Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-09
PART III.

Behold me installed at Hawkesworth after
my honeymoon as supreme mistress Of the
ladies' bower. the only spot on earth in which
| am resolved to be monarch of all / survey"
and never, never, never, submit to Sarah's
jurisdiction. The ugly old sprawly-patterned
carpet has been sent to Limbo and replaced by
a handsome Persian rug. laid in the center Of
the room, leaving the good oak boards visible
all round its edges. Sarah calls them beau
tiful boards firm rock. OF course
Arthur must have imagined one OF them loose
it is all of piece with the ridiculous dream
that you wrote down in his pocketbook."
You don't mean to say he told you that!"
cry Indignantly.
mo, he did not. but I always make point
of looking over his accounts for him, or he
would be continually cheated. was hunting
i'll his pocket for a memorandum, il you must
know how l happened to see it," snapped
Sarah.
You are very kind, am sure. cannot
even keep accounts as well as Arthur" reply,
feeling crushed.
Superstition is at discount at Hawkesworth:
the matter fact would reign comfortably in
all our minds were it not for that weird
finger mark, always pointing downward.
We have returned home in good time for the
chase Of the red deer, Of which my husband is
devoted follower. As for me- find what
Whyte Melville used to call riding at stag
hounds has become a less absorbing pursuit
than it used to be when it was my only chance
of meeting Arthur without his sisters, and am
content to hunt twice a week, or even once, if
ride to the meet with him in the morning.
l thoroughly enjoy quiet afternoon at nv
silk embroidery in the ladies' bower. but there
are generally half dozen Interruptions lust at
the most interesting part Of my pattern-the
most pleasant being from q dear, old, tawny
St. Bernard dog, Tiger by name. He belonged
to Arthur before we were married, but has
taken a great love for me. He knows Sarah
does not allow him upstairs, 30 spends half his
time trying to circumvent her and pay his
ponderous respects to me IN my own room.
The formality never varies-first he insinu-
ates a paw and then his person through the
doorway, having, as l very well know, pre-
viously pushed against it with all his weight
as he has discovered that the latch gives way to
pressure. Then he advances joyfully and
scrapes my dress down with his huge paw,
next lays his head on my knee, expecting pat
and says i'll dog language, Maui" which
take to mean Glad to see you" After this he
signs contentedly, if his mission in life were
accomplished. and lies down in the furthest
corner Of the room, with head in his paws,
placidly watching me.
am not at all sure that Arthur will return
tonight, as the meet has been at distance, and
| if the stag has taken particular line, which we
generally calculate on his doing when reused
in Fairfield covers, Arthur will sleep at q
friends house instead of riding home among
those dangerous boys. have ordered s O'Clock
tea in the bower instead Of the drawing room
and invited Milly and Sarah to come up and
drink it with me for the sake Of a change.
At about 4:45 put away my work and draw
Q round table toward the window, taking a
heavy desk of it, which i deposit on the
boards at my feet. OF the events Of the next
few minutes can give no coherent descrip-
| ton. The ground suddenly gives way beneath
my feet and fall heavily after the desk,
know not where
My first impulse is to look up. Above my
head are the substantial rafters under the
floor Of the bower, and a trap door closed by a
| spring, which must have started in stopping
to place the desk on the ground.
A dim light fills the room from what is evil
IDENTIFY the bottom of the ladies' bower window.
We have always known that the glass was con-
tinued to the level of the floor, though hidden
by the window seat, but no one ever discovered
| that it went few inches further. Under this
bar of dusky light is seated-a thing-unspeak-
ably awful, Iobed IN dark silk and Venetian