the
drawing-room and passed through the open
window into the grounds.
Hesitatlng for moment, she walked away
from the house. She was excessively fond
of the twilight, though to be alone in it not
unfrequently made her nervous, vet she
had often declared that this nervousness
was not wholly unpleasantto her. She had
many time increased it herself volun-
tarily, and she did SO that afternoon In the
following manner:
Pausing irresolutely, she looked straight
before her at the most desolate spot in the
grounds. When these had extended fur
n no. ko..
very pleasant one, and great favorite
with her grandfather; principally for the
latter reason Miss Bentley would not hear
of changing it.
Within few yards of the wooden fence
where we found the beggar on the Sunday
morning, stood an oili weal hef- bealen sum.
mer-house. surrounded by ungainly trees.
On this Miss Wentworth's gaze was fast
ened. In the rapidly waning lightit looked
quite gloomy, and in her then strange state
Of nervousness it was more than ordinarily
fascinating
/ will walk there!" she exclaimed, with
sudden energy. Then III run back and
finish my book before dinner. / eiH touch
that summer house. musti"
Notwithstanding her determination, she
walked on falteringly.
1t seemed TO her, when she was about
thirty yards from the dreary structure, that
it was already tenanted. When she was
near she stopped Involuntary, looked in,
md believed she saw. sitting within it's
gloomy interior, the tall, slim beggar.
He icas sitting there, and had been SO
or more than an hour, watching wing OF
dazelwood House.
The man had not heard Ada's approach
Until she was within five yards of HIM
Almost as soon as she came he was aware |
hat his unexpected appearance had made a |
profound impression on her. He was no |
,S2sa9& and understood that Ada Wentworth |
~ ~ believe in her own sense of seeing.
drew n .nR from the summer house. he |
from M er4mpled sheet Of note paper
steadily On H. md kept his eyes fixed
As he approached ~ 49,
sthe effort was abor{ive. 49, !" scream