Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-04-01

have let me- 1 would at onco have gono to search the promises. As 1t was, she made me sit still whilc sho ran to and fro for hot wator and plaster, and the men searched the lower rooms and secured the door afrCsh.
 And so you could see nothing of him?" our host asked when ho and Master Der tie returned, weapons ill hand. Nothing of his figure or facc!'
 Nothing, save that ho was short, l answered, ''shortor than 1 am, at any rate, and l fancy good deal"
 A good deal shorter than you arc?" my lady said uneasily. That is no clcw. In this country nine people out of ton arc that. Clarence, now is not"
 No" I said. He is about tho samo height. It was not Clarence.
 Then who could it bc?" sho muttered, rising and then with a quick shudder sit ting down again. Heaven holp us, wo seem to bo in the midst of foes! What could be the motive? And why should tho villain havo selected you? Why pick you out?"
 Theroupon a strange thing happened. Three pairs of English eyes met and sig nalcd a common message Cyo to eye No word passed, but tho message was Van Tree" When we had glanced at ono an other, we looked all of us at our host looked somewhat guiltily. Ho was deep in thought, his eyes on tho stove, but he seemed to feel our gaze upon him, and he looked up abruptly. Master Van Trce''- ho said and stopped.
 You know him wcll?' tho duchess said, appealing to him softly. Wo felt kind of sorrow for him and somc delicacy, too about accusing ono of his countrymon of thing so cowardly. Do you think it is possible" she continued, with an effort, possible that ho can have done this, Master Lindstrom?'
 II havc known him from boy, " tho merchant said, looking up, hand on either knoc, and speaking with n simplic- ity almost majestic and never knew him do a mean thing, madam. l know no moro than that" And he looked round on us.
 That is good deal. Still Inc went off in fit of jealousy when Master Carey brought Dymphna homo. Wc must re- member that"
 "Yes, I would ho knew the rights of that matter " said tho Dutchman heartily.
 And he has been hanging nbout the place all day" my lady persisted.
 "Ycs, Master Lindstrom rcjoincd pa tirntly, yet do not thiI.k hc did this.''
 Then who did:" she said, somewhat nrttlrd.
 That was the question. hal my opin- ion, aS I SAW Master Brrtic and the duch- C;,S had l did not doubt it Was Van Trcc, yet n thought struck me. 1t might ho well, :" suGgrstvd, ''that Sonno un" should ask Mi>,r,> >a Anne whether the door was open whcn shr left the room. She passed out just in front of me"
 But she t!"vs not go hy tho door, my lady objected.
 No; she would turn at uncN and go up StAits," l agreed. liut she could SEC tho duur from the fuut ul the stairs-if she looked that way. mean" Thr duchess n~>rntcu and went out of the ruum tu put thr question. We three, lvlt together, sHt staring at the dull flame of tn" lamp and wrr,' fur the most part si- lent. Master Brriir only r"markinS that it wI> after midnight. TIr suspicion he and l entertained uf Van Frees guilt seemed to raise a barrier between Us and our host My wound. slight nS it WAS. sunrtcd and burned, and my hyAd achrd. After mid night. WAS il: What a day 1t had been! When the duchess cano Jack as she did l in few minutes, b.3th Annc and Dymph- na came with her. Tho girls had risen | hastily and wcro shivcring with cold and | alarm. Their eyes wrrr bright, thoir man ncr was excited They were full nf sympa- thy and horror and wonder, as was nat ural uf nervous fear fur themselves too. But my lady cut short ,.xclamatiuuS. Anne says she did not notice the door, 1 she said
 No, tho girl answered, trembling wis ibly aS she spoke. Il went up straig Int to | bed. But who could it he? Did you sec | nothing of him as he struck you? Not a feature? Not an outlincf" No. l murmurcd. Did he not say a word?' shc continued, with strange insistrncc. Was he tall or short?" Her dark eyes, dwelling on mino, seemed to probe my thoughts. us though they challenged mo to keep anything back from her. Was it tho man you hurt this morning." sho suggested. | Mo-" answered reluctantly. This man was short"
 "Short, was ho' Was it Master Van l Tree then!"
 We, who folt also certain that It wa: | Van Tree, started nevertheless at hearing the charge put into words before Dymphna | 1 wondered, and think the others did | too. at Mistress Anne's harShness. Ever | my lady, so blunt and outSpokCn by na turc, had shrunk from trying to question | tho Dutch girl about her lover We looked l at Dymphna. wondering how she would tako it.
 l We had forgotten that she could no understand English. But this did no | sCrr, her, for without pause Mistress Anno turned to her and unfalterinSll said something in her scanty Dutch whicl camc to the same thing. A word or two of questioning and explanation followed ! Then tho meaning of tho accusation dawncd at last on Dymphnas mind. looked for an outburst of tears or protcs
 tatiunS. Instead, with a glance of wondc and great scurn, with n single indignan | widening of her beautiful eyes, she rcplicC by curt Dutch sentence.
 What does she sayf" my lady OK claimed eagerly.
 "Shc says" replied Master Lindstrom who was looking on gravely that it is
 baso lie, madam"
 On that wo became spectators seemed to me, and I think to all of us
 that tho two girls stood apart from us il a circle of light by themselves, confront
 ing ono another with sharp glanccs, n
 though n curtain had been raised iron
 between them, and they saw one anothe
 in their truo colors and recognized som
 natural antagOniSm or it might be som
 rivalry each in the other. 1 think 1 wa
 not peculiar in feeling this, for we all kep
 silence for n space, as though expecting
 something to follow. In the middle of thi
 silence there came a low rapping at tn
 door
 One uttered faint shriek; another stoo
 as if turned to stone. Tho duchess erie
 for her child. The rest of us looked at on
 another. Midnight was past. Who coul
 be abroad, who could want us at thi
 hour? As rule, we should have been i
 bod and asleep long ago. We had n
 ncighbOrs save the cottcrs on tho far sid
 of tho island. Wo know of no ono likel
 to arrive at this time with any good in tent.
 II will open," said Master Lindstrom l L.. L. -l