Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-07-21
A TERRIBLE SECRET
The Curse Of The More
lands.
BY LEON LEWIS.
CHAPTER lv.-(Continued.)


This farewell review consumed out
few minutes, and the couple then mace
their final preparations for departure.
The pcrtmanteau they had packed was
ccnveved to the side porch, and all the
lights within the dwelling were extln-
rTished, save that of the lantern, with
which they proposed to light their oe-
parture.
wHave YOU taken your revolver
Jessie?" asked Mrs. Mcreland, as she
halted at the door, to mako lasO
,houehtful survey of her surroundings,
and assure herself that she was leaving
everything as it should be and mad 1or-
gotten nothing she desired to take wlen
heS.
ayes, mother; have you?
aCertainly. ] feel safer with 1t, IN
view of the many tough and lawless
characters one is likely to meet on the
lake ard all along the shore"
~Then let's be Off"
They passed out, the mother closing
and locking the door behind them, anu
picked up their portmanteau ana ue,
scended the steps, moving quietly IN tne
direction Of the lake
In another minute or two they had
reached the boathouse at the water
edge, carrying their portmanteau oe'
tween them. 80.
The bosthouse was tall, gothlc'
soofed structure, standing on Eleh'
STONE Foundation, the object OF the
s,ntlaer having been to shelter his sloop
81 It without unsteppng its mast or even
lowering its sail 1t was always Kep'
locked. of course, as it contained many
valuable articles pertaining 10 tne
acnatic tastes of the mother and daugh
ter. not to speak of the neat cra1t theS
kent here habitually in readiness lor Id
stant nse throughout the summer.
70 take nossession of their sloop, witt
their portmanteau and other enecCs' @n,
10 get it out of the boathouse anu %
call leaving everything snug Dehn'
them, was the work of a 1ew auol'loLia ~ q,
minutes, and not long Thereafter 'ne.
had vanished on their voyage down 'n'
lake. ,..
"Wenl good-by, my dear relatives
muttered Radd Moreland, VINO na'
watched their embarkation from a snul
covert near the landing. 81 can ma yo'
when YOU are wanted, as L know Wher
YOU are going. | am even acqualnee'
with YOUR destination, as | passed se'
oral months at the village Of Egg lslan'
few wears ago. Curiously enough, ou
old friend Hutchley is living there as
fisherman. and he and l may take ne'
hand together. Meanwhile | am goln'
10 make myself quite at home mere
quite." A.
He sauptcred carelessly back to tn
house. giving himself admission o
breaking a pane of glass and turning IN
fastener of a window.
Lamp in hand he made a rapid ou
comnrehensive survey of the premises
and proceeded to serve hlmsell an al
petizing "bite to go to bed on" which II
cluded a bottle of choice wine from I'd
cellar.
Emboldened by the said bottle he wer
mt and took down the three signs lel
bv the representative Of the real esta'
AGENTS and concealed them under a
icehouse in the garden, after first rea'
ing them by the light of his lantern.
@The fact is" he muttered with cha
acteristic impudcnce, 81 don't propose
ne furned out of doors by my slster-l
law. even if she don't know OF my pre-
ence."
Returning to the house he locked hlr
self in securely and took his way 10
handsome guest chamber upstairs wnl'
had aroused his admiration. he hnls
cd his bottle of wine while making
more particular survey of the apartme
and then went to bed with maBy Sc
Generalization at finding himself IN Pc
session Of such quarters.