Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-02-24
The House on theMarSh..
THE MYSTERY OF THE DERs.
BY FLORENCE WARDEN.

ferhaps the water has risen highe and covered it?''
 "Come down yourself and see. O are you afraid to come down againp" 'No, am not afraid,' said 1, uncer tainly.
 He came up and took the candl, from me, while I descended. The water, l knew by the number of steps which were dry above it, was at the same level as before. 1 looked through the ladder and round it. Table and portmanteau had utterly disappeared. As looked mp suddenly, MT. Rayner's face, distorted by the weird light thrown on 1t by the tiickering candle. seemed to me 10 wear a mocking smile which made the handsome features hideous and alarming.
 ''Let me come up, said l. sharply.
 He held out his hand, and when I, trembling and tottering, reached the top of the ladder he flung his arms round me to support me. But I was so sick with the horror of finding my story-my true story-disproved, and with the fancy had had on looking up at Mr. Rayner's face, that I slid from his arm, ran out of the store room, along the passage and through the swing-door, and leaned against the hall door to recover myself MT. Ray ner was at my side in few minutes, and. almost unconsciously I let him lead me back into the drawing-room. He brought me some brandy and water and made me drink it, and bathed my forehead, and told me gently not to be frightened.
 .. But did sec the portmanteau, said l, pltcOuSlV
 " Yes. dear child l know said MT. Rayner, but l saw lie did not believe me.
 He then spoke again of Sarah, say- ing the detective would be bound to trump up some story to show his supcriors that he had accomplished something, and he supposed he would leave Sarah without d shred of charac- ter.
 But do you know, MT. Rayncr, I don think Sarah has always been as nice woman as you suppose" said l, timidly. '' From what l have heard her say, I think, when she was youna, she must have had had some 'horrid friends who made her do all sorts of wrong things; and that is why-I can not be as much surprised as you are at her doing wicked things now.''
 Did you tell MT. Maynard that?'
 '' No, I only answered his questions. Hc said he was her brother-and, of course, l did not want to make him doubt his own sister, But. MT. Ray ner, l want to ask you something, Have you ever heard of a James Woodfall?'
 He was sitting by mo on the sofa, with his head turned away. He did not answer my question at once. Then he said, very quietly:
 Did MT. Maynard ask you that9"
 "Oh, no! I heard Sarah say the name when she was delirious-thc first night-Friday night,' I whispered
 Oh! was he a friend of Salah'ss''
 "Oh, yes! I think she must have been in love with him when she was young, and he must have been a very bad man who made her do any thing he liked, and the most curious part of 1t is that she-shc mixes his name up with the people she knows now," said ], lowering my voice still more.
 "How?' asked MT. Rayner. "Whose name does she mix his up with?"
 Why, with-with mine, Mir. Ray ner!' said l, blushing uncomfortably at the very thought. ''She kept say ing in her rawlings that this wicked forger-for she said he was a forger-- James Woodfall, was in love with me and wanted to marry me, and that he wanted her to help to marry this com mon thief to me. Wasn't it dreadful to have to listen to that?'' whispered I, excitedly.
 Did she say James Woodfall was a common thief?"
 No. gathered that from what she said h; Raynerp'
 ..Yes. I have heard of him, and I believe he is alive now" said he,
 linen 1 believe that she Is in love | with him still, and that he is at the bottom of this dreadful robbery!" | cried l, much excited. "Oh, Mr. Ray ner, couldn't you find out from Sarah | where he is now, while the detective is here, and get him caught?' 1 said, breathlcssly.
 MT. Rayner shook his head thought fully.
 "l am afraid not, my dear child. If James Woodfall is the man mean, he will never be taken alive,' said he.
 CHAPTER XXvI.
 MT. Rayner slept that night in the leading out of the large front room which his wife now occu- pied. met him coming out of it, as went downstairs to breakfast the next morning. 1spent the hours until din in my own room, packing and for the journey the next day. l thought it curious that did not near from my mother, as 1 had written her long letter Monday. It was pleasant to think of being with my