Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-02-12
CHAPTER x.

| -. CHAPTER x.
1t was the ellish baby-nirl Mona who
hrst put me on the track Of the solution
or the mystery about Mr. Rayner's
room. This iil-cared for little creature
instead OF resentins the neglect with
whicn she was treated priced the liber-
OF roaming Whi,hersoeycrs she pleased
and making herself altogether the
tiirtiest little girl had ever scen-at
meal times she grew hungry and
would return to the house of her own
accord. -
The day after the violin playing was
very wet and looking out of the WIN
ooW L saw Mona trotting composedly
along path which led to the stables
"lthouS hat through the fast falling
rain-i seized an umbrella and started
in pursuit. y
The stables We're built much higher
up than the house, close to the road.
but surrounded by trees. had never
been near them before; bat now | fol-
lowed Mona close Underneath the
walls l seized and caught her M in
my arms SO suddenly that for the first
lew moments she was too much sur-
prised to howl; but l had scarcely
turned to take her back to the house
when she recovered her powers com
pletely, and made the plantation rinr
with a most cltish yell. spoke to her
and tried to reason with her, ana told
her 1t was all for her good. when one
OF the upper windows was thrown open,
and Mr.. Rayner appeared ;.t it,
liailn, what is the matter? Kidnap-
ping, Miss Christie?'' 1872 :.
ooh. Mr.. Rayner, she will sit in the
mud and open her mouth to catch the
ram. without !. hat, and it can't be
good for her!' L said piteously.
| "NeYer min,.. 1t doesn't seem to
hurt her. I be cve she is half a frog"
said her father, with less tenderness
than he might have shown, l thought.
| "But you will get your own feet Wet.
my dear child said he, in quite diff
ferent tone. "Come Hp here and sit
by the fire, while I fetch your galochcs.
You have never seen my studio. I
pass half my time painting and smok-
ing here when it is wet and can't get
out. You don't mind the smell of
turpcntine or tobacco. do your"
''Oh, no, Mr. Rayner But I won't
come in, thank you. am at lessons
with Haidee,' said I. And returned
to tho house with Mona.
1t was to his studio then that Sarah
had taken his violin. I had never
heard of this studio before; but knew
that Mr. Rayner was very careful
about the condition of the stables, and
L could imagine that this two-windowed |
upper room, with its fire, must be =
very nice place to paint in-dry, warm |
and light. Could this be where Mr..
kayner slcptp No; for in that case he
would hardly have asked me to come |
up and look at his painting. And | /
should not like to think that no had
made Tor himself a snug warm little
home here while his family slept in the
damp vapors of the marsh at the bot
tom of the hill. Yet l should have
liked. in the face of Mr. Reade' $ tiresome
suspicious, to he sure,
On the following night there was a
high wind, which made the door which
stood always fastened back at the top
OF the Kitchen stairs rattle and creak
on Its hinges. At last l could bear this
last sound no longer. had been sit
ting up late over book, and knew that
the household must be asleep so slipDad
downstairs as softly as could. | had
got to the top Of the back staircase and
had my hand on the door, when saw
faint glimmer OF light coming along
The passage below. heard no sound.
Grew back quickly, SO quickly that
my candle went out; and then I
waited, with my heart beating
last, not 50 much to see who
1t was, rs because | did not
dare to move. The faint light came
along swiftly, and l could see that it
was shaded lantern, and could lust
distinguish the form of man carrying
it. For the next few moments [ scarce-
" dared to breathe, and l could al
most have given q cry OF Joy when, by
some movement of the head, I recoG-
hlzed Mr. RaynIr. He did not see me;
ne put the key in the lock, turned it, {
took the key out, went through and
locked it after him so quickly and so
entirely without noise that moment |
ifterWaIt l could almost have thought i
hat l Fad imagined the dim scene. It
lad been SO utterly without sound that. [
+ my eyes had been closed, 1 should
nave known nothing about it. l made S
he door secure with trembling fin GERS, I
md went back to my room. again, not c
only profoundly sorry that Mr.. Reade's V
'urmise was correction l could no &
onger doubt that Mr.. Rayner did sleep
'ver the stables-but impressed with
IN eerie dread of tho man who could q
move about In the night as noiselessly s
md swiftly as 9 spirit. o
When awoke, however, in the "
resi- morning, with the wind gone a
lown, and the sun shining in through fl
ny east window, all unpleasant inn fl
'ressions of the night before had faded C
way; and, when Mr.. Raynor brought n
nto the drawing-room after dinner is
ortfoiio full of his sketches and G
anels, and was delighted with my APP h
recitation of them-I knew something
bout pictures. for my father had been b.
painter felt that it was not for mo
D Judge his actions, and that there G
must be some good motive that did
ct know for his sleeping far out of
he damp, as for every thing else that vi
@ did. He proposed to paint me. and th
gave him a sitting that very after fo
Don in the dining-room, which had a q
orth light though there was not B
luch of it; and he said that he must "