The Forrest City times., 1891-09-11

ture back to this melancholy spot. Joe cast the light of tho lantern round the gloomy building.
 .'lt looks gruesome place, miss, :" he observed at last.
 "It is dreadful place, think" TO- turned Lena, "but it will shelter us from observation and the weather, and give me an opportunity of thinking what had better do next"
 "Yes, miss, so it will; and, if Mir. Peregrine comes here, why. out we go and catch him before he can got to the house. He may come yet, my time is now half after ten. We'll give him another hour, shall us?"
 MT. Topping looked from his watch to Lena's pale anxious face, and she said wearily--
 lies. we will wait"
 On the evening of the day Clifford Penegrine left Abbotsford in search of Lena he found himself approaching the Mill House. As he walked along the road the sun was sinking in the west like ball of fire set in deep pur- pie clouds; there was lurid belt on the edge Of the horizon betokening rough weather; and where the sea met the skyline it was very black and ominous-looking, although overhead the sky was a deep blue.
 Clifford slowly ascended the rough uneven road, and drew very near to the house. He paused several times, for the ascent tried hisstrength, and he felt his weakness in his hour of need. If Lena would only come to a window or step outside he would speak to her and pursuade her to trust him-to return with him to The Blackthorn" and be his wife. But he could see no Surely Madam Dumaslue had not left the house and carried Lena with her! The thought almost paralyzed his ef forts; but he struggled manfully against his weakness, and walked quietly up to the house in full view of the windows. He stopped under maple tree and glanced at the upper rooms, every window of which ap- peared in perfect order. AS he drew his eyes to the ground floor he inVoi untarily drew back out of sight; for the drawing-roo window was open. and near it sat Madam Dumasue, ap- parently writing, and so engrossed in her occupation that she had not heard the sound of his sootsteps He ven tured 10 draw nearer. hoping to dis cover Lena in her room. and to attract her attention; so he waited, feel ng secure in the knowledge that Judith was not there to recognize him. Still Madam Dumasque seemed intont on her writing
 The sun had now disappeared, and the gray twilight was made still da k CT by storm-clouds; grasshoppers chirped among the whea birds twittered plaintively; the wind rose and swept through the branches of the map.e. and a great moth flow in through the open window and settled upon the paper in front of Madame Dumasque. Clifford watched the in. sect and wondered how it was that the writer permitted it to remain upon the paper, and he at once became eagor to understand the mystery. He drew close to the window, put his hands upon the sill, leaned over into the room, and, looking at the white hands of the writer. found they re- mained fixed; the gold ean made no mark. the ink in the silver inks and remained untouched. The woman's face was partially turned fir, m him, as if i'll thought; not a muscle of her body moved. Iliiford forgot his bodily weakness; he crept in through the open window among the plants, and, standing in the room. obtained a full view of her face. The sight chilled his heart he gently placed his hand upon one of hers. and its icy co dness told him the awful truth Sitting there alone, in her rich dress, Madame Dumas tue was deadi
 Gro BE CoNTINUED.)