Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-04-11

ing the year mat came OUT tldt Ao"
can't help it, and don't even know when
do it. Alec will never believe how
bored really am. | shall take him to
hear the vicar down here, and then per-
haps, when he sees the expression Of rap
ture on my face while listen to the old
gentleman's mumblings, he will realize
that it is quite Involuntary"
At last Lillian went Off to bed, and, af-
ter carefully placing the key Of the safe
in a coy nest under my pillow, | follow
ed her example, and soon sank into a
delicious doze. Suddenly / awoke-nOt
stupidity sleepy, as | always am when
am called, but quite wide awake, every
faculty on the alert. Surely had heard
something; but what: Everything was
quiet. / slipped down well under the
bed-clothes, and, shielded by my elder
down quilt, peeped out.
The fire was still burning brightly, and
showed every chair in its appointed place.
But / had not listened many minutes be-
fore ! heard steps in the corridor, very
light and muflied, yet distinctly audible
on the polished floor. | knew that some
one must have entered by the swing-door.
1t must have been the dull thud that the
door always made in closing that had
awakened me. Nearer and nearer came
the step. felt as if petrified with hor-
ror, and my eyes fixed themselves upon
my bedroom door
Presently | heard the sound of the
handle being turned very slowly and
softly; then saw the door move almost
inperceptibly, and tall figure IN some
long dark garment filed the opening.
Good heavensw The words nearly
left my lips as a CLEAN of freight fell
upon face that | almost fancied l re-
cognized.
thought of course that the figure
would 90 towards the safe, and drew a
long breath of relief as | saw it disappear
in the direction of the dressing-rOom. |
could not rush out and alarm the house,
for should have been all alone in the
corridor, and he could have murdered
me and escaped long before any one
could get near, even supposing that |
succeeded in making my voice heard.
While | was rejecting upon the strange
resemblance of the figure to some one
that l knew so well, | could hear Guy s
secretuire being tempered with.
''Well." / thought, che won't find
much there" Their the idea suddenly
occurred 70 mcleod heavens, he is
looking for the key!"
turned colder and colder as the dress
ing-room door re-opened. 1t was too
horrible! He was searching everywhere;
but his head was bent down and | could
not see his face. Would he guess that
the key was under my pillow? He must
Oh, what fool | was TO put it therel
No; he was going, He opened the door,
gave one last despairing look round the
room, then closed the door gently, and
shut himself outside. | was thankful
indeed, although that last look showed
me his face again, and | saw who it was
There could be no doubt about it, and |
resolved that there should be none.
| sprang out of bed, and, Selling long
dark fur cloak that fOrtuuatelywas lying
upon the sofa. euvel0ped myself in 1t
aud glided after him. | saw him pass
through the swing door, and | followed
him down the great corridor then to the
round gallery, the bachelors quarters.
Every door there had the name and shield
of some warrior Stuart emblaZoned above
it. All, there was no doubt! The door
he opened was under Sir Richard Stuart's
shield; and as he turned to close it, hid
den in the thick folds Of the curtains
that shut off the great corridor, saw his
lace standing out sharply against the
yellow hangings of his room that were
| lighted up by the freight within.
IL was Reginald Mannheim.
A feeling of horror crept over me, al
most numbing my senses. His door was
fast closed; yet | felt dared not move.
| | shrank more and more into the folds
of the curtains, and, filled with unrea-
soning terror, pulled them tightly round
me, while dim visions of my being dis
covered dead from cold by a frightened
| housemaid the next morning Hoated
through my bewildered brain. I was
conscious of but one distinct feeling
could not face the hostly corridor again.
All idea of rousing the house was gone;
simply stood covering and shivering in
the shelter of my friendly curtains, long
ing for the morning light to come.
seemed to have no idea of time-indeed
had no clear idea of anything-and the
courage, if courage it was, which had
led me to track the would be burglar had
quite left me, for was utterly exhaust
ed.
At length the stable-clocS struck one
two--three-fourl The friendliness of
its familiar sound reused me; my hand
relaxed its desperate clutch of the velvet
curtains | ran down the corridor, pushed
my uOOI open, SiltI anu lOCheu IL last
and then | somehow CROPPED my way to-
wards the bed. The fire still burned
brightly; but was blind to its light, and
there was a dull singing in my ears.
clutched at a table, then at a chair; and
at last my cropping hands buried them
selves in the eider-down quilt, and l fell
forward upon the bed.
When next | opened my eyes, daylight
was creeping through the cloSely-drawn
curtains. l raised myself and stared
about me- Yes, | was in my own room
! but why was l living across the bed, with
my fur driying-cloak wrapped round me.
/ Ugh-how cold it was! | hastily drag
ged the bed-clothes over me, and began
/ to wonder what could have happened.
/ felt very strange, and thought l must BE-
| i'll. l was so dazed and tired that
! thought | would try to 60 TO sleep, and
/ then perhaps / should be all right when
| awoke put my hand upon my pill.
/ lows to pat them into a comfortable nest
for my aching head. Ipushed and turn
| ed them about: and presently felt some
thing hard and cold. The keyl l re
| membered it all at once. Good heavens
| what was | to do?
Nature, merciful mother, settled the