Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-11-13

| chaptsr. tNen tne bishop conntecehusl
10 take ten with them ON occasions, and
they held their heads high In oonso-
qucnce Moreover. they loved me great.
ly. though I was but q grnoeloss nephew
% the good souls
When I mado my appearance, the
Misses DurraDt r,coived me with oIsn
arms They had not expected mo till
much later In the month. but had nj.
ready prepared for my reception. My
portmanicau. which had ordered to b,
sent down from London. had arrived.
the bcdding of my room was thoroughly
well aired. and Rachel. their hand.
maiden. sproad for me q sumptuous
meal. When washed and clothed my.
self anew. I made an excellent meal.
for tho long tramp from the Fen inn
made me hungry. then at down for q
chat and q smoke
II think he may. Jane" hintcd So-
phia gently
"If he sits near the open window.
Rophia, was the firm reply. whcrcupun,
ihi. little comedy having bocn gone
through. a. usual, ] produced my pipc
and took my appointed station. Thus
scitlci. made inquiries about Bellin
Hall and it, inmates
II sec you have the London beauty
down here. aunt
OLIVIA Bcllin," said they both In q
breath and then sighed
"Is there anything Ia mourn about
Aunt Jancy' askcl. pricking mp my
ears for useful information which !
ln.w tho-c go-sip- could supply.
"Ah. sighed Aunt Jane. folding her
withercd hands. who knows the wick
c.ine-- % the hearti"
"Olivia's heart"
"D.ar me. no Lionel. =" said Aunt
Sophia scandaliIrl "She Il agOol girl
--as gOOl q. she 4. loyely-and no, -
silly ~ her mother. ounclud"l the old
laly. with feminine spite
Then o. who-o heart DO yoa alludeF
This question started . duet t.twccn
the two old ladies
''frAncis Briarholdi You r,memlsf.
Jancg'
"y.. sophia Tia, hus.y With ths
feather boa"-
Wa s.cn speaking o. him in tho
caih.,lral Nv Bishop Jevu.'s tomb"
And he se.mcd very intimate with
bsr."
"s,ili. Jane be- was glad when sh'
left Marshminsisr "
"i,Aih,r relieved. think. Sophia
And PR Olivia B.llin knew noth.
Ing about bis wick"lnoss," they oon
cluhed togrther
Nv heart Lat raJadly In this idls
talk I saw q link which would hind o.
liz Duarf,ld o. the girl NJ the Fen inn
"wAs shc a pretty grip ! asked with
we'll simulated oarvlo.snoss "
"IIAndsomo l. q. handsome dos-. ~
snutei Aunt Jane who was rmarka
bly, plain hor--lt
''sur,. sister. she wa. not ill look
ing. " aid the g,ntlcr Sophia. who hal
t..n a toast IN hcr youth ''she hal a
guui ngufr and dark hair and eyes |
admired her complexion. Jane IL wa
ike cream and a dimplo herr" finished
sophia. touching her chin "a pretty.
pretty dimple"
"Suphiar'
"well. IL was q pretty dimple, JAM
No ono can deny that.
IN this description ] cspied Rose
str,nt. especially rs regards the dimple.
I had noticed 1, myself Evidently therc
was an understanding bctwocn this wo-
man and Felix which had lcl her Ia
taking up her quarters In the Fen inn
with her father. " indeed the landlord
was her fa,her--a fact was beginning
10 doubt set the garrulous ladies on
on another tack.
'Do you know anything about the
Fen inn. Aunt Janer'
"The lone inn. childi Never name
itl In my youth IL was the scene Of a
terrible murder. AMI since that time
no one has lived In IL save one man."
"It II now In ruins" said Sophia,
with hated breath. 'and Il said 10 b,
haunted"
"Does any one go near it,
"No one. don't think there II u
man In the country who would venture
near the lone inn after dark. Two year.
ago q stranger rcfurnishcd and repaired
Il. but he did not stay longer than >
week.
"what bccamo of himi'
"IIe disappeared. f" said Aunt Sophia,
nodding her head solennly. ''yanish"d
altogether. II was supposed that be-
was drowned In the marshes The hOusc
l. still furnished. believe. but no On'
gocs hear u.
"What about the landlordi'
"Ii'. In chanoory. said Aunt Jane
wisely. "It has no landlord.
After this discussion ! went to bcd
with plenty 20 think about. saw well
enough that strcnt and his daughter
had taken mp their abode In the ruined
hOuso for certain purpnse. That pur.
pose was. verify believed. TO encompass
the death of Francis Briarfold. and now
that IL was accomplished they disap-
pearod. A. Aunt Sophia said. the fur
niiurc Of the former proprietor was still
therc. soa touch or two hal rendered
the house hibitabla This accounted for
their unwi ingnc-s 90 receive me ~ a
guest and for the mildewcd aspect of
the rooms which had struck mo 80 forvi.
bly,. A second tragedy had acccntuatel
the evil reputation Of the house But,
while the frst tragedy was known TO
all. the second was known only to MY.
self and to-fclix Briarfeld-
I felt certain that he was connected
In some way with the unexpected death
Of his brother. Francis had been lurd
20 that lonely inn for the purpose of be-
ing murdered. and the crime had been
accomplished by Strent and his dGugh
ter. So far n knew. Felix hal not boon
near the house on the night in question,
yet he was without doubt morally guilty
Of the crime. Olivia believing him 20
b. her lover Francis, did not place much
faith In my story. but surely, when she
was convinced by the sight Of the dead
holy and ! had torn the inask from the
face Of Felix. she would let me deal
with him as he deserved.
Next morning l was mp betimes. and
telling my aunts ! would not b. back
till late went round to the sole livery sta
blcs possessed by Marshminster. These
were kept by Bob Fundy. bow legged
little man. who had been n jockey In
his youthful days and who was q great