The record-union., 1891-03-15

are traces. come, 10llOW me. we Will
catch her ladyship yet. Quick, quicker"
seeing the traces of blood and thinking
the beast wounded, banished all their
fears except large woman-Mollie, /
think, Miss LOngnus called her-who
kept up a frightened howl every couple
OF minutes. He traced the blood stain,
which led in the direction of the east
wing and near the edge of the graveled
walk, where the rhododendrons grew high
and dense, they Were now pressed apart,
trampled and broken, disclosing the path
through which this monsters feet had
dragged its heavy, bleeding body, evil
IDENTIFY seeking concealment in the vicin-
ity of the court walls; but how or where
zeal Its huge size was mystery.
Miss Longnus stood trembling with
fear-or cold-in the rightimoonIight, a
light wOrSted shawl thrown over her head
and shoulders, Spanish fashion, while
DHerbelot, with the torch, held high
above his head-which east grotesque
figures upon the gray stone walls wherein
the tall trees threw fantastic shadows
stood peering around. The men and
maid servants were still following, but
now keeping at greater diStance-evi-
IDENTIFY with their former fear returning
In dead silence, only broken by the chat
tering of Mollie's teeth, as she held fran
Suddenly D'Herbelot lowered his torch
"What is this? Stairs?''
YES" said Sir Lional, these are un-
used stairs which lead to Miss Tarrants
rooms.n
D'Herbelot stopped and beckoned me
forward. Sir Iional was beside me.
See," briefly was what he said; and
upon the jagged stone steps were bright,
red splashes of blood. Trembling, we
looked in each others faces.
"Sir Lional," said D'Herbelot, ''no
doubt this thing is in concealment at the
top. Will you follow me? You and Ros-
sitter. The servants and Miss Longnus
may remain below"
We both promised to follow him, and
together we mounted the solid moss
grown stairway, expecting to be soon
confronted by a desperate, pain-mad-
dened animal
D'Herbelot reached thetop and stopped
1t was quite empty. Not trace of-yes,
there were large pools of blood The
we found nothing to reward us for our
trouble.
"Will you permit us to search these
rooms, Sir Lional?"
Nonsense. nonsense" replied our host
impatiently. ''It is impossible for any
animal to gain an ingress to those rooms.
This door has not been unlocked nor
opened for ages. My dear sir it is quite
absurd to imagine such thing. The an
imal, or whatever it was, has escaped
down the stairs again. After all, it may
have only been rabbit which you shot. -
"Sir Lional," responded D'Herbelots
grayely, this thing has, I will vouch
with my life, found concealment in those
rooms within. Not that l wish to inter-
fere in which concerns me nothing, but
for the safety of all these people, your
wife and children's lives included, this
should be investigated. I should imag-
inc Miss Tarrant would only be too will
ing to render all the assistance in her
power by allowing us to search these
rooms"
His words seemed to influence Sir Lio-
nal.
"Well,'' said he, II shall request Miss
| Tarrant's permission. If it is granted
you may search to your hearts content.
But, remember, do not wish; her fright
ened nor annoyed in any way whatever
prophecy TIE young HSi lady ldHsRahIiy; MiIi surely
have the good sense to know that what
is done is only for her own good.'
But Miss farrant wasi, very "es gfhhll'eni H. in
bed, caused by the nighcs fright and ex-
element, SO explained the ayah, pulling
the bed, more closely together, and hold
ing themefrom the floor, so that we could
glance underneath, and, meanwhile.
keeping her mistress jealously hid from
vulgar prying eyes.
We searched faithfully every nook and
corner Of the spacious rooms--even TAX
ing. the leopard skin from the floor and
D'Herbelot started forward
WHAT is this?" he asked, pointing to-
wards it. I looked, and, directly in the
center. was large, red blotch. He
stopped and laid his hand upon it.
ut is wet. 1t is blood, see," holding
| his hand, palm upwards, stained with
crimson blood.
He looked inquiringly at the old wo-
man who stood regarding us with a
dogged expression in her eyes, but now
she instantly held up her left hand show
ing a cash across the wrist, from which
the blood was flowing in a stream.
my hand" she answered i'll her broken
English, "cut, see.''
STRANGE" unused D'Herbelot. ST
could take my oath your hand was un-
harmed moment ago. How did it hap
pen?"
She nodded towards a glass pitcher
broken and scattered in dozen pieces
upon table near by.
We prepared to depart. puzzled and as
much mystifed as when we entered.
'sIf she had dog, wolf or leopard con-
cealed, we would surely find it,'' said,
''for we have searched everywhere"
DHerbelot regarded me moment with
dry look.
mo, not everywhere, Rossiter, you for
get, The most important place was for
hidden u.s."
'sAnd that was?" asked.
''The bed"
started, as the probability struck me
fOrcibly for the first time
Don't you see?" he asked.
/ nodded in the affirmative.
You mark my word, it is a clever ruse
to conceal a secret"
And that evening he again branched
off regarding his pet ttheory-hypnotism
CHAPTER vi,
The next morning D'Herbelot puzzled
me more than ever with his dark hints
regarding Miss Tarrant.
To-day go from here. All, Rossiter.
human understanding may develop in
wholly unforeseen ways, and the possible
NJ vn6 yvrrrn III -.