New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-16

with the coin would be still more welcome
| You cannot eat your cake and have H. ?o ;s
| man, | retorted And We played game vi my
| up, ard then went to dress for dinner.
| never felt any doubt myself OF the success o!
Devcs's suit. If had, a glance at Da3o, ooui III
would have removed it, The Court, QUAINT az al
times and beautiful in summer, formed 1liee
sides of hollow square n great s'olle 1 ''
latticcd, so to speak, by VIDE muinoheu "si
formed the principal side; and this tiinc ana
lcheu, had nclloWcd TO a deep orange UNI Inc
wings were of still older date They ran PACK ,
from the front at right angcs-lohg many ~, s"pl1 I
| buildings of brick and timber masked by rouSh-
cast and yelled by wcstcrias. Like al houses
built in this shape, the Court was ramDhhS PIE
1t was days Journey from one ehd TO inc s otici'
ON the ground floor "a SHE L. long passage, follow
ing the exterior lines of the building. sllnpllcd
matters for the stranger, but above ne mao no
such assistance. There were at least SIN STAR,
cases The rooms were on as many levels anu
often the only way TO reach a ncNt-door nclshoor
was TO 90 downstairs and ascend another corkscrcW
| nieht past fresh series of BagotS, VINO seemed
by the faint Z lean OF the candie 10 DC sinii i"'5
DrKcs and / were more lucky. We occupied
rooms adjoining one another III the west Wiz;
with tiny dark staircase, most suggestive vi
midnight murder, all to ourselves AhoNc us
slept some Of the servants. lndernca'h was ,ilc
billiard-room, one of the hardsomest rooms III Vl1
house lined with booSsheivcs. and well warmed
on winter nights by great open fireplace, nahNeu
by oak settles.
As law in bed that night heard something n
crisp sharp sound, as easily recognized by an cd,
ucated ear as any. Ii the click OF one plliaiu
ball striking another ] fancy must have lain
some time listening 10 1t. experiencing wna s, II
was but not the time and place, uhtii AT iis' l
grew less drowsy. and began 10 put one ana one
together Then started up III bed, rchcmpr'iIns
that it must he o'clock at least that an 'he
men had come TO bed AT the same time WIN my
self: and that therefore this sound needed eA-
PLANTATION. $500 - .ho
Could it be merely the echo in my ears OF the
DAVIS play? No Click, click. it came, at reg
ular intervals There could be 10 d9unt some
one in this still house. wrapped in slumbcr tins
house in which early hours were KEPT was Pi"at
ing billiards at . in the morning. Ana mao put
ont the blliard-room lights with my own manu-
TWO hours before. at least and seen every one
start to bed. .,.h. "Uo
cannot Sleep and has gone downstairs. But wal
ton will not like il. ~
Getting ont of bed. ] put on arcSS', IT, Ioor
was unlocked. The room was in darkness. puu !
heard him breathing, made my way TO him. ana
@IIaiio he cried, grasping me, who is it p"
al Brett Do not make noise, whispered
There is something wrong downsars-somcthng
Very queer al any rate made ai,a INN ha .se" i"'
Al right he said brskly lighting his candle
and getting up 1T is Linrard. for sovereign.
We will 20 down and give him n fright
lie sleeps in the other wing" objected :.
well. at any rate we will 90 and see VINO ~
is" replied the young fellow. thoroughly w,uG
awake now. And accordingly we silently opened
the door. and with guarded llEht apiece crcpl
down the narrow staircase which had lis foot
within few PAGES of the blard-room door
Phcueh, | nearly dropped the candle. Some
one swiftly and silently scuddcd 10y me. woman
il seemed 10 be- coming from the biard-room
door: a woman startled by our approach. Who
was it, Bagot ." whispered; for All had seen was
a tall form in blue robe. Who was IT, Ola
man"
Dclvcs did not answer. lie was standing saz-
inc down the now empty passage which led through
the main building 10 The far wing. as if he thought
by long looking he could conlnW back the appaIl-
ton or whatever il was When ! repeated my
question he looked blankly at me. then dropi"d
his eyes. do not know who il was, he nut
tered, speaking in a way unusual with him. let
who is here. 81
What the dickens is up" said ncryously.
as he graspcd the handle Of the door. What is
it, do You think .?
The start which the woman had given me had
shaken my nerves. and as for Bagot. his manner
had changed strangely lie no longer seemed 70
look on the affair lark and our share IN II as
answered. WHO? The devil knows. But we
will soon see - and he flung the door wide open
| went in behind him
Well had not looked for this Leaning over
the table in the full glare Of tho lights was
Scf'ons man. Ills face. scared out Of all hand
soreness, pccrcd AT MS over ms shoulder. 'hc
thud-it shook-rcSted on the extended cue. "A
ball even while stood AZ gaze. Sid with soft
thud-audiblc in the silcnce-thc dead silence OF
the place-into a pocket The mans jaw fell.
Nv first impulse was 70 laugh. but checked IL.
In tie bright, quiet room | felt sudden presence
as Of thunder in the air. Perhaps the mans
terror struck me as strange perhaps Bacots dumb
ness. he, usually 50 frank and ready Of speech.
a first favoritc with the servants and never with
ont a merry word for them. stood tonguc-tied
now. dcvouring the intcrlopcr with his eyes. II
WAS | who spoke first. who moved first Fred
] said. putting on oil the stcrnnc,s could. what
is the meaning Of this? Will YOU explain, if you
please -
Pah, The fellow frightened. he slut.
tered an inartculatc something: then recovered
his voice and fell Ia abject cntrcatics. He had
come down TO use the table. lie was fond OF the
game. He could not play in the day. He would
not do il again. if we would overlook 1t, ana not
report him 10 Mr.. Walton.
IL struck me that his fear exceeded the occasion.
But when turned and saw Bagot's freezing face,
WHY. Bagot,8 | said, thinking hc was ill., for
he was the last person to take an cscapadc Of thls
kind seriously, what is the
He did not Jet me finish He shocked and as
faced The servant "You lie he exclaimed. adj
dressing him in "A voice trembling with passion.
while he stretched out one hand as II he would
grasp and shake him. "iou lie man. You have
not come down 10 use the table You have not
come down 10 play. You have come down to
To- He broke off chokcd by his anger For
q moment he earcd round wildly. Then eNclaim-
ing. 81 cannot say il cannot say il! Nou
villain" lie turned and absolutely ran from the
room.
For me. was dazcd. | was still looking from
him 10 the servant in neNpcsslbc wonder, when
hurried after him. in alarm, and some anger and
more confusion. and heard him stumble up the
narrow stairs like one blind. But when reached
the landing at the top he had locked his door be
hind him.
To go down 10 the llard-roon-and find it
dar, and the vanishcd-this was my first I'M
pulse. Then | went TO my own room and sat on
The bed and pinchcd my arm What had
passed must hc dream. The short interview.
Dcvcs's passion. the yalet's fear, had left the
imperfect Impressions of Il dream. But no. the
pinch bit home. and | sat erect listening until
| was sure that all quiet next door. This |
did more than once, and 50 hung between troubled
sleep and waking until morning. When finally
opened my eyes I,agot at my bedside.
Brett" he began. abruptly. as though he were
afraid 10 let the resolution he had taken stand
the test Of an instants delay. have made up
nv mind 10 tell You. must tell some one, or
Shall 10 mad
IF can do anything 10 help you. said. much
concerned for him. 90 on, my dear boy.
" Aon cannOt. No one can' he rcplicd in n