Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-02-25
The House on the Marsh;
THE MYSTERY OF THE ALDERS.
pY FLORENCE WARDEN.

can have game of backgammon. Do you care for back gammon?' MT. Maynard having declared that he did, Mr. Rayner asked me if could 20 into the drawing-room and hunt out "La Traviata' and Moore's "Irish Melodies" l went obediently, and was on my knees turning over the great piles of music that stood there when he came in softly and shut the door. Be fore knew he was near I felt some thing passed round my neck and heard the snap of clasp behind. l put up startled. MT. Rayner. bright and smiling. drew my hand through his arm and led me to a looking-glass. Flashing and sparkling round my throat was a necklace of red jewels that dazAlrd mo by their beauty.
 Don't keep my promise? said would bring you some garnets. Do tLcv please youP'
 But they did not at all, after what Laurence had said; the magnificent present filled me with terror. l put up both hands, torc them of, and flung them down with trembling fingers, and then stood. panting with fright at my own daring, wondering what he would do to me.
 He did nothing. After looking at mo for what seemed to me long time, without tine least slgn of displeasure he picked up the neck ace, slipped it into his pocket and stid, quite gently:
 That is very pretty spirit, but is rather mgrAteGul isn't it9 Never mind; you shall make amends for it by and by. Now will you go and help Mrs. fn t.,ri., 1Cnv.nvad friend? You shall come back and fetch me at nine o'clock. Run along now. my dear"
 He gave mo a gentle little tap of dis : missal, and, rather crestfallen, re- turned to the dining-room. But neither my entertaining powers nor Mrs. Kay ncrs were called into play; for Mir. 1 Maynard was already rather drow>y, and .lfio- slnopily muttering "BraVo- very good!" as Ihe last sounds of Schu- , bert "Adiru' died away on MT. Ray ncr's violin. heard the regular breath= ing of a sleeping person from the arn- chair where he was sitting. But 1 wus paying little attention to him. The door being shut had gone closer and closer to it, as if drawn by an irresist- ible fascination. as Mir Rayner seemed to play tho "Adieu' as he mad never played it before. Every note seemed to vvibratc ill my own heart. When the last notes of the "Adieu' had died away, I listened for the next melody eagerly, and was struck with chilly sense of disappointment as an air from "Rigolctto" followed.
 It was not thHt 1 did not care for that opera, but q certain hardness o1 touch, which struck mo at once as be- ing unlike the rich full tones Mir. Kay ner generally drew from his loved viu lin, grated upon my ear and puzZlel me- My glance stole to Mrs. Rayncr and I could see that she also was strucl by the curious change of style in he, husband s playing. It was IS brillian as ever; the execution of one of the diff ticult passages Ill the arrangement o ..Martha" was clever, more perfcc than usual; but the soul was not there and no brilliancy of shake or cadenz could repay ono for tho loss. 1t di
 not sound like the playing of the sam
 man, and my interest in the musi
 gradually died away; and. after watch ing Mrs, Rayner curiously for som
 minutes and noting the intentncss wit
 which, sitting upright in her chair, sh was listening 10 the violin, and at tn
 same time keeping her eyes fixed Upo
 S> d up to my own agitated thoughts. Wha d was going on at the hall nowp Woul
 the constablcs catch Tom Parkes, an
 would Gordon prove to be mixed up l
 it? I hoped they would capture tn
 unknown James Woodfall, who mu,
 be desperate criminal from the cage
 ness with which tho police had snatcl '. ed at the possibility of capturing hin 2, Poor Tom Parkes was probably only e tool in the hands of this monster. An r. then fell to thinking sadly of the d. ,s ception Mir. Rayn6r had practiced 0 n me, and Mrs. Rayncr's warning can 'r to my mind. But it still seemed ;
 though there must be some cyplanatic
 which would cxoncrate NIT. Rayn
 from intentional wrong doing. Or '. does not quickly lose confidence in
 friend who had been so kind as he hs
 been to me. But when l realized u
 nature and strength of the eviden = against him my tears fell fast. Su
 denly the silence in the house w K broken by a how from Nap, Mir. Ra ,n "t ner's retriever, who was chained to o kennel outside.
 Mrs. Rayner started. Still Maynal
 slumbered I looked at the clock; was seven minutes to nine. Anoth
 
 lowed by loud and furious barkin "a We two women sat staring at ca " other, without word. Iwould ha
 spoken; but Mrs. Rayner glanced ,,t the sleeping detective and put her ling $ to her lips. Still the sounds of t violin came to us from the drawi room without Interruption.
 When nine o'clock struck, jump
 up much relieved, opened and shut t - door softly, crossed the hall. and turn
 the handle of the drawing room do'
 It was locked. 1 tapped, but there W
 no answer. He was playinga a brillia
 concerto, and I supposed he had I [ heard me. 1 knocked again and sa . softly:
 MT. Rayner, it is nine o'clock, y
 told mo to come at nine.
 1t was no use to stand there knot inr so I went into the SchOOl-rOOn.