Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-02-26
The House on theMarSh;
THE MYSTERY OF THE ALDERS.
BIZ HLoRENcS WARDEN.


| A possible means of communicating
With him occurred to me. In spite of
The doctors prohibition, l sprung out
Of bed, got my desk, and wrote note
asking his forgiveness, and giving him
full explanation of the way in which,
in all innocence, 1 had written the let
.er which had led to this pursuit of
aim. l told him the house was being
watched, and was to be searched be-
lore long, and begged that, when he
had got away, he would find some
means of letting me know he was in
safety. Il do pray for you every night
and morning l can forget all your
kindness to me, whatever you have
done, and ! don't wish to do So"
added as last thought in P. S.
And then put on my dressing-gown,
and, when l heard nobody about,
slipped down by the back staircase to
his study, where put the note, direct
ed simply to &c. Rayncr, Esq.," just
and crept guiltily upstairs again.
That day Sarah was removed to tho
county lunatic asylum and never saw
the poor creature afterward. At four
o'clock in the afternoon insisted upon
getting up and being dressed. want
ed to see Mrs. Rsyner to learn if she
had heard of Sarah's departure.
heard she had gone to her old room in
J the left wing, and, having taken the
precaution to wrap a shawl round me
before entering that long, cold pass
age. passed through the heavy swing
door. the very sight of which l hated.
I was opposite to the store-room
door when it was softly opened, and,
| hi. ia ok
ance, ! was drawn inside by man
arm. l looked up, expecting to sec
Mr.. Rayner, and was horror-sticken to
fnd myself in the arms OF Gordon, the
, man who had shot mo.
Don't tremble so," said he. 81
meant to do for you before l left this
house; but this has saved YOU And
he showed me my letter to Mr.. Rayner.
: ado you know where he is?' lasked,
eagerly.
"No, ma am" said he. in his re.
spectful servants manner; "but
should say that he is on his way &c
America by now, where he meant tc
have taken YOU"
"Mcp Americap"
eyes, ma am. Miss Haidee was tc
have been left at Liverpool street sta
tion, and brought back to the Alders. >
. "But wouldn't have gone
81 beg your pardon, ma am, but
don't think your will would have sto"e
out against James's-Mr. Rayner 5
= And, if this letter had not shown you t.
be loyal to him, would not have LET
you here alive. Imay take this opportu
nifty of apologizing for having one
= borrowed a trinkct of yours while .yo
were staying at Denham Court. But
as 1t was one which l myself had ha
the pleasure of assisting MIR. Rayner t
procure from Lord Dalston's, l though
It wisest to pull off the little plate a
the back, for fear of its being recog
nized by Mr.. Carruthers, in who's
service 1 was when I was first intro
duced to Lord Dalston's seat in Derby
n shire"
!. .sMy pendant!' cried. "It-it wa
real then?'
Eyes ma'am. Ihad to remonStrat
then with Mr.. Rayncr for his rashnts
in giving it you; but nothing ever weI
wrong with him daring as he ls-ti
you came across his path. ma am
ma'am; 50 1 shall be OFF tonight; ant
if YOU care to hear how get on, yc
y. viii be able to do so by applying to N
late master, Mr.. Carruthers.
He led me courteouSly to the doc
nj bowed me out, and shut himself
I'D again, while went, trembling and b
wildered, toward Mrs Rayners roor
knocked at tho door. At first the
was no answer. called her by nam
and begged her to let me in. Al last
heard her voice close to the other 81
Of the door.
..What do you want, Mis-, Christie
Nv. Nv. MAY l como in, Mrs. Rayner?
ike have something to tell you.'
t er, Il can't let you in. Can you spc
, as through the door?"
I'm. mo, no; must see you. ha
Se' something very important to say abe
Mr.. Rayner," whispered into the k
hole.
"Is he herep" she faltered.
AV' mo; he has gone to America,
. whispered.
p She gave long, shuddering sii
| and then said:-
ell will let you in"
She turned the key slowly, Will
y. e * trembled with Impotence outside
cad door.
ate. When I found myself inside the TO
which had been n mystery to me for
long, nothing struck me at first bu
FL. sense of cold and darkness. There '
. only one window, which was barred
the inside; the fog still hung about
IN place and the little light there had b
w all day was fading fast, for it was
{ o'clock. But, as l stepped forw
part iurtner lnto 'lo iooA'
his breath last IN horror. For pecs
aware of smell of damp and deca.
AZ felt that the boards of the floor I'm
the carpet were rotten and yielding
cn nv feet, and I saw that the paper
- peeling off the wet and moldy WI
and that the water was slowly TT
ling down them.
ooh, Mrs. Rayner," cried, agh
sis this your room-where you slice
II have slept in it for three yea
said she. IF my husband had had
will, it would have been my tomb.