The Progress., 1892-08-06

'Oh, he must know nothing of it,
she exclaimed, with gesture Of vehc-
ment dissent. "Ile would betray it.
You don't know how-what n power
that villain has over him Slurk treats
him like a child when they are alone.
No. Tom, we must do it all ourselves. OI
it will fail. Only when it is done will
dear papa get back his courage"
knew more about how Mr.. Birch
more was treated by his valet in private
than Kate was aware: but made no
allusion to this. The more | reflected
upon the enterprise, the more inclined
was to assent - it. 1t WAS wild. fan
tastic, unconventional, but it had i'm
portant practical merits nevertheless.
Moreover. it possessed the powerful
recommendation (as deam3I it) of al
lowing for Il fair man II nun struggle
betweek Slurk and myself. | WAS to
overpower him by main strength; and
from what had observed Of the fellow
| fancied he would be able to make just
resistance enough to save my self re-
spect. On the other hand, he might be
able to do more than this: ana IT the
worst came to the worst of course ]
might be compelled to MAIN him with
my revolver. But altogether the pros
pect 'kindleI my imagination, | WAS
stimulated oy the thought OF distin-
gushing myself by my personal prowcss
before my mistress eyes, in conflict with
her dastardiy oppressor And as looked
at her standing there before me, 50 love
Is and full OF courageous fire, said TO
myself that no knight of yOre ever did
battle in the lists for Il worthier lady
love.
However, | realized that this was
neither the place nor the hour 10 enter
upon detailed discussion of our plans.
Every moment that Kate remained with
me increased her peril, especially If, as
she seemed to think WAS the case, Slurk
had dispatched her hither. AS to his mo-
tive in SO doing had no difficulty in
forming an opinion. There was little
doubt that he meant TO use her rs IN un-
conscious cats pdw to steal the dia-
monds. rs before to purloin the papers
compromising her father Had | been
asleep the device could hardly have
failed of success Bat rs Kate seemed
herself not to suspect the real nature of
her involuntary errand | would not ad-
ditionally distress her by alluding to it;
it was enough that it furnished me with
a sufficient pretext, had others been
wanting. for inf!icting chastisenent on
the valet.
Kate said in answer to my inquiry as
to the proposed time of our starting on
the picnic expedition the next day that
it would probably be about eleven in the
forenoon: we would, therefore, have
ample time to settle the particulars of
our scheme before the hour of action ar
rived. At parting she clurg to me with
peculiar tenderness: nor had ever loved
l-er SO well as at that moment. when
looked forward to liberating her forever
from the evil spell that had been blight
ing her Young life.
After she had gone had the curiosity
to examine the bolt on the door. The
explanation of its mysterious opening
proved simple enough. The screws
whereby the socket of the bolt had been
fastened to the door frame hal been re-
move,.. and the holes so enlarged that
they could be slipped in and out without
difficulty. Socket and screws had then
been replaced, so that the bolt could be
shot as readily as before. Bat the securi-
ty was only an illusion, for, the latch
being turned, n slight push would bring
away the socket and screws attached to
the bolt. and thus the supposed means
ST safety he ingeniously used to disguise
the real absence thereof.
CHAPTER VIII.