The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-15
CHAPTER ".
IN TIE WOOD OF HoUGH.

IN TIE WOOD OF HOUGH.
Midnight had passed an hour or more and
the earth was enveloped in the soft dark
ness and dreamy silence of an autumn night.
4 warm mist foated over the country side,
hiding the stars from mundane eyes and
making things below vague and indistiuct,
and not breath Of wind stirred the trees in
Hough wood.
The wood lay about three miles TO the
west Of Carsland hall, away beyond the
great sweep Of the swelling upland previ-
ously mentioned; and here it was that
Sydney elected to hide himself for the night
after his successful plundering of the safe.
He was lying now in the heart OF the
wood, his couch q thick bed of tall bracken,
his pillow the stout handbag Of leather
which contained the stolen jewels.
The spot he had chosen was an open space
surrounded by thick growth of trees and
bushes, and the wide patch Of fern among
which he lay was so dense and luxuriant
that no one could see him half dozen yards
away.
As he lay there he pondered on many
things. Ills chief thoughts were connected,
safe was forced open, the jewels, bank notes,
and cash, and himself missing, what course
could bis father pursuel
Would Sir Nicholas set the hounds OF the
law upon his track? He had 20 doubt his
brother would urge his father to place the
matter in the hands of detectives, but he
felt almost certain that the baronet would
decline to take that course. He calculated
that his father would neither attempt to
follow nor arrest him. Rather than face
the terrible scandal the publication OF his
theft would create, he would prefer to lose
the jewels and permit him to get clear
away.
And assuming that he was to be per-
mitted to escape scot free, what line of life
and action was be to follow in the futures
Was be to drift back to his old haunts old
acquaintances, old pleasures and old vices
His blood pulsed through his veins at that
thought, and pleasant visions arose before
his mental gaze. It would be worth much
TO 20 tack to the old Bohemiaus aud the old
reckless Bohemian existence, a new man
with thousands Of pounds at dis command.
He would be able TO repay with interest
those who had stood by him IN the days OF
his adverKity-would be able also to give
hack scorn for scorn, insult for insult.
stones in lieu Of bread to those ours who
had refused 10 heer and aid him when bis
soul was torn and bis spirit broken in the
blacklist days Of his degradation and pow
erty.
IL was a pleasant picture, and he dwelt
upon it for space with keen feelings of
enjoyment. But he was not q fool, what
ever else he might be. Full we'll he knew
what it would mean--what it would cost
him-to crafty his desires in that respect.
Once back in the old cha incl the current
would prove strong enough to carry him
along with it as before and escape would be
possible only when be was stranded high
and dry-penniless, hopeless, irrstrievably
wrecked.
NJ IL 49, n,
sist that The old past was dead aud
buried. The future must be something dif-
ferent.
Where should he go-America or Austria
lias In either continent the fates might
prove kind and bless him with success
What he already possessed might prove the
making of great fortune, and some day
he might come back to bis birthland a rich
and powerful-eren an honored member of
society.
Now that he forced himself to think
calmly and dlspassionstely he consderei
that the offense OF which he had been guilty
was Of a venial kind. Who had stronger
claim. morally, to bis dead mothers jewelrv
than he hadi No one, be cried. He had
felt for years that Frederic had resented his
fathers second marriage, and had he; ed
himself. 1t would have been little less than
sacrilege, therefore, to have permitted his
half-brother's wife to wear the buried
woman's trinketry.
He was glad now that be had taken them
away. They were bis, and he had got them
How terribly disappointed Frederic Cars
land ana Miss Adelaide Woodcock ould be
when they learned that the precious stones
had disappeared, and OWNED who had ap-
propriated them. He felt sorry that he
could not be present to witness their chagrlu
and pain. How furious his ugly faced half
brother would he! How sIrenuouslv be
would urge Sir Nicholas to place the matter
in the hands Of the police, and how utterly
crushed and disconnected would be his con-
dition when he discovered that the aronet
loved his missing son more than the missing
gems
What was that's
Sydney Corsland's heart gave great
bound. and he sprang to his knees with bis
hand on his bag He bad heard the break
ing of twlgs under foot os If some one was
about in the wood and near at hand Had
imagined also that he had caught the
faintest echo Of human voices.
His eyes swept the open space about him
apd-his auditive powers were strained &c
their utmost. The mist had cleared away
somewhat. and now that his sight had
accustomed itself to the semi-darkuess he
could see fairly well.
BE watched and listened and soon his
fears were verified. Here and there, am ne
the trees and bushes, the forms of men
could be discerneC, and now and again q
word was waited to his ears.
Who were theyl he asked himself with a
sinking heart Had the theft been discov
cred already and were thess men running
him to earthi IL looked as If it were so
for, whichever way he turned, the shadow )
figures were TO be seen. There must tie G
dozen men at least and ON all sides hi:
hiding place was guarded.
Throwing himself breast downward
among the bracken, with the precious port.
nanteau gripped in one hand, he burrow ed
path suake-like through the shelterine
fern. working his way toward the edge OF
the clearing stealtbily. aud almost as noise
lessly, as some frightend animel'of the
wood might have done.
Nearer and nearer the edge Of the bracker
he crept, and soon he was lying within the
shadow OF the trees The men we're rowing
about still as he could see and hear. Not a
dozen PAGES froro him a pair of dark forms
were sqnattinR on the sparse grass.
What was be TO doi Creep forward still
or rise 10 his feet and make burst for
safety.
He decided on the former plan stole for
ward on all fours; went SPRAYING Ia a
rabbit hole, heard cry Of alarm from
several throats jumped 20 his feet TO make
arush for It, and found himself In the arms