Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1893-01-13
The Sandyeroft Mystery.
by t. w. spErour.
CHAPTER XIY-CoNr1Nurn.

meanwhile. 1t seemed to him that the
next step to take was to see his Uncle
Godfrey and enlighten him rs to tho
fresh complexion which the affair had
assumed since the meeting OF himself
and his sister in New York.
Accordingly. Ivor and Emma went
down to Sandycroft by the evening
train leaving Mrs Bosworth and
Roden together Ivor had telegraphed
the news OF their proximate ARRIVAL
and they found the brougham waiting
for them at the station. That both
Colonel Bernage and his brother were
unfeignedly glad to see the young
people goes without saying.
Nothing was said by either Ivor or
Emma OF the sub iect that lay upper
most in the thoughts OF both till din
ner was over and Uncle Alwyn had
retired to his own room to smoke his
dearly loved. after-dinner pipe By
and-by he would reappear and then
he and his niece would sit down to
their customary game OF backgam-
mon which had been perforce inter-
mitted during lines absence. Brother
and sister between them. now pro-
ceeded to tell their tale.
A little ejaculation now and again
was the coloneps sole comment till the
narrative had come TO an end. Then
he said: Tho story you have just
tod me is a strange one but not
more strange perhaps than one or
two other romances liz real life which
have come under my notice in the
course of n rather wide experience of
the world and its ways. OF hoden
Bosworth. what can | say except that
his action has the ring OF true hero
ism about it. To do what he did neces-
STATED courage of lar higher kind
than that which is needed-say-to
carry off wounded comrade under a
heavy fire from battlefield"
There was something in her uncle s
mood which lima Jailed to under
stand. She had looked to see the
light OF great gladness shine out OF
his eyes when Roden's limo ence was
made clear to him, instead of which
l his face expressed sadness such as
she had rarely seen on it before.
"0f course said Ivor the first
thing to be considered is what steps
it has now become needful TO take in
order to track down tho real GRIM
inal."
AS the colonel was crossing the hall a
little later one OF the servants came up
to him carrying the Croft post bag.
Tho evening post has only just ar
rived, sir " said the man. 1T seems
the mail cart broke down two miles
this side OF Sherrisford. and that il
was some time before the driver could
get assistance He says sir that he
hopes you won't be put to any incon-
| venience by the delay"
The colonel nodded TO the man as
understand what he had said. aud
taking the bag. emptied the contents
on the table. In all there were only
some half dozen letters and newspa-
pers Conspicuous among the lot by
its bulk as by Its appearance was a
square black-edged envelope sealed
with big splash of black WAX. which
the colonel at once picked out from
the rest Before proceeding to read
the letter the colonel glanced at the
signature and started as he did so
Then he sat down and began to read
it leaving all the other contents oil
the bag UNDECIDED. He had Just FIN.
ished the letter and taken up the
sheets OF foolscap. when a servant
came to announce that the brougham
was in readiness. ntFf
Not til hall an hour later not till
no had read the last line OF this sing.
ular document which. had come Ia
him in the black sealed envelope did
Colonel Bernage rise from his. chair.
When he did so although his face
was paler than usual there was q
glad light in his eyes, such as had
not shone out OF them since the night
when he came on Captain Darvill' $
dead body in the smoking-room. oh
thank heaven thank heaven for
thisw he exclaimed fervently do
they not say that the darkest hour oil
all is that which precedes the dawnf
And so il has been In this case AT
length the cloud is lifted-at length
the mystery is solved What happi.
ness to find my poor Alwyn guiltless
And Roden too! What a change to-
MORROW Will urluB W nlm-LO Ill Of
u.s. Oh. thank heaven!"
The door opened softly, and Enie.
with her pale face and great luminous
eyes stood on the threshold. She had
come in search Of her uncle. For a
moment or two she stood looking al
him. and he at her. Then with a lit.
tie cry. she sprang forward. You
have heard some good news. uncle
can read 1t in your eyes. she ex-
claimed. 'Oh. tell me-tell mc!'
He put his arms round her and
drew her to him and pressed his lips
to her hair again and again. oh.
my dear-my dear! The most won.
derful thing-the most Then all
at once his voice broke down. and fol
little spnce he could say no moro