Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1890-04-25
"A DARK SECRET.
The Story Of a Tragic
Life Drama.
H 3. N. DAvYo
CHAPTER XIV
IN A HUNTING COUNTRY.

4
zion, L was early astir, packed my port
manteau and joined Hawks at the break
fast table, he imagining the while that I
merely meant to accompany him to the
! station.
On my way up stairs to excuse nv de-
parture to George I encountered Mrs
Armstrong. She appeared on the look
out for me.
The mistress has getten a sick head
ache an does ma wish to be distorted, p"
she said.
But I'm going from home for three
days, Mrs. Armstrong"
1WeeI, scr, an that's ne news. She
telled me so hersen.
Edna had done this-she had made the
way easy to me, God bless her!
Can / neither see my wife nor Miss
Lynton, then?"
INA. Ye Just Gamma"
The carriage was announced, and we
set on. Hawks, noticing my bag, asked
an explanation, andI told him intended
going as far as York, adding, vaguely,
that I had heard of a horse for sale there.
deemed 1T wisest to make no mention Of
Leicestershire even to Charlie.
On parting company at York his last
words were, 4 guess you'll not forget
the tip l gave you last night, Ell, old
chappie?"
I laughed. said, "All right, Charlie, &"
then set about making inquiries as to how
considerable delay 1 obtained the name
of the nearest post town, and for that I
took my ticket; but found, on my arrival.
there was still a branch line to travel be-
fore could get any way near my destina-
tiOn.
1t was o'clock in the evening, and al
most dark, when, Wearied and impatient
with the long, slow journey, alighted at
n small wayside station. With the eZcep-
riOn Of a female who got out of a second
or third class carriage, the rest of the pas
sengers vent on.
How far is it to Whitmore Park-Ar.
Hargreave's placer" L asked Of the ticket
collector before passing through the turn
aWhitmore Park is about three miles
off; bat AFR Hargreave's been dead these
two years an more.
Indeed! VIII you inform me who lives
there noW?"
Major O'Neil, sir"
as he hunting man?"
Hes a master of hounds, sir"
"Ah, Bir. Hargreaye used to be. Did the
Major keep on the same huntsmen and
whips, wOnder?" I asked, with studied
-carelessness.
mot one on 'em. Major O'Neil brought
his own with hlm-au Irish" he salds
n with some disdain--even to the stable
a0Oys."
= Il wish I could have seen the old
huntsnan, or some man who had been
in blr. Hargreaye' s stables, said, mu-
singly.
That's easily done, sir. he replied.
with animation. There's q good Inn a
mile and a half down yOnder road kept by
Tom Little, the late. masters huntsman-
little Tom he used to be called in the
old Squire's time, an he's best known by
that name yet. Beg pardon, sir, but
you'd be very comfortable there if you
happened to want a bed for the night.
He's got good stGbling too"
I thanked the man for his information,
and was about to push on in the direction
indicated. when L saw him turn to receive
"A ticket from female who. hitherto IN
observed, had probably overheard our
conversation. looked at her, and there
was yet Sufficient light to see she was q
little woman in large cloak and bon
net; that she wore spectacles, carried
basket of oranges, and leaned on q
stick. Then I set of at a swinging pace,
and never slackened it until I reached the
inn.
At the open door stood q small, wiry
man, with a weather beaten, good hui
mOred face, who looked as though he
might have been born and bred in stables
Mine host, assuredly. ascertained that
could be put up for the night, and he
at once inquired if 1 required stabling
No; L had merely come on a voyage OF
NA49NO LN4NL4LEy 4+A9A-- tLtsGA44E54J ao
could:
aTo speak perfectly frankly, Little, my
chief object is to have a chat with you
/ want you to tell me something about
the Majors kennel, and what sport he
has been showing The fact is, 1 have
soma thoughts of bringing my hunters
"a next season. That, however, viii depend
5 on your report"
2 The ruse succeeded. was at once in.
y yited into the best parlOr Of the inn, anC
y while some supper was being prepared
4 Tor me, the ex-huntsman and sat at Op.
~ posite sides of the cheerful, blazing fire
both smoking, and 1 listening, with we'll
(, assumed interest, to such information a.
y a man anxious to hunt in that countr!
might be supposed to want.
At last, however, without, I believe
! nanifesting any undue eagerness, / said
And now tell me something about tn
old days. You d rather speak of them,
fancy"
I'm not so sura would, sir" ne said
shaking his head, while q cloud seemed
TO settle on his hitherto cheerful face
There was that terrible catastrophe, yOJ
see"
And what was that?7
Don't YOU know Didn't you hear o
it when st happened? Why, the who'll
hunting world was ringing with 1t.
I I was out of the hunting world for
\ time; that may account for my Ignorance
81 ] have only taken to 1T again this season,
q I explained hurriedly and somewha
( laneIy Tell me the story. Do"
He laid his pipe down carefully, an
IS seemed preparing for a long yarn.
She was Just the handsOmest girl 20
p ever saw, was Miss Hargreave. sir, ba
y nonei Squire Hargreave had KEEP
hounds ever since coming to the proper
Il ~, and his daughter had been used to tn
saddle from a baby, but, when the yOunl
d 1od5 crew nm fba u1aster took a fancy {
keep her out of the field. I wont go int
i particulars Of the why and the wherefor
n now. believe he was in the right froI
y what learnt afterward, but that's neithe
here nor there. Anyhow, he got rid G
her hunters and made her drive out wit