Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-10-28
The Sandycroft Mystery.
BY t. w. sPEIGHT.
CHAPTER /.
In the Clock Tower

his living room, smoklng-room ana IL
brary in one and was ga ing with
moody air. which brought his brows
together in frown, on an unfinished
picture stretched on an easel little
distance in front of him. The picture
was intended to illustrate passage
in Rogers 'dinevra where the
young lady of that name having fed
from the pursuit OF her bridegroom.
has just lifted the lid of the fatal
chest in which she Is about to hide.
and is pausing for moment with an
upllfted finger. an eager half-wlstful
smile playing around her lips. and the
air OF one who is listening intently.
The face-and a charming face it was
merely lacked few final touches
but as yet the figure and the accesso-
ries were only partially painted in.
Ill it were to save my life l couldn't
paint stroke TO day that / shouldn't
feel compelled to pant out to-mor-
row" muttered Roden Bosworlh.
..But surely she will hardly care TO
sit to me this morning knowing as she
does that few hours hence he will
be here-but not knowing what it is
that he will have to say TO her. And
yet what can he have to say that will
afford her one CLEAN of happiness
Doubtless his wife has accompanied
him to England. but he will hardly
have the eIrontery to bring her to
Sandycroit
lie started to his feet. His quick
I eaas had heard footstep on thu stairs.
He snatched up a palette and brush,
as though to hide the fact that he had
been doing nothing. and then strobe
across the room and flung open the
door A moment later the original OF
the unfinished picture entered the
room.
II have come to tell you that l
shall not be able 10 sit to YOU this
morn ng" she said. speaking with
the 81 ghtest possible tremor of the
under lip. which with Enna,Penleath
was sign OF strong inward emotion.
But Captain Darvill will be there. "
IN eed that make any rerence"
Then. after a pause; Il wish it."
kOden inclined his head. In that
case"-he said. and his eyes met hers.
Besides resumed Miss Penleath.
Its lvors last evening with us for
goodness knows how long time.
Il thought your brother was not to
start till tomorrow.
lit seems that Lord Senlac made
some mistake as to the time. In any
case my brother and he leave Broom
Hill Station for Liverpool by the 9
o'clo k train this evening. And now
/ must not stay another moment.
NEXT time | see Ia Signorina Ginevra
hope she will look IA little more pre-
sentable than she does at present"
Ought you not rather call her la
Signora Ginevra? 1t was on her we'd
ding day. after the marriage feast that
she disappeared
! 'On her wedding day! had for
gotten that Poor girl what a fate
was hers! And yet-who can tell?-
she was perhaps saved from something
infinitely worse
He ut the door rs soon as the
sound OF her footsteps had died away.
and went back to his chair. She will
never sit to me again; | feel it
know it " he exclaimed. with concen-
trated bitterness. Our happy days
are at an end-happy. at least for
me- although | knew all along that |
was living in a FOOLS paradise, and
that Icarus-like, the closer | scared
TO the sun the more sudden and sharp
must my downfall be- With the COM
ing OF this man everything will be
changed" He rose and began to put
away his colors and brushes. What
will Darvill say to her when they
meet? Can he be aware that his viii
lainy is known 10 her? With what
arguments VIII he try 10 justify him
selfP AS If any justification OF his
conduct were possible. believe that
lvor would kill him without compunc-
ton il he knew what | know. Look
at the affair how i will it S all hor-
rible tangle. out OF which there seems
no loophole of escape"
Roden Bosworth was twenty-six
years old. He was q tall wiry ra,h-
err long-limbed young man, with long
ish- regular features and face that
would have looked too thin for his
years had not his cheeks possessed the
fullness of perfect health. He had
fine eyes. in color a clear hazel
shaded by heavy. boldly arched brows
There was something at once gay and
fearless-one might almost call it un
tamed-in the way he looked at lie
and such Of its shifting shows as came
within the range OF his experience.
Michael Bosworth. RodeE's father.
had been bailif and general factotum
at Sandycroft in old Squire Bernage
time. 1t was his misfortune to be nc
cidentally shot by Colonel-at that
time Captain-Berhage the squire's
second son. After lingering a few
weeks he died. To the young soldier
the shock was terrible one. From
that time forward he never took CUR
in his HANDS for the purposes OF sport
About two years before his death
Michael Boswo til had marie ed Mis-
Esther Gilmore, who at the time wa:
filling the post OF companion TO Miss
Bernage the squire's only daughter.
. After her husbands death Mrs. Bos-
worth and her child went to live in 9
: cottage at Crosby-le Sands on the