Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-01-14
CRUEL
=AS-
THE CRAVE,
The Secret Of DUnPaYen
Castle.
BY ANNIE ASHMORE,
Author of''Faithnul Margaret" Etc. Etc
CHAPrER xI-lContlnne..,

ton CELL N urn urea ne lie mas IOuI1u
il after all
A sudden panic seized him; he bound
ed up the bank, leaning his hand upon
the boWlder as he passed-the bowldeF
rocked upon its pivot lie did not stop
until he was deep in the thicket, out OF
sight of the horrible place; there he
threw himself upon the ground and
buried his head his hands, his pulses
laundering and his breath laboring.
ale is dead by this time," he groaned;
at must have been a shaft, he disap-
Deared so quickly-no cry, no groan- lie
is gone; my enemy is gone." He grow
eled still lower on the ground, and
pressed his hands closer over his ears.
A struggle ragged in his soul.
The man Who could ruin him, the man
who meant TO win Viva, was dead, or
dying. He had only TO let him alone,
and he would be as secure in his place
Viva would be as much the delight OF
his life as before the fatal stranger came
TO Dunraveu.
But stay. what demOn-dream is this?
Is he about TO become 4 murderer? Has
he not endured enough remorse anc self
disgust for his past treachery, that he
should plunge into deeper crime?
And yet-why ca I IL murder? What
had he 10 do with it? The man stepped
back OF himself-he did not so much as
lay a finger on him. lie must be dead
long ere this and II not?
Thus the powers of light and darkness
warred within him. but John SircOmbe
could not live for FIVE long years in sight
of the innocent woman he had helped to
betray, without deteriOrating so far
that evil was stronger than good in his
soul
He crouehed in the thicket in murder
Gus inactlon, knowing all the time that
Edgar might still be alive, and only
wanting help 10 come forth; perhaps
unhurt-
As that idea struck him he sprang up
in guilty fear and ran back TO the place
As he came in sight Of the boulder he
remembered how it had oscillated on its
pivot under his hand.
He stole near the matted screen OF
honey-suckle and wild-brier, he listened
breathlessly- heard neither moan
nor cry. Leaf by leaf, turf BY turf he
parted the tangled net work and peered
into the Orihce 1t was natural cleft
in the rock. and cunning bra ms had
taken advantage OF il To make the out
let to the dungeon of the southern bas-
ton. lie saw the ruins Of a winding
stairway, which seemed to lead into the
bowels Of the earth \ vault-like breath
came up from unknown depths
SircOmbe drew back trembling, and
stumbled up the bank behind the boulder
which had oscillated- He examined it
on every side, and measured its weight
and pOise with his eve. IL rested upon
the apex of n smaller rock which was
firmly tmbedded IN the earth, at a GER
tain elevation from the oritiee.
4 believe they used this boulder 70
block the entrancei" muttered Sircombe
He glided back to the pathway and
looked and listened intently. Nothing
but the low sigh Of the rising wind
through the trees, and the rising muir
muir of the waves
Back he sped to his evil task then.
He laid his hands upon the boulder and
with all his gathered strength pushed
against it 1t ylelded-it rolled from its
pivot, swayed a moment on the verge,
then plunged down with hollow rever-
berations, and socketed itself in the
Orihce as if IL had been created for the
purpose. A few crushed pebbles round
the rock, plOughed up ira k in the
moss, that was all the trace that was
left of the demoniac deed SircCmbe
anxiously went about restoring every
thing to its normal appearance; gath
cred up the fur wraps which had been
dropped in the heat OF the argument
and fed from the accursed spot
His whole care was now to protect
himself from suspicion by providing
reasonable evidence that Edgar had left
the Isl q. He therefore sped down TO the
shore, to the secluded little rocky haveT
where Ulva's skin was mOored; tn eW
the furs into the boat and carefully
guided il to the entrance of the haven
Here he arranged the oars in the row
locks, then he gave the Loaf one power
full drive with hand and foot which sen
it flying among the small, chopping
coast waves. and of it Orifted on the
current and out OF sight
Then ne fastened up the rockpath
and met kenm re half way
A bitter and morOse man was Ken
more ut that moment for he was en-
gaging in a plot that his own clean con
science called nefariOus; and though too
stubborn TO draw back, he liked Mr.
SircOmbe, his abeJtOr in the scheme
less than ever for his cooperation.
He was laden with the boat cushion.
and other comforts some OF them more
suggestive of a voyage to Scotland thar
a row round the island Mr. SircombS
said quietly: There's no hurry-walI
slowly that may catch You; I am goine
ba k for something he forgot. He /:
down by the boat and willing to go fol
an extended row but your gloomy face
might suggest mischief and l do noi
wish him to be startled. Besides, al
these traps look very unlike an hour'i
row
Kenmore eyed the ground sourly; h
was troubled and angry; he had fancieS
that he would be glad Of any Ohance Z
get rid Of fair 90 ava's fatal guest In
quiet way. and had eagerly jumped q
Sircombe's proposition TO do it tina
afternoon; but now that he was actually
engaged in this elandestine business
with the much-deDised director for al
accomplish he felt like a sneak
Il dinna like it. Mr. SircOmbe
growled he with look askance, ~,
rather kill the man than cheat him.
Gamma bide cheaterie. And he threw
down his lead on the ground and locke,
SircOmbe straight in the face
Sircombe's stiff features attempted
frown, but they " re not under his con
troll just then; he looked what he felt
indifferent, and kenmore was as
toni he'd
you may do as you .hoose, of course,
said Mr. Sircombe; -but If you hal
heard as I did the Englishman bold
telling his love to your masters daugh
ter, you would think the time had com
to act
%Ayl he has dsured to do lt?S ez
claimed the old man fereeiy, all hi
scruples vanishing, ~then he has lOke
hislast word TO her. He caught I'D hi
load once more and strobe on, onl
grunting in a acknowledgement Of Sir
combe's parting warning,
~Wait Tor me, mind; don't go near hiI
byyo .rself
When sircombe reached the tower b
contrived to be seen by Viva, to whoI
he explained that he had returned fC
something for Mr.. Edgar but that KeI
mCye was with him. Viva drew his 81
tention TO the threatening sky, and sul
gested that they should give uD Ii
excurs on for that day.
shall. give him your message sal
Sir ombe.