Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-04-07
A CHANCE CHECKMATE.

n
cip&ted frOn the sch0ol-room. Ny father was
AMI is-Oaaker at SlstOD- The town lies Ia valley
and % = great many people IS thought unhealthy
Having a kinsnlaR whom he can thoroughly trust
as acting manager, papa these many years since
hss abandoned the red house in sistOn Broadway,
and resa!ai ut the Manor. Walnsey. This Is how
ever. twe-ve miles from his place OF business
eight by rail aided TO four By road The Manor
has one other drawback-lt stands In a very $50
LATED situation our nearest netghbors are our
nameslses, the EscOtts OF walnsey Cross: and
valentia Lodge, the country seat OF Captain Milne
EscOtt, lies westward across the wilderness we call
the Heath a good three niles
The month when my story opens Was that of
February Fiil-dike and it was Justifyng its name
OF storms we seemed 20 nave ceaseiess success
sion Heavy rains and nigh winds had been for
several weeks the prevailing METEOROLOGICAL con-
ditionS Alice. my younger sister, ana ! were
prisoners within doors, ana we should have found
time drag more heavily than IL ana bat tor the
presence OF VAL An Only brother Is always girls
Zero, and Val vas ours. In age he came between
u. and hls proper place al THIS period OF the year
Was Rugby. But he had net with an accident
~ Christmas, ana was only just COnvaleScent
Heuce bis holidays had already lasted In excess a
full fortnight OF the working term. As perhaps
Va may read this, Will be candid and adj that
t1eTP we're seasons when, owing 60 his teasing.
we heartily wished him back in the Mili1ndS.
J he Tuesday on which Papa ANNOUNCED his urgent
summons 10 Ferris court was. however not one OK
tnsss OCCASIONS. BOTeas was DOM ais best 10
bring The house about our ears. We could not
Possibly 20 out In the tempest We were not
Ultra-entEusi4sIic readers. and fancy work wSs
ever AiCes bette nOir. Therefore we must h .
settled into tame subsection TO eHRUf but iOr Fai.
It was his business, o. he put It, TO make thing
Lively, and he did
had yenturpd TO demur TO papa's going. surely
% Was my place 20 care for him as mamma would
have done bad she lived and his health had
troubled Ile OF LATE thong asi too frequently
at f. a dreadfully rough day. papa" / said.
"Cannct ST iiugo Ferfls wait ~ Is Such dis-
ttnce TOO 20 FcrIiS Court, and AL across country.
You can't rpach tEc place readily by rail-"
No: 1 WISH that 1 could" papa answered.
"BIt the journey Is cutie imperative. Sir Hugo is
departure for Aliers . liked definitely for Thurs
Gay-an alteration OF week IN bis arrangements;
and have urgent matters 20 discuss with hi.h.
lie Insistg-fOCli-hiy DGt cannot help r-On ne
sOtiatiAg wsh thC principal; he viii have none of
Nj Bellows / >uppI-s M face was visibly
leBxtheuing for before could reply papa ADDED:
'poE'S IyJS IN GUM About IL, Maggie You'll be
quite safe here in chargc q Mrs. climber, cur new
E1use keeper I IIa convinced thar, after many
changes ana mishaps. W. have secured a treasure.
say ths because it is uncertain II / shall return
tonight"
-Not return tonight echoed helplessly.
"\O, ne said e! nave decided 20 take the horses
the Who.e way: and rs The roads are In bad state
spence VII put TIE cattle UP in the next village
and then dTiys LIE Duck the next m0rniDg. 4 sBali
" sgTe OF comfortable quarters at Ferris court
Is ~ qult--sdfe2' j asked.
.'For me, 10 you nleau?~
"NO-O; f-r Us. THIS house Is 50 lonely and It IL
know that thera are mamInas 1ewelS-and The
Pap saoEet 1t iay tears. eve are too far from
tie tracE O. TIE i!SBt-huEered prowler To receive
Lis attentions. hc answered.
But a. W Is al error.
Ever since that day have had lurking belief
IN prssel-imentS. / SnOw very well that the con-
Iession vii cause s0Ine superior persons iOrfinod
f. the lines II a sane common sense 10 smile with
pity "a ny girl>h weakness. am sOtnewhat dis
3Gsed 70 smii" with them; and yet IL Is not more
teTtain t1at plot existed 20 rife the Manor than
That hour ty h0Gr after papa had gone grew
more and more yagqeiy but genuinely uneasy.
said nothing 70 either Val or Alice WHAT was
there 10 -ays Nor TO Mrs. CLIMBER Somehow
had hot taken to the fresh arrival so warmly as
The O,GeT-. I'D not dispute that her recomnend-
HtOls were HE>,-cidSs: that her demeanor 10 each
CT u was precisely what IL should be-neither
Cser- eterenttai HOf TOO familiar: that she was a
skilled lOUss-miStress and a paragon OF order.
NeveTJheleSS had cOnspcuOJsly IrOwned when
papa pTs.se,i Der. ard was In no hurry TO take
her into confidence when a nameless oppression
weighed uppn nv spirits. Alice had discovered
lacS Of eAhus!l IN long ago, and insisted that
vas prejudice i because Nr2 Climber was foreign
lO0k4Dg and had an affected way OF putting I'D an
eyes!ass, Aich. in tne opinion OF Val and .ay SELF
WAS totally uSe-Ss 10 her allowed Alice 20 think
she pleased Tie fact remained that hit herIO
Vas uncOnquered GDd That 5lTS. Climber knew 1t. |
DUSK thIcSenej at last, and We had the appTo-
Val " our Consch noes N ciOsing blinds and draw.
iIg Crt aims 20, and shutting out by every rpeog-
MED eXpelien- tAe Grlvlag c,o1Id-rack the desc
late lan1scape ana the constant drip drip OF the
complaining Irees- And then Vel accepted a
strly cGa!.cnge-ullne or Ahees. cannot noS be
a EOw OF GoyIsh eiOqu-nce which promised well |
Tor lis intended future 81 the bar yindicate hts
II W.
notable lttie objection OF autographs and speci-
E.e15 u cl.igrdpAy WHICH ne rulInayEd out OF his
lo4rd Of treasures; and G7oa these ne descanted
vita Gil tie Js0.Itlsfi OF the professor and all
TIE .ervp- Of the disciple. AS he pointing out
10 hali-skep,icai critics and listeners alleged
resemblance between traits In the historical
character u the Duke OF Wellington and features
IA The great warriors handW rlting ne was inter-
rupted- To the surprise OF each OF US, we heard
the rumble OF approaching wheels on the soaked
Avenue without
=, N papa Oe back, after all, and as early as
No; h. That ISN'T our carriage It's brouUharn
certainly; but spence Isn't driving 1.-THE ratte's
diIereIt,' Val answered. at the end OF short
pause
Then wno can 1t 0eT' said with wonder and
recruiescence OF anxiety.
Val crossed To the window and caught question
and reply Cf visitor and coach man.
"ls this the placer inquired the former.
YES; tbs b. Nr. E5eotts o Z Manor, Walnsey,"
returned the latter.
CIang went the hali bell; and In another half
minute Jo-ephs our butler, looking anything but
Pleased at tue interference with his session VI en-
JOyment n The kitchen. opened our door and pom
teEuusly announced: '.AiE. Lidlaw."
The name y a. entirely unknown TO me, as also
the purpo-t ana occasion OF the call debated
for second whether should send Alice in search
ofATs- CAmOer--wao Was, believed, writing In
l-r own Toorn-or whether should myself assume
tie responsibility " confronting the stranger
Tbs question was deett d Tor me. on the heeis OF
apparel ~ have no coIDt as 20 the course 10
follow Interested, nIddle-aged. clean-snaven,
grsy-;his Is Inc best AMI iVlest descrIpron whfcn
J could have given AT TIE moment OF tie easy-yo-
H. Intruder, and Il WILL suffice for my narrative
al. three OF your he said. "My Old friends
daughters aud son, presume? j Wasn't aware ne
was - favored"
The human voice IS a wonderful Instrument In
cn- case, r shall Of Itself convey Suspicion. In
another, reaSsu!ance. IL was the latter here A
tyFsRnlc&l Imagination had painted before my
L-entll vision " tn SWIFT brush the portrait O.
dangerous eonspiratOr. The living enigma spoke
And, hoNever pulling ana mysterious ais presence
Cuolu4ed 70 %. my courage revived. The clTcum-
Ian > - state; TIE explanation leave 10
OtHnEz.
NY name = Escott; this Is M brother-and NV |
hsteI- stsLIa-eEinsly answered But who
NaAt 10 We over i was pitlfuly poor
4 Iu.sitor. Before had framed my Query, Il MAS
s-OyYct,
~ d, am 70 the CHEEKY stranger said. s.wen.
slppu-e one cant claim universal lame: cut it /
cr4t4Inay strikes Ine curious that you should
ha'- 70 a. AS 70 ny GRAND, that Il Just pleas
IN All the .esCseitdtiOn OF old memories. Your
fttler ant Gs.-l 20 be staCnch friends. You're
Lot vrfy iIHc him, young gentleman" The latter
s'-tcI'- was, or eC1rse addressed u ny brOIher
Valentine.
-ILCr. q the boy said IaconicaIly
Inc strangers glance had fallen upon the
Strange medley that decorated our center table.
.-~0ulc Or here Is = collector OF Autographs see"
h went sai.y Oh MAY j Inspect them! Thank
Y,u II ; pursuit OF great Interest TO me; I
81 tiies have ~ study asi.eInfil prUft sslOual
-1rtts contrast AID likeness IA peEmansEip.-
Il Jrn- over Nal's specimens. among which were
4I-u.l-d examples OF tue hand Of neatly al the
tvs aC44.iutlnCes: for Val played havoc very
/. az and gaI, famous or obscure. And Dy-and-
III 10 tart NnHr ufrtv n