The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-07-10

Is suuuenly IIJeu out OF q very aWkWal
Q situation.
r The judge read the bankers letter ov
again with great deliberation, and appa
emily with much concentration of mini
= while Coleman, who could not remoN
} his eyes from his fascinating dark fac,
stood waiting for the opportunity to say
You do me infinite honor, judge,
quartering me in your own house. | ha
not expected, and could not expect sue
! hospitality"
The judge hesitated; then with a calr
smile remarked that whatever he cOult
do for so distinguished visitor wouli
be but a small expression of the create
hospitality that he would like to bestoy
were he able.
And now," he presently continued
come with me to my own private apart
ments, where we can have some quie
conversation and smoke"
Coleman could not fail TO see that thu
judge was still somewhat touched will
wine, though the mood of wild hilarity
had passed off.
They passed along the street until they
reached a anarrow blind alley, into which
the moonlight fell but dimly between
dusky walls.
/ ~ OpANAhiA DlloCs tAlC JuuEO lNA
the way into this, then up a flight OF
winding and rather rickety stairs to {
dark hall, along which they passed fol
what seemed a great distance. Attic
end the judge fumbled for some time
and by some means opened low, heavy
door giving into room that treeked witt
the odor of tobacco and the fumes Of
wine. Passing across this by the ligh
of dim dOrmer window they reached {
close passageway which led them to an
other prison-like door, which the judge
managed to open after a great deal Of
trouble. The room that they now en-
tered was exceedingly small, a mere eel
in extent, as Coleman felt rather thar
saw; the walls, damp and grimy, being
almost within reach on either hand.
"Stand here for one moment, please,
said the judge, touching Coleman's arm
until call servant"
Then he stepped bnskly back through
the doorway and drew the solid shutter
to with a hollow clang. Some strange
echoes went wandering away as if from
distance to distance, above, below
around, followed by absolute silence. A
faint flicker of light came from above
but it seemed a reflection rather than 8
direct beam from the moon, and the all
was close, heavy, atrociously bad.
Coleman stood amazed for q few mo
ments before going to the door, which
he found immovable He CROPPED
around the wall only to discover thai
there was no other outlet.
CHAPTER III.
Judge Favart de Caumartin's residence
was a large, rambling structure, more
like hotel than like private house
Considering that his wife was dead and
that he had but one living child, daugh.
ter of seventeen, it was strange that he
kept up such an extensive establishment
in which perhaps twenty rooms stood
richly furnished but unoccupied. 1t was
his pleasure, however, and his pleasure
was law.
Mile Olympic de Caumartin was great.
| ly surprised when by merest chance she
discovered Hepworth Coleman making
himself quite at home in remote room
of the house. We have seen how She
showed her confusion as she stepped into
the doorway and found herself face tC
face with the young man. The glance
that passed between them wrought q
wonder in the heart of each. 1 shall moi
say that they fell in love at first sight
Love cannot be 80 accurately traced that
its origin can be exactly found out in any
particular case. 1t is enough to record
that Mile. Olympic dc Caumartin caught
something new, something sweet from
that momentary gaze and shut it up in
her heart involuntatily, with thrill that
never again quite left her breast. She
went back through halls and rooms to
her own boudoir, her cheeks and lips
rosy with excitement and gentle tremol
in her limbs.
That evening in the library the judge
told his daughter that he had given q
suite of rooms in the farthest wing OF
the mansion to wealthy young gentle
man from New York.
81 have had letters from my Mr.. Cart
wright, my banker there, asking me tC
take care of him, and this seemed the
best could do under the circumstances
| did not see my way to bringing him
any nearer to u.s. We don't care to have
another member added to the family, eh
Olympic, dear?"
Mile. de Caumartin blushed; she may
have felt touch of guilt because sht
could not muster courage to tell hel
father that she had already visited Mr.
Coleman.
81 have not seen him yet" continued
the Judge; II thought it best to let hin
have some rest before calling upon him
Cartwright advises me that he is of al
excellent family-a man to be given the
greatest attention, and for my bankers
sake, if for nothing else, must meet the
demand upon my hospitality. He came
fortnight earlier than b texpected, but
had Jules watching for him, and yoI
know Jules never falls
| ''But you should have told me before
father dear" said Mile. Olympic, ''only ;
while ago, while wandering through tht
distant wing of the house, invaded thii
young gentleman's apartment. 1t sur
prised him evidently as much as i
abashed me-"
"The obvious moral of which is re
piled the Judge quickly, that you arr
hereafter TO be more careful about wha
rooms you are tumbling into" AS HI
spoke his dark, oval face, with its fine
grave smile, was almost like a boys
| The flush that lay under the skin shOnt
through with the suggestion of some re
pressed stimulus, as If great passion
had forced it up. In his eyes an under
glow, so to call it, smouldered with fas
cinatiDg vagueness.
Mile. Olympic sat for moment ON hi
knee and strOked his long black hair.
'You will stay with me tonight, faith
er, DEAR" she presently murmured coax
Iingly; "you will not go out tonight"
III must be gone little while,n III
said, rising at once, "but just littl'
while"
She clung close to him.
mot this night, please she urged
with touching tremor in her voice
"Oh, you remember, this night yea
ago you had that dreadful adventure ii
the dark room. You must not go out
please, for my sake, do not"
An expert observer would have seei
while this was going on strange, half
worried, almost fiercely-concentrated ex
preston in the judges eyes. 1t was as i
he nightly wished to remain with hi
child, but could not by any effort resis
some powerful temptation tugging a
him and drawing him away.
He kissed her tenderly, pushed he
gently from him, and went out.
The girl cast herself upon q sofa an,
buried her face in her hands as a vision
of that night one year before came al
before her eyes.
Some strange masked men had brough
her father home far in the night, whit,
as a ghost, helpless, speechless, appar
emily dead. They put him down Their
in the room and vanished
He had no wound, no bruise, no mari
of any violence; but he recovered YER
slowly, and he never told what had be
fallen him.
Mile. Olympic knew Of her fathers fire.
auent dueis, and II he had been brough
in dead or badly of on account Of Dis
tol-ball or rapier-thrust, she would no
have been surprised beyond measure
but this mysterious performance Of tn
masked men aud the unaccountable con
dition of the Judge were taken hold nnnI